#nofgm. Thread about when you hit puberty. Becoming a teen is massive mile Stone. No one discusses periods at all. You don't know nothing . Then periods come. First I think I am dying

Second the pain is absolutely consuming. It feels like my abdomen is on fire. I am truly in trouble. I tell my cousin I think I dying. She asks why. I tell her I am bleeding. She says to me. No you are not dying.

You just become a woman. I look at her with dead eyes. Hate when they say that. I associate that been hurt.
I tell her, my belly is on fire .she says itz OK stay in bed. She tells my mother and my mother tells other female relatives

All over sudden everyone is whispering looking happy. Just because I have entered womanhood. But every month after that . I was absolutely devoured by the period pain. It wasn't coming out properly. It took long than normal days

Every month I dread it. I feel anxious. Its crazy what I am feeling. Why do I need to suffer like this. Why becoming a woman. So much pain attached to it womanhood. I had so many questions. No answer though. My periods continue to be nighmare .

Eveytime I am taken to the doctors. The doctors always pleads with my mom. Can I open her just tiny bit. The answer was no. That continued every month. It was truly horrific. I dreamed the day I can be normal. Womanhood I associate with pure evil pain.

I decided in my head as girl they mutilated me to say I will become a woman that was absolutely cruel. Then I get period again horrific pain. Then you will get married pain. You will give birth again pain.

In my head there is giant ball of pain and it comes with been a woman. Then forward to be coming to my beloved UK. I got help .I got opened up which is called Deinfibulation. That means opening the stitches and exposing your urethra and opening of your vaginsl hole

Then I had to reconnect with my body and register my brain that its ok to urinate normal. It was truly emotional time. Last time I urinated normal was when I was 6yrs and now 18yrs old. Its absolutely amazing

I am me again. My body can be semi normal again. All this heartache from the age of 6 still has such impact on life. 200 million women and girls worldwide . Have been subjected to Female Genital Mutilation. Some died from the complications. Majority left with life

Life term consequences. Why all this done to us.
Because we are born girls. We weren't treasured like the boys. We were either commodity or assets. Our potential wasn't seen at all. We are seen as wives and baby production factory.

Today 51 still haunted by my past but Not Defined by my Past. I use my Past to Educate others and enriched the lives of Women & Girls worldwide . I love you all. I am for you only and will fight for you only center you women & girls . Womanhood is a sacred and itz universe

Itself .treasure each other and most importantly be each other voices. We need each other in order to survive. The world keeps on rewriting us and trying to erase us. We can't let that happen. Unite please