I am not so sure that it is OK to write such things. As a large area of social media adopts a no gender manuscript as the reality for us as “Human” beings. I am not sure that is accurate. I guess in that narrative what is a succinct definition of us now is that of Robotic Beings.

Anyway, I come from a generation where gender is present. It was present in my work as a holistic health counsellor. Soon it will be five decades I am at it.
Over those decades I saw thousands of women who came to see me with all manner of health challenges. They would see me for dietary advice, Shiatsu treatments and stress issues that arose for them in their daily lives.
At times this was brought about especially around their monthly cycle.
I as a man, with not real life experience of this, obviously needed to listen. And listen indeed I did.

Being a former Army Officer trained at Sandhurst. The go to response for any major decision was “the military Appreciation” of the situation.
Please, I was well aware that I was not in a war zone. This was a skill that was drummed into us at the Academy.
A core aspect of the Military Appreciation is to have All Factual bits of info that you can gather. You can know more about my life here

One of my key questions after I had given the woman time to share her experience. How it was for her, as I kept eye contact with her so she knew I was fully present with what she was sharing. Along with giving her space to share.

I would then ask, what happened when you had your first monthly cycle as a young girl becoming a woman.
In more than 50% of those cases, the young girl was never prepared or knew what was forthcoming from her hormonal system.

I did not dwell on that issue back then or mentioned it in what I would suggest. As for the woman to leave the consultation or the Shiatsu session with some sense of Blame about her experience. There was no way in that moment where that would serve her.
What I have observed over the decades is that the shadow of that experience. Where no knowledge, no preparation, no skills being offered. Then something did remain; like a ghost in the psyche of these women. Maybe ghost is too strong a word to use. There is some shadow that needs to be acknowledged in the closing of that cycle for a woman. If I may suggest, as then those Cosmic interconnections resonate with a blessed completion.
Here is a poem that came to me two days ago about that trauma.
SOVEREIGNTY WITHHELD
Source of creation Earth to food to blood Then back to earth That reality which has us still here Yet for some with an alienation mindset We are disconnected Patriarchal approaches reign That brings shame Awkward to talk about Silence prevails Transition Knowledge withheld Yet she is the source of future generations Throwing her sovereign DNA cells into turmoil Shadows of not belonging arise Alienated from her essence Ever seeking to fit in Yet never anchored in any biological reality Where her monthly moments create tension From being denied her DNA essence To fully blossom with dignity and grace Never handed to her To have sovereignty over body and mind Oh how boring this ongoing approval seeking Constant need to fit in to be appreciated At the base she never did get that blessing Arising from Biological knowledge Withheld No being present Such wiring was never sanctified Unplugged, disconnected, adrift Search but no source or entity owns it Refugee in her own body All other issues are identified This one is not even acknowledged Who can hear her howling pain If spoken will be placed as some aberration In those patriarchal institutions of learning No listing is there of this. Yes diving ahead with consciousness Creating new horizons of reality and what is possible Yet left behind with no cap to identify this experience Getting on in life and getting ahead is the drive What about her? Where no base exists for her Where that thing called blood always initiates awkwardness.
By the way, if there are any women having issues surrounding the menopause transistion I offer guidance to help make this a smooth experience. Please make contact so that a reconnection to your Cosmic Feminine Being can take place, and support your journey.
This is powerful Rex and I look forward to hearing more about this theme. There are so many women that have learned to wince and virtually apologise for their very existence it feels that you are tapping into a key source.