BY: ANUSHA
Remember that strange part of growing up when you felt like a kid one day and a whole new person the next? One minute you’re arguing about bedtime then next you’re staring in the mirror thinking “Who is that?” Puberty hits like a gentle or not so gentle wave. Then there are the growth spurts, the weird body hair, the acne at the worst times, the new need for deodorant. The worst time for a boy is when his voice cracks. For girls, everything from breasts to periods becomes a new norm. And for all of them? Mood swings The kind where you cry at a commercial or get annoyed because someone breathed too loud or you just hate the way the air blew. But here’s the real problem: Most of us don’t have a proper guidebook for this huge life change. And worse, we often feel ‘ashamed’ about it. My voice is not manly like his or sweet like hers. The breast size – not enough, too much. How did I get blood on my pants? Is it a sin? Is it a curse? Man, her skin is so glowy and clear, but look at mine! And so on…
There’s a word for these changes out there. Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) . It sounds like a government form. But let me put that in real world terms. It’s not just about sex. You know your own body without being disgusted by it. It is knowing what is normal. It’s about whether you’re allowed to ask, “Hey, is this supposed to happen? I mean, it is normal, right?” without getting shushed. Come on, the toughest thing about puberty isn’t the acne or the voice cracks. It’s the silence after that. Things change, but you can’t say that. We just don’t talk about it in so many homes and schools. We laugh when a boy’s voice breaks. When a girl gets her period, she whispers for a pad wrapped in a newspaper. They are normal biological events, and we treat them like secret scandals. Where do kids go for answers? Nobody talks. They depend on the internet or sketchy videos. Nowadays AI has become their personal tutor which is right and wrong based on prompts given- can’t really be relied for every information though. That’s how myths are born. That’s how fear begins. That’s how a kid ends up thinking that there is something “wrong” with them when they are growing perfectly right.
We need to build a world where our homes, schools, and friend groups are safe zones for these chats – places where you can ask about consent, boundaries, or why your stomach badly hurts during periods without getting a weird or disgusted look. Growing up will always bring questions. That’s the deal. But growing up doesn’t have to bring shame. You have a right to know what is happening to your body. You have a right to respect. You have a right to accurate information and not judgement. When we understand our bodies, we respect them. And when we respect them, nobody can make us feel ashamed of them. So, let’s stop whispering about puberty like it’s a secret disease. It’s just growing up. And growing up is a lot easier when you actually know what’s going on