What does bleeding from the anus mean?

Many things: Bleeding from your anus could be from cancer, inflammatory bowel diseases like ulcerative colitis or crohn's disease, hemorrhoids or some kind of trauma to the anal area to name a few. A direct visual exam and digital rectal exam or anoscopy are useful initial tests, and can be performed by your primary care doctor.

Several things: Has there been any trauma, even with large hard bowel movements? It could be tears or fissures, hemorrhoids, diverticulosis, polyps, and even anal or rectal cancer. All of this assumes you mean bright red blood. If dark red or black stools or blood it is bleeding higher in the intestines or stomach. With so many possibilities bleeding is not normal and direct rectal exam or endoscopy is needed.