Do I experience white discharge during adolescence?

Karine is 20 years old and a student in digital communications. She is one of our subscribers and was selected to be lone of our models for our photo shoots. A content creator on social networks, Karine talks to us today about her teenage years, her relationship with periods and her opinion on Elia menstrual panties.

Why did you decide to take part in an Elia shoot?

"It's a brand that conveys beautiful messages and with whom I share the same values. It was a real pleasure for me to take part in this shoot and interview."  

You're very touched by subjects considered taboo (puberty, white discharge...) did they have an influence on you growing up?

"Regarding puberty, not especially because I've been very well looked after by my parents. They m've always talked about everything since I was little. There was never any taboo, and I was never surprised when I grew up. As far as white discharge is concerned, the reason I wanted to talk about it is because it's a subject that's hardly ever talked about. Personally, when I was in junior high or high school, there were chapters on sexuality, for example, on puberty and so on. We talked about periods, but white discharge is really like it doesn't exist. And yet everyone has it. And several times, as I've wandered around on social networks, I've seen posts about it. A lot of girls thought it wasn't normal to have white discharge. They thought they were dirty or something. That's why I thought it would be good to talk about it, to set the record straight. It's completely normal to have them. Unless, one day, the discharge isn't as white as all that, if it's more of an abnormal color or a special smell, then there might be a problem and you should see a doctor. But otherwise, it's totally normal. As far as hair is concerned, it's been a big, big problem for me. It's not even "it was": it's still a big worry for me. Because I'm quite fair-skinned, my hair is very, very black and I have quite a lot of it. For example, when we were in secondary school, when we had sports classes, especially swimming, those were the real embarrassments of my life, clearly. As I've grown up, I've learned to accept them a little, but it's true that it's still a bit complicated." 

What do you think is the best way to combat these taboos?

"I think social networks really do the job. There's a lot of information out there. There's also false information. But I think young people today learn a lot from social networks. After that, talking about it with parents, for example, would also be a good idea. You can learn a lot from friends too. Above all, you have to talk, talk a lot. A lot of communication. And social networks are a good idea."

You're very present on social networks. What are you talking about?

"On my social networks, I really talk about everything. Initially, I was talking a lot more about all things hair care for frizzy hair. After that, it s's diversified a bit, and it's really natural in the sense that I'll see a post that will m'call out to me, I'll re-share it in a story, and then we'll talk about it. So it really can be about anything. It could be, I don't know, on a news item, or such and such a person will have said something that m'may have shocked... We really do talk about everything."

Getting back to the subject of menstruation, how do you feel about your cycle?

"Concerning my cycle... I live it really well. I've never had any problems with it. I don't necessarily have any pains, apart from the first day, but sometimes I don't even feel them coming on. I've always been well adjusted, so my periods has never been a problem for me."

What do you think of Elia's menstrual panties?

"I had the opportunity to test, among menstrual panties, a thong that is used for small flows, so it can be at the beginning of periods, at the end of periods or during white discharge. It went very well. I used it at the beginning of periods, and there was no leakage. A lot of girls also ask me if you can see the trace of the panties under the jeans, because it's quite thick. No, you absolutely can't see the trace and there's no smell at all!"

Do you have any books, podcasts or people to follow that you'd recommend?

"On Instagram, I follow a page called Feminist. It's a page that re-post content from other creators. Often, the content is really interesting. For example, I once saw a post, which I had actually re-shared in story that m'd really made me laugh. There was a picture of a girl having her periods, and on the post, it said in English: "When I have my periods, I go to the bathroom a lot more." That mreally made me laugh, because it's something we never talk about. In other words, when we talk about symptoms when we have our periods, it's more like: "Yes, I have mood swings, I have pimples, I have a stomach ache etc...". But I've never heard anyone say: "When I have my periods, I go to the toilet a lot more". And since this is my case, I shared it in a story, and talked about it with other subscribers. Frankly, we had a good laugh, because I realized that most girls go to the bathroom a lot more when they have their periods. Then there's a film I'd recommend watching, called "Desert Flower". It's basically a book, which was later adapted into a film. It's about a Somali girl who has been circumcised. The main subject is excision, her experience with it and the repercussions it has had on her life and herself. It's a film that mreally shook me up, so I recommend you watch it.

Why is it important to break taboos?

"It's also important to talk a lot so that afterwards you don't feel abnormal. I think it's complicated when you've got something, but there's no one to confide in... You think, 'Gee, what's wrong with me? So we start looking on the Internet. You find a lot of things on the Internet, and they're not necessarily the best things. It's really important to have people around you who you can talk to, and who can advise you as well. Especially for little girls, because I'd hate it if my daughter, if I have one later on, grew up with a lack of information. If something happens to her, I don't know, but if one day she has her periods, or she has a problem at that level, that she doesn't know what's wrong and that she doesn't dare come to m'talk about it, when it's important to have people around you who are there for you and who know how to talk to you about all these things."