 
|
 
The Museum of Menstruation and Women's Health
Letters to your MUM
"[T]here's a difference between a guy knowing about menstruation
and a guy knowing that his classmate is menstruating. Menstruation is at
the heart of what it means to be feminine, and so it is at the heart of
the mystery of being a woman."
Dear Mr. Finley,
I hope that this is the proper place to contact you; I couldn't find
any other contact information on your site, which is extremely interesting
and informative. I've enjoyed surfing it.
That said, I think I might mention something regarding some comments
on Kotex's ads for teens; you call Kotex "shameless"
for exploiting a girl's fear lest a boy find out she's menstruating.
Obviously, menstruation shouldn't be thought of as disgusting or as a sign
of women's inferiority, but I don't think that it's correct to be entirely
open about it, on a personal level.
It's not to say that people shouldn't be well-informed, or that your
museum shouldn't exist; menstruation is fascinating historically, sociologically,
and scientifically. But there's a difference between a guy knowing about
menstruation and a guy knowing that his classmate is menstruating. Menstruation
is at the heart of what it means to be feminine, and so it is at the heart
of the mystery of being a woman. And mysteries are by their very nature
meant to be known only to the initiate - other women, because they themselves
also have the mystery within them, and a woman's husband, because he is
the one who enters into the heart of the mystery. I would be embarrassed
for a boy to know that I was menstruating, just because that knowledge
isn't for him, even though I think it's a beautiful symbol in spite of
all the bother. The most precious and beautiful things are kept veiled,
like the Hebrew Holy of Holies in the Bible. (It's interesting to note,
too, that just as the Holy of Holies is where God came down and dwelt among
the Jews, it is within woman that God and man meet to create a new person.)
But also, not all shame is a bad thing. We wear clothing not because
our bodies are evil, but because our nakedness makes us vulnerable; it
is too easy for us to be used when our sex appeal gets in the way of our
personal appeal. I think that menstruation is private just because it
advertises to the world that a woman's fertile. Of course, in the advertisement
the girl's assertion that she would want to change schools is a complete
exaggeration. (Similar to "I'd kill myself if he found out!")
But it would be embarrassing, and I don't think that it's wrong for a
girl to be embarrassed. (Whether or not Kotex's advertisement encourages
girls to think negatively about menstruation in general is another issue;
I think not, but it could go either way.)
I would also like to mention my views on your assertion that painful,
potentially fatal childbirth argues against intelligent design. I think
that, had Adam and Eve not sinned, things would have been completely different.
The Bible actually mentions painful childbirth and distorted relationships
between the sexes as direct results of the Fall, and I'm sure that all
pain, suffering, and abuse were quite simply not meant to be. But they
are, because mankind chose to mold his own future instead of conform to
God's (and God, being God, had the better plan). Similarly, I don't think
that women's fertility would have included such extreme messiness, pain,
and mood swings. Of course, thinks makes sense only if you believe in
the Bible, but I just wanted to explain that it's not as irrational and
contradictory as you might perhaps think.
For the record, I'm a teenage American girl and a devout Catholic.
I'm not a feminist in the usual sense of the word... but I'm interested
in the role of woman in society, in religion, and in the modern world.
To me, feminists have simply told us that we need to be men, which is
not satisfactory - they haven't said what it means to be a woman, and menstruation
is an important part of that.
Yours,
****
P.S. The Theology of the Body by Pope John Paul II talks a lot about
Adam and Eve being "naked without shame," the consequences the
Fall, and the meaning of the human body in the light of man as the image
of God, if you are interested in the subject. Alice von Hildebrand is
also a good author to read.
November 2009
Article on early-modern menstruation
Hi,
Just to let you know that I had my research on sanitary protection
in the early-modern period published last year. The journal is not the
easiest of ones to access, but I guess people can get it on order through
their library, if they are interested. I would appreciate it if you could
publish a link to it on your site as all feedback is welcome!
The journal it appears in is called Early Modern
Woman: An Interdisciplinary Journal. Their blurb says
"Early Modern Women: An Interdisciplinary Journal is the only
journal devoted solely to the interdisciplinary and global study of women
and gender during the years 1400 to 1700."
