I think it’s high time we stopped saying ‘hormonal’ like it’s a swear word. You know what I’m talking about. We use it synonymously with words like ‘crabby’ and ‘irritable.’ We use it as an insult, a write-off, an excuse, a complaint. We need to stop this. Right now.Do we hear ourselves? Do we understand what we’re even saying?
Hormones are a fact of life. They are an integral part of our biology, just as much as our bones and our blood. Our hormones are simply the chemical messengers by which our brains and our organ systems communicate.
Describing someone as ‘hormonal’ makes just about as much sense as calling someone ‘kerantinish’ or ‘mitochondrial.’
And it’s quickly become a way of demeaning women. We even do it to each other, and ourselves! We somehow imply that because we are hormonal, we are less competent, less dependable, less able to make decisions.
Yes, hormones often contribute to changing moods and emotions, but we need to stop acting like that’s a bad thing. Human beings are vibrant and dynamic creatures. Women in particular experience a beautiful, cyclical existence, our very bodies undergoing a series of physiological changes on a monthly basis. Differing moods and energy levels are normal. Purposeful. Designed.
What is not normal is having such severe highs and lows that you feel socially and emotionally crippled, and the fuel for tasteless jokes. If this is your situation, a hormonal imbalance may be present.
But even then, your hormones are not the enemy. They are simply doing their job of sending messages, and an imbalance is a message that you are not well.
So instead of ignoring, mocking, resenting, or even chemically suppressing your hormones, embrace them. Learn about them. Listen to them. Maybe you need to change your diet, sleep more, reduce stress, switch shampoo, or go to the doctor.
And maybe in time, rather than an insult, ‘being hormonal’ will become just another way of saying ‘being human.’
And it’s quickly become a way of demeaning women. We even do it to each other, and ourselves! We somehow imply that because we are hormonal, we are less competent, less dependable, less able to make decisions.
Yes, hormones often contribute to changing moods and emotions, but we need to stop acting like that’s a bad thing. Human beings are vibrant and dynamic creatures. Women in particular experience a beautiful, cyclical existence, our very bodies undergoing a series of physiological changes on a monthly basis. Differing moods and energy levels are normal. Purposeful. Designed.
What is not normal is having such severe highs and lows that you feel socially and emotionally crippled, and the fuel for tasteless jokes. If this is your situation, a hormonal imbalance may be present.
But even then, your hormones are not the enemy. They are simply doing their job of sending messages, and an imbalance is a message that you are not well.
So instead of ignoring, mocking, resenting, or even chemically suppressing your hormones, embrace them. Learn about them. Listen to them. Maybe you need to change your diet, sleep more, reduce stress, switch shampoo, or go to the doctor.
And maybe in time, rather than an insult, ‘being hormonal’ will become just another way of saying ‘being human.’
This post has been reprinted with permission. The original can be found here.
I LOVE this Rebecca! It’s so insulting to have someone mumble “geesh, hormonal?” as if they just invalidated your entire argument with that witty statement. THAT is when I do begin to feel ragey! If I wasn’t angry you can bet I probably am now.