It was the first party of year 12, and my house was always the spot where all the girls got
ready. This involved doing our hair, make up, usually some sort of fake tanning, then we
slipped into our tight dresses and massive heels (it was very over the top). The guy holding
the party lived up the hill from my place. A massive house overlooking the ocean (think The
OC) with a pool outside decorated with fairy lights. Food was provided, but of course BYO
alcohol.
So the girls and I arrive and we start talking to everyone. 1 drink down, 2 drinks down, 3
drinks down, and I’m now flirting with this guy I liked from my form class. Before I know it
we are downstairs in the gym area. We start making out, the party is in full swing upstairs. I
remember thinking, high school is fun. We make it to second base then of course, as
everything went back then, the guy finishes and the intimate moment is over. It took me a
long time to realize as a woman I deserve pleasure too (that story is for another time). So
we both go back upstairs. I go to the bathroom and realize I was bleeding. I call my friends
into the bathroom as I was freaking out. I didn’t think I was meant to get my period and
then I thought, oh my god is the guy upstairs with blood on his fingers, is he telling
everyone? My friends calmed me down, gave me a pad and we went back to the party.
The following Monday at school the whole grade is talking about the weekend. A rumor was
spreading that the guy I had hooked up with “jizzed in my eye”. Along with another rumor
the the younger brother of the boy who hosted the party had gone down to the gym the
next morning and sat in a pool of my blood. I was mortified.
As I looked back on that night a few years later…
1. I realized my hymen broke, hence the blood. I knew that could happen, but little
information was ever provided, which I believe is related to the lack of sexual education in
schools.
2. I was slut shamed most of my high school years for kissing boys. The boys were praised
for kissing me, but I was shamed (my two best friends and I were called the DCC crew –
dirty, cunt, crew).
3. These boys have since apologized for the rumors made up about me when we were
teenagers. Unfortunately, it took me a long time to realize what they were saying about me
when we were kids was wrong. I never deserved that, no girl does, it doesn’t matter how
many boys she kisses or sleeps with.