The article is called Thy Righteousness is but
a menstrual clout: Sanitary Practices and Prejudice in Early Modern England
and a link to the journal is here:
My web-page can be accessed through Academia.edu
Best wishes
Sara
"What does a poor woman do during menses
every month?" More good news from India
Hi, I have been a fan of your MUM website for a long while. I just
wanted to share with your readers something we at GOONJ have been trying
to do on the highly taboo issue of menses and the most basic need of sanitary
napkins for millions of village women across India, for the last many years
Here's a link to our work [interesting insight into India]
Look forward to your response.
With best regards
Meenakshi
For GOONJ
(See also MUM's India and menstruation stories,
one featuring an Indian woman supported by the
MacArthur Foundation, the other with information
from the U. S. A.'s Center for Health and Gender Equity. And see the 2 articles below.)
(newspaper scan courtesy Visaga, India, www.visagatech.com)
"*A Revolution in Personal* *Hygiene*" in India
To Museum of Menstruation
Respected Sir / Madam,
*Visaga Techno System*, Coimbatore, has launched innovative products
in India keeping in mind the health and hygiene factors which are the pillars
of good living. The products are *"Napivend"--
A Sanitary Napkin Vending Machine *which vends quality napkins and
another is a *Compact Electric Incinerator* for the
disposal of used Napkins. We introduce ourselves with these unique
products. The designing and manufacturing is done under the guidance of
*UNICEF Chennai.*
* UNICEF * along with Government officials,
Collectors and NGOs work towards creating awareness of need to use Sanitary
Napkins & need for proper disposal of used napkins in rural areas.
*'Napivend'* is a compact unit which can be wall mounted and has whole
day battery back-up. When coins are dropped inside, a Sanitary Napkin comes
out. There is a glass panel to see the napkin status. The machine works
on Microprocessor Control. The Capacity of Sanitary Napkins in the machine
varies from model to model. It ranges from 20, 40, 60 & 100 Napkins.
Sanitary Napkin Vending Machine can be implemented in areas like:
*Rural Areas* - Government hospitals, schools, girls hostels, public
toilets, primary health centers, etc.
*Cities* - Schools, colleges, railway & bus stations, hospitals,
ladies hostels, toilets of highway petrol bunks , shopping malls, etc.
Installation of Sanitary Napkin Vending Machine and Electric Incinerator
with the help of UNICEF has been done & is still in process in several
Schools, Colleges, Mills etc. ... in various districts of Tamil Nadu.
Used napkins can be disposed scientifically by an *Electric Incinerator*which
can destroy 100 napkins in a day, with periodic settings. It is compact
in size.
We also take necessary measures to help in training the SHGs in the
production of Sanitary Napkin at low cost. The Vending machine helps the
SHGs Napkins reach the end-user directly by benefiting the manufacturer.
We will be honored if you can render us help in implementing this project
*A Revolution in Personal* *Hygiene*.
We look forward for a favorable reply at the earliest of your convenience.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?section
Name=NLetter&id=b5a23199-9f3d-4af5-9889-56da021179a5&
Headline=Unicef+scheme+vends+girls%92+education+dreams
Thanks & Regards
Ms. Parimala
Marketing Co-ordinator
*VISAGA TECHNO SYSTEM*
1373 - A, Jeya Shanthi Towers,
III Floor, Sathy Road, Ganapathy,
Coimbatore - 641 006, TN, India.
Tel: + 91 - 422 - 4376373
Fax: + 91 - 422 - 4376560
E mail : sales@visagatech.com
(See also MUM's India and menstruation stories,
one featuring an Indian woman supported by the
MacArthur Foundation, the other with information
from the U. S. A.'s Center for Health and Gender Equity. And see the article below.)
The Times of India invents a quotation
from me
A writer for The Times asked me to comment on the recent publication
of My Little Red Book, a book of women's first
menstrual experiences edited by Rachel Kauder Nalebuff that I think is
a good thing.
But I never said the long quote attributed to me in The Times writer's
article, a jumble of ideas picked up and shaken from this MUM Web site
and an e-mail I sent her in all innocence and good faith. She later apologized
for some of it but never changed the wording in the article.
How much of the rest of her article is fiction?
Beware when talking to anyone in the media or writing a book when they
have an axe to grind.
The writer took some of her material from this museum's two articles
about India and menstruation, one
featuring an Indian woman supported by the MacArthur Foundation, the other with information from the U. S. A.'s Center
for Health and Gender Equity. Both are about changing some of India's ways,
which the article opposes.
Read
The Times of India article.
She comments on Intelligent Design, childbirth,
and boric acid
Yes, boric acid is a poison [she's writing about Zephies
tampon], however it can be used as a vaginal suppository (by putting
it in a capsule and inserting it) for yeast infections. I had never heard
of it until about a month ago, reading a Dr Mercola's website. Following
is the quote:
"Inserting one Boric acid powder capsule morning and evening for
three to seven days for an acute infection, and 14 to 30 days for a chronic
infection. I have not seen Boric acid capsules widely available in health
stores or pharmacies but women can make their own by buying a bottle of
Boric acid powder and gelatin capsules (a capsule-making machine makes
the process go faster). Studies show the effectiveness of Boric acid is
very high especially in women with chronic resistant yeast infections--one
study with 100 women showed a 98 percent success rate with this condition.
If you find that the Boric acid irritates your external genitalia you can
protect the tissue with vitamin E oil (preferred) or Vaseline."
Here is the link: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2004/04/07/yeast-infections-
part-two.aspx
Found your site interesting.
One comment I read by another contributor (paraphrased): "A good argument against intelligent design [definition] is that an intelligent designer would not have made
childbirth so hard [the
comment is here, next-to-last paragraph of the text]" obviously has not read the Bible as to WHY childbirth
is so hard.
Genesis 3:16 (New King James Version) To the woman He said: "I
will greatly multiply your sorrow [menstruation?] and conception; In pain
you shall bring forth children; Your desire shall be for your husband and
he shall rule over you."
More appropriately, I think a woman's physical makeup proves that there
IS an Intelligent Designer, because there is no physiological
reason for labor to be painful, or for childbirth to hurt (with
the exception of IF the perineum is torn.)
Interesting site though.
January 2009
Somebody likes MUM!
Dear Mr. Finley,
I just came across the MUM website and found myself fascinated, amused
and feeling very appreciative to find it. I wanted to write and say thank
you for creating this informative, humorous, unashamed website.
Actually, an argument I had with my longtime boyfriend was the impetus
for my stumbling upon the MUM website. Wonderful as he is, my boyfriend,
unfortunately, is still squeamish about any evidence of my menstruation.
It's so tiresome and I try to get him to hear that I do not want to feel
shamed by him about a natural process-- and one that is essential to the
continuity of life!
Imagine my surprise to learn that MUM was created by a man! Bless you
for your perseverance and curiosity. [I've been assailed for both virtues
and for the sin of being male. Thanks!]
I will share the site with my friends and look forward to revisiting
it regularly. I'm even going to try to get my boyfriend to take a look.
Sincerely yours,
****
|
Collecting, Collectibles, Collectors, Collections
30th Annual Meeting of the Southwest/Texas Popular
& American Culture Association
Feb 25-28, 2009
Hyatt Regency
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Proposals are being accepted for the Collecting, Collectibles, Collectors,
Collections Area.
All proposals are welcome. We are especially interested in papers that address
the following areas:
* the intersections between literary/filmic/photographic techniques of
exhibition and curation and those of museums
* the intersections between professional and popular archival forms as
expressed through any medium
* the archiving and exhibition of Native American, African-American,
or immigrant populations as addressed in literature, film, or museums
* the relationship between civic/professional collections and private
collections
* postmodern museums/collections and the role of the visitor
Scholars, artists, curators, and other professionals are encouraged to
participate.
Graduate students are welcome, with award opportunities for the best graduate
papers.
Please visit the organization website
for more information about this conference. http://www.swtxpca.org
Send 200-250 word abstracts or proposals for panels by 20 October 2008
to Elizabeth Festa, email: eaf2@rice.edu
Elizabeth A. Festa, Ph.D.
Program for Communication Excellence
Rice University MS 630
PO Box 1892
RMC Chapel Reading Room
Houston TX 77251
713-206-6885
 |
Under Wraps: A History of Menstrual Hygiene Technology (Hardcover,
Lexington Books, 2008) by Sharra L. Vostral. $65.
From the publisher's Web site:
"Under Wraps is a valuable addition to our understanding of gender,
technology, and consumer culture." - Linda Layne, Rensselaer Polytechnic
Institute
Menstruation provides one of the few shared bodily functions that most
women will experience during their lifetimes. Yet, these experiences are
anything but common. In the United States, for the better part of the twentieth
century, menstruation went hand-in-glove with menstrual hygiene. But how
and why did this occur? This book looks at the social history of menstrual
hygiene by examining it as a technology. In doing so, the lens of technology
provides a way to think about menstrual artifacts, how the artifacts are
used, and how women gained the knowledge and skills to use them. As technological
users, women developed great savvy in manipulating belts, pins, and pads,
and using tampons to effectively mask their entire menstrual period. This
masking is a form of passing, though it is not often thought of in that
way. By using a technology of passing, a woman might pass temporarily as
a non-bleeder, which could help her perform her work duties and not get
fired or maintain social engagements like swimming at a summer party and
not be marked as having her period. How women use technologies of passing,
and the resulting politics of secrecy, are a part of women's history that
has remained under wraps.
About the Author:
Sharra L. Vostral is an assistant professor of gender and women's studies
and history at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
|
 |
Menstruación: qué es y qué no es (Menstruation:
What it is and what it is not) (Paperback, Editorial Pax Mexico,
to be published Oct 28, 2008) by Maria Luisa
Marvan and Sandra Cortes-Iniesta. $15.
From the Amazon.com Web site:
By analyzing the medical facts and history of menstruation, the authors
attempt to eliminate the taboo that surrounds this biological process.
With this guide, readers will develop an understanding of the attitudes
and myths associated with menstruation, premenstrual syndrome, and menopause.
Also featuring a humorous section of comments, opinions, and jokes about
menstruation, this resource is helpful for parents, teachers, and medical
professionals.
Analizando los hechos médicos y la historia del la menstruación,
las autores tratan de disolver el tabú que rodea a este proceso
biológico. Con esta guía, los lectores fomentarán
la comprensión de las actitudes y los mitos asociados con la menstruación,
el síndrome premenstrual y la menopausia. También incluyendo
una sección de humor con una serie de comentarios, opiniones y chistes
sobre la menstruación, esta guía es ideal para los padres,
maestros y profesionales médicos.
About the Authors:
Maria Luisa Marván is a psychologist who has published
numerous articles on the subject of menstruation. Sandra Cortés-Iniesta
is a professor of clinical psychology who specializes in the psychology
surrounding menstruation.
|
Call for Abstracts: Embodied Resistance: Breaking
the Rules in Public Spaces
Co-Editors: Chris Bobel, University of Massachusetts Boston and Samantha
Kwan, University of Houston
This edited collection will assemble scholarly yet accessibly written
works that explore the dimensions of resistance to embodied taboos of all
sorts. We are interested in pieces that describe and analyze the many ways
that humans subvert the social constraints that deem certain behaviors
and bodily presentations as inappropriate, disgusting, private and/or forbidden
in various cultural and historical contexts. Empirical, historical, theoretical
and narrative contributions are equally welcome.
This book, intended as a supplemental text for use in undergraduate
and graduate classrooms, aims to advance and deepen our understanding of
the motivations, experiences and consequences associated with the bodies
that break the rules through the (intersecting) lenses of gender, race,
ethnicity, sexuality, culture, religiosity, class and nation.
The editors welcome submissions from scholars in a range of disciplines,
including but not limited to sociology, women's and gender studies, anthropology,
science studies, cultural studies, literary studies, disability studies,
psychology, and history. We especially encourage scholarship which focuses
on areas outside the US and the West.
