“I ran with blood dripping down my legs for sisters who don’t have access to tampons, and sisters who, despite cramping and pain, hide it away and pretend like it doesn’t exist. I ran to say: it does exist, and we overcome it every day.”
For decades, mainstream menstrual product advertising has promoted the idea of concealment. Commercials often feature upbeat music, models performing athletic feats, and taglines like “discreet,” “invisible,” or “leak proof.” While this messaging might feel empowering on the surface, it also reinforces a deep rooted societal discomfort with menstruation. The unspoken goal: hide your period at all costs.
But what happens when we take a completely different approach, one that rejects secrecy and embraces menstruation as a natural and valid bodily process that should be allowed to be visible?
That’s the philosophy behind free bleeding, a practice that has gained traction in recent years across both activist circles and wellness communities.
At its core, free bleeding involves menstruating without using products that block or collect menstrual blood, allowing flow to occur without tampons, pads, or menstrual cups. While simple in concept, it’s a practice that challenges social norms and opens up space for larger conversations about bodily autonomy, stigma, access, and sustainability.
Free Bleeding: What Is It?
Free bleeding refers to menstruating without the use of traditional products such as tampons, pads, or menstrual cups to collect or absorb menstrual flow. For some, it may involve bleeding directly into underwear or clothing; for others, it might mean using reusable menstrual wear such as absorbent underwear, bodysuits, or shorts.
There is no single definition of how free bleeding must be practiced. Some individuals opt to free bleed only during lighter flow days or while at home, while others do so exclusively or as part of a broader lifestyle choice. Importantly, many who free bleed report developing a stronger intuitive understanding of their own cycles, a connection that can sometimes feel diminished when using conventional period products.
While opinions differ on whether using period underwear counts as "true" free bleeding, many agree that the appeal lies in the flexibility and freedom it offers. There are no rigid guidelines, just individual choice and comfort.
Why Free Bleed?
There are several reasons why someone might like to explore free bleeding! For starters, conventional menstrual products are not always comfortable. They can cause irritation, dryness, or simply fail to meet a person’s needs, especially when flow is inconsistent or heavy. The trial and error process of finding the “right” product can feel frustrating and exhausting for many.
Additionally, cost and accessibility remain significant barriers for many. A report from the Conseil du statut de la femme highlights ongoing issues related to period poverty, particularly in low-income communities. Products subject to the “pink tax” are often unaffordable for marginalized populations, creating both economic and health related consequences. Free bleeding offers a low cost alternative that, while not feasible in every setting, can reduce dependence on expensive disposable products.
Health concerns are also increasingly cited as a reason why to free bleed. Many tampon and pad brands contain chemicals and fragrances that may be harmful, yet current legislation does not mandate full ingredient transparency. As awareness grows, so too does interest in natural, organic, and sustainable period care options, whether that means switching to safer products or forgoing them altogether.
Then there’s the environmental impact. Disposable menstrual products account for over 20 billion waste items annually, many of which take hundreds of years to decompose. Free bleeding can significantly reduce waste, particularly when combined with reusable, washable menstrual garments.
Beyond these individual motivations, however, free bleeding also serves as a political and social statement. Choosing not to conceal menstruation is a direct challenge to the deeply embedded stigma that teaches people to see periods as dirty, shameful, or inappropriate.
A powerful example of this came in 2015, when musician and activist Kiran Gandhi ran the London Marathon while free bleeding. Unable to find a comfortable product on race day, she chose instead to run without protection. But the act quickly became a symbol of resistance. On her blog, Gandhi wrote, “I ran with blood dripping down my legs for sisters who don’t have access to tampons, and sisters who, despite cramping and pain, hide it away and pretend like it doesn’t exist. I ran to say: it does exist, and we overcome it every day.” Her experience highlights how free bleeding can be both personally empowering and politically charged, an act that calls attention to the commodification of womanhood and the expectation that menstruators must remain desirable, composed, and invisible even while managing a complex biological process.
We had the chance to speak with Montreal athlete Maxime Ratté, who recently ran 100 km while menstruating. She shared the physical challenges, emotional highs, and pride that came with completing such an endurance feat. Embracing the mantra “Let it bleed,” Maxime’s experience perfectly illustrates the philosophy behind free bleeding: trusting your body, honouring your flow, and rejecting the idea that menstruation should be hidden. Her story is a powerful reminder that periods do not have to limit performance or participation, and it highlights why openly discussing menstruation in sports and everyday life is so important for breaking stigma and fostering empowerment.
Resistance to Free Bleeding and Potential Risks
Despite its potential benefits, free bleeding remains a highly polarizing topic. For some, the very idea is met with shock, discomfort, or even disgust. In online spaces, anti-feminist groups have attempted to discredit the movement, reducing it to a caricature of radical activism.
This reaction often stems from deeply ingrained societal taboos. Bleeding into clothing is perceived by some as unhygienic or irresponsible. However, health experts have confirmed that free bleeding poses no significant medical risk when practiced with appropriate hygiene. Concerns about bloodborne diseases like Hepatitis B or C are largely misplaced; transmission is only possible through direct blood to blood contact. The use of antimicrobial, washable menstrual garments can mitigate any concerns about odour, staining, or discomfort.
Of course, accidents can happen, just as they do with conventional products. However, advocates of free bleeding argue that better knowledge of one’s body and flow patterns allows for more effective self regulation, including strategic bathroom visits and clothing choices.
The broader issue isn’t about whether free bleeding is “clean enough” or “normal enough.” It’s about the continued stigma surrounding menstruation itself, and the pressures placed on menstruators to prioritize concealment and control over comfort and autonomy.
Bottom Line
There is no universal answer to period care, and individuals must be free to choose the methods that work best for their bodies, environments, and lifestyles.
That said, the rise of free bleeding opens the door to an important and overdue conversation about the ways menstruation is perceived and policed. It challenges the narrow values driving the mainstream period care industry, which too often prioritizes discretion over health, aesthetics over autonomy, and silence over visibility.
Caring for one’s menstrual health should not require shame or secrecy. Whether through free bleeding, reusable garments, organic cotton products, or any other method, menstruators deserve access to choices that reflect their needs, their bodies, and their values, not just the preferences of a market designed to keep them quiet.