Possible topics include, but are not limited to, practices that challenge:
- Traditional attire norms, e.g., older women who do not "dress
their age," fat women who "show skin," and parents who refuse
to dress their children in traditional gender attire
- Conventional hair and body norms, e.g., women who conspicuously do
not shave, youth who experiment with hair colors and cuts, and individuals
with numerous and various forms of body art
- The binary construction of gender, e.g., various practices and performances
by individuals who identify as transgender, queer, or metrosexual
- Biological processes considered contextually taboo, e.g., mothers
who conspicuously breastfeed in public and women who do not hide the fact
of their menstruation
- Physical conditions that carry stigma, e.g., cancer patients who do
not conceal their hair loss, people with HIV/AIDS who speak openly about
their infection status, and intersex individuals who publicly discuss their
condition
- Cultural, religious, and/or ethnic norms, e.g., Muslim women who wear
hijab in spite of policies or laws that forbid veiling and Falun Gong practitioners
who meditate in public demonstrations
SUBMISSION PROCEDURE: We invite authors to submit an abstract on or
before December 19, 2008. Submissions
should take the form of a 250-500 word abstract outlining the intent and
scope of the paper, and where appropriate, author's theoretical, empirical,
and/or methodological framework. Authors will be notified by February 13,
2009 about the status of their proposal. Full papers are expected by May
29, 2009.
Please direct inquiries and submissions to BOTH editors at:
Chris Bobel chris.bobel@umb.edu
Samantha Kwan sskwan@uh.edu
Play an Australian TV program discussing ads for menstrual products,
including swimming in blue water, and, um,
beaver
Dear Harry,
A recent program, episode 6, 2/7/2008, of "The
Gruen Transfer" on ABC TV, would be of interest to your audience
[heads up: it's a 90 MB download]: http://www.abc.net.au/tv/gruentransfer/download.htm
It features TV advertising of women's sanitary
products and is subtitled: feminine hygiene; the things with strings
and the things with wings! The commentary is lively, making fun of the
language used to advertise these products. There are a lot of euphemisms
and symbolism around this issue. No-one is willing
to be frank on public TV. Some of the ads play on embarrassment,
double meanings and timing give the advertising humour.
It was unfortunate that the panel consisted of
only one woman and four men! The men, to their credit, do show a
lively interest. I love the suggestion that tampons should come wrapped
within a kinder surprise! I wanted to see a young woman's opinion. The
advertisements are aimed at young women, and it would have been interesting
to know how young women react to these issues. Are there different attitudes
with the different generations? Are young women more free and open, or
are they trying to hide all the evidence of menstruation as past generations
did? How does menstruation fit in with their lives? Do they have different
needs and expectations of the products because of their different stories,
adventures and experiences?
I did enjoy the humour and suggest your web friends watch it.
Margaret Kalms
artofwoman.com.au
See her art on MUM.
See more about BLUE in menstruation and SHAME. And HUMOR.
(from America)
Sambo Adams
"When I was in 5th grade, we referred to periods as Sambo
Adams. I don't know who thought this up or why."
(from America)
Mr. Y'know
Mortimer Menses
Menstruos
Ovulatoes
"In high school, my friend called her period 'Mr.
Y'know.' He would visit 3 other girls the rest of the month, and
sometimes he'd get caught up, which is why he was sometimes late. My period
is named Mortimer Menses. He doesn't visit
anyone else, which is why he's almost always a little early. He travels
the world in between. My boyfriend said that anthropomorphizing
my period will make it sad when I go through menopause. He's probably
right. Big blobs of menstrual fluid are menstruos
and those globs of vaginal fluid you get when you're ovulating are ovulatoes. I guess you should leave me anonymous,
to keep my friend's identity anonymous. Thanks!"
(from China)
M
Auntie/Mother's eldest sister/Senior Aunt
That thing
Unclean/dirty thing
"Hi, First of all, I want to thank you for setting up such an informative
and fascinating web site. I enjoy browsing through it a lot! I also want
to contribute a little to the list of expressions for menstruation on your
website. In Hong Kong (where most of us speak Cantonese instead of Mandarin/Putonghua
like in the rest of China), we often use the letter 'M'
as an euphemism for period, as in 'M napkins', 'M pain', 'My M has come'.
I'm pretty sure the letter stands for 'menstruation'. The expression 'Auntie/Mother's eldest sister/Senior Aunt' (same
characters as 'Da Yi Ma' in Mandarin, but in Cantonese we pronounce them
as 'Daai Yi Ma') seems to be growing out of fashion and is not much used
by young people anymore. My mother used to refer to menstruation as 'that thing' (e.g. 'Has that thing of yours come?'),
and when she talks to my grandma she would usually call it 'unclean/dirty
thing', as in 'I think her dirty thing has cleared' (= 'I think
her period has ended'). I hate the expression, because, well, it makes
me feel dirty. I hope this rambling e-mail would be of use to you :) ****"
Is it right to tax menstrual products?
Write her!
HI, I'm writing to you because I thought you might know of resources
for what I'm seeking to do.
I remembered having heard of your website a year or two ago, as I was
reading on women's health, and especially menstruation and the political/social
culture. It never occurred to me to look before, but recently I noticed
that New York State charges sales tax on sanitary
napkins, tampons, etc., which to me is ridiculous. For women, these items
should be in the same category as food, medicine, etc. and it's also discriminatory,
since women for the most part will be the only ones affected by it.
Though I would also think that men who buy on behalf of their wives, mothers,
girlfriends, daughters, etc. would appreciate the savings as well.
Do you have any knowledge of any groups working
on this? I've already written to my elected representatives at the state
level, but as unglamorous as this may seem, it really seems like an obvious
"wrong."
Thank you.
Jennifer Fisher
write her at
hagarthefirst [at] yahoo [dot] com
See a wondrous event: the first clear pictures
of a human egg leaving the ovary
|
|
Modified from NewScientist online
|
"[T]he event [was captured] by accident while preparing
to carry out a partial hysterectomy on a 45-year-old woman. The release
of an egg was considered a sudden, explosive event, but [the] pictures,
to be published in Fertility and Sterility, show it taking place
over a period of at least 15 minutes.
"Shortly before the egg is released, enzymes break down the tissue
in the mature follicle, a fluid-filled sac on the surface of the ovary that
contains the egg. This prompts the formation of a reddish protrusion, and
after a while a hole appears, from which the egg emerges,
surrounded by support cells. It then enters a Fallopian tube, which carries
it to the uterus." (Article
and more pictures in NewScientist.) |
MacArthur Award winner says yes, the moon influences
menstruation - but how?
"Somehow, however, the moon does have an effect on human beings--at
least on women. Menstruation typically occurs on the 28 day lunar cycle.
And even the phase of the moon matters. In
a study of 826 women [what study?], 28 percent began menstruating during
the four days around the new moon, whereas no more than 13 percent did
so during any other four day period. This puts the
peak of ovulation at the full moon. (Could this provide an evolutionary
explanation for the romantic associations we have with the moon? I'll leave
that to Robert Wright, Slate's resident Darwinian, to sort out.) How this
happens is baffling. The lone hypothesis I've found proposes that the moon
generates tidal forces on the 50 percent to 60 percent
of our bodies that is water. But that only raises more questions--such
as how tides are supposed to make women menstruate." (From E.R. [the emergency room in a hospital]
and the Triple Hex: When a full moon and a lunar eclipse collide with Friday
the 13th, do more accidents really happen? By Atul Gawande in Slate.
Dr. Gawande belongs to the staffs of Brigham and Women's Hospital, the
Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard medical school, and The New
Yorker magazine. See an early chart
showing the coincidence of ovulation and a woman's sexual feeling and physiological
responses.
Do you like these ads?
Dear Museum Curator:
Please take a look at:
http://www.3iying.tv/
Especially some of the videos there.
Ads 2, 5, 14, 32. Note that being "Flipped"
means being turned off by one reason or another by an ad. The reasons are
explained for each ad.
It appears the white pants/shorts in menstrual ads actually turns off
some women as being unreal.
Please refer to me only as "Mike H."
Letter about burning used menstrual pads
in the old days (and today), bleeding into your
clothes, etc.
I was reading about traveling and disposal in the old
days, [and here] it mentioned burning pads
in the fireplace of the place the woman was staying. I recall there being
a rest stop in the interstate between Richmond, Virginia, and the North
Carolina state line which had a furnace system. At the back of the cubicle
was a door which opened and you dropped whatever into the furnace. A way
to keep the place clean and warm (and keep the pipes from freezing) all
in one! Though I must say, not so much a feature in July. Unfortunately
for the museum's purposes, it was remodeled sometime in the 90's and it
never occurred to me to take a picture. Well, it was just a little door
on the wall--not photogenic.
Oh, you should read Call the Midwife by Jennifer Worth, her memoir of midwifery in
East London in the early 50's. Many of the women in the area were still
living life the same way as their mothers they were living in the same
or only slightly better conditions: Victorian tenement, originally no water
or toilets except in the courtyard, modernized to have one
cold water tap and one toilet per floor, serving hundreds of people.
One patient hadn't had a period since her first pregnancy began, as
near as the midwives could determine (the woman did not speak English).
Possibly never, as Conchita had come home with her husband from the Spanish
Civil War as quite a young girl, prepubescent even.
She didn't know her own age. Determining how
pregnant she was was always a problem, because she always managed to get
pregnant again at the first opportunity! This woman also managed
to care for her extremely premature infant, around 28 weeks as near as
they could tell, her 25th pregnancy, and not her last!
Worth also comments on the dramatic results of
the introduction of the Pill: "In
the late 1950's we had eighty to a hundred deliveries on our books. In
1963, the number had dropped to four or five a month!
Now that is some social change!
It is a fascinating book.
About bleeding into your clothes, I'm so
glad the retired teacher wrote
in. Given the inconvenience of getting your clothes dirty, that menstrual
blood could be taboo and ought not to be dripped all around in that sort
of community, and that as far back as ancient Egypt
tampons were used, it makes sense that at least some women of some classes
did catch the blood. On the other hand, women wore multiple layers of petticoats
in many eras, so that may have prevented a lot of staining and mess.
Here in the UK, both sanitary napkins and baby nappies (napkins) being
the same word makes me wonder that the clothes might have been used for
both purposes? at least some of the time [diaper
cloth was used for menstrual pads in the U.S.A.]. Although diaper use
also varied by class and age of the baby: the midwife tells of some
of the poorest mothers still keeping toddlers undressed below the waist
and their tenement rooms and furniture being piss and poo stained as a
result. But with laundry being almost an impossibility, and many
of these women so uneducated as to be primitive, and chamber pots still
in use because the one toilet, if it worked, was not always available,
it was a reasonable way to deal with toilet training.
Better off women, like Conchita, above, did diaper their children.
Conchita had a big pot in which she boiled laundry all day, and made vast
quantities of pasta (eaten from a communal bowl) each night for her family
of 25+. Laundry was hung indoors over and from every possible surface.
These points apply to millions of women today.
It's possible that women attained adulthood and gave birth to children,
but never menstruated [which in past times could mean that menstruation
was rare, thus catching many women by surprise who had not worn - or never
wore - anything special for menstruation, thus bleeding
into their clothing. Remember that body odor,
including probably menstrual odor, was much stronger and common in the
past among Europeans and Americans - and bathing was often considered unhealthy.
Teeth were bad, breath smelly, and people wore perfume to avoid having
to smell other people!].
****
New Words and expressions
about menstruation from the United Kingdom
Dear Mr. HF,
I found your site while researching cups for a particularly long road
trip my partner and I are planning.
Although I haven't really looked around much (been "stuck"
on the euphemisms page for ages!), I think it's
a brilliant resource for first-timers and golden oldies, alike, so well
done you.
My partner and I would like to contribute a euphemism or two.
He came up with "The old Red Rose." Rose being another word
for vagina.
Also, I know of "Red Rum. Red Rum." from Stephen King's The
Shining, red being an obvious reference to blood, and it's also very fitting
of a girl's desire to commit murder at those times! Plus the river of blood
on the stairwell always reminds my of my Womanlies!
I just wanted to share a little story also, because I think your site
has just solved a decade's old mystery for me.
I used to travel by bus to school, and one day a "friend"
- I say "friend" because she was quite obviously trying to set
me up to look foolish in front of the older girls - invited me to sit on
the prestigious back seat.
So then she proceeded to bombard me with questions about sex and periods,
one of which was "Can/Do I come in a car?"
Now, knowing that no matter what I said, I was probably in for some
sort of ridicule, I replied very carefully, "I go to school on a bus."
Peels of laughter ensued, not sure whether in reference to the "B.U.S."
[see the American section of expressions], or
because it was completely obvious that I had no clue what was being asked
really.
Having read through most of your Words for Menstruation page, I think
I have finally worked out, that they were asking if I had sex while on
my period. I saw the phrases: "Granny came in a red Ferrari,"
and "My Aunt parked her red Porsche outside" [both in the South
Africa section of expressions]; and it finally
clicked into place.
Obviously, being almost 30 now, I've since lost touch with said 'friend'
and can't - not sure I would, if I had the chance either - ask her what
she meant, but maybe someone else has some idea of what "Come
in a car" actually means [E-mail
if you know].
Thanks for helping me while away a red afternoon,
****
28, Hampshire, UK.
When do Australians say "girl"?
I have been thinking about your question regarding the use of the word
'girls' in Australian ads and culture. Particularly that it wouldn't be
appropriate in America. Um, that is a hard question so I will bring it
back to myself. I am 24 (female Australian) and call myself a girl sometimes.
I also will call my guy friends boys and used to call out 'Boy' when I
wanted to get my boyfriends attention and he is four years older than me.
Women calling each other girls is acceptable and connotes an intimacy
and a recognition that we're still young at heart, even aged 80. I would
sometimes call my workmates, ladies in their mid to late fifties 'girls'
as a way to show that I don't consider them old. However, it would not
be polite for our male employer to call them 'girls.' He should call them
ladies.
Australia is a deeply conservative and class-based society; middle-class
feminists might want to be called women but respectable working class women
are girls or ladies or women, regardless of their age. So partly it has
to do with age, partly familiarity and partly respect. 'Girls' in Australian
culture means women who are still young enough to have fun. Yet 'boy' doesn't
usually apply to men over the age of 30 unless you are talking ironically
about 'boys' toys' (power tools, computer games, cars, etc.) It is about
context; in a women's mag, using the term 'girls' would connote that we
are in on something, part of a private group of friends.
Another example of Australian English is the term 'Not Bad' which despite
its unenthusiastic sound, is actually high praise. I love your website
by the way, it is definitely not a bad effort, Harry. Thanks for your courage
and dedication in running it and making the information available to all
us interested girls.
She later added:
Also, on conservative, by that I mean gender role stability. Men work,
women raise children - women work too, but when they work they do still
do two thirds of the housekeeping and childcare. It is, I think, more acceptable
in Australia for people to cohabit prior to or instead of marriage and
apparently cohabiting prior to marriage allows for more negotiating of
who does the housework (women still do more, though). Women worry about
being seen as good mums, but men don't usually worry about being seen as
good dads. It seems to me that Aussie men are quite happy and supportive
of their women to work, as long as the men still get looked after. Australian
women are very strong and independent ('it has to be done, somebody's got
to do it, it may as well be me'). As a nation we are generally broadminded
(except when it comes to race and racism which is somewhat entrenched in
the dominant Anglo-Saxon culture), that's why your menstruation museum
will be welcomed to the Powerhouse Museum [in Sydney. Read more.]
By the way I am an undergraduate B. Social Science student on a campus
that is absolutely full of international students.
****
P.S. For a test of my theory you could email the Australian Women's
Weekly magazine [I did] and see if they will run a short feature on your
website - particularly regarding the eventual move to the Powerhouse Museum.
See menstruation products ads on YouTube
Hey Mr. Finley,
I have set up a channel on YouTube dedicated towards pads, tampons,
and menstruation. Right now I am uploading one pad commercial per day.
Right now I have 25 commercials, and two commercials of pad manufacturing.
I was wondering if you could mention my channel on your website. My youtube
channel is
Please let me know.
Thanks,
Brandon Gardner
Two e-mails adding words and phrases about menstruation
(complete list)
[From Canada] My SIL and I use the term "TNSFF"
instead of saying we are on our periods. I know it doesn't roll off the
tongue but you get used to it. When we were in college, there was a commercial
in Canada and probably the U.S., as well. It was for a feminine hygiene
product, possibly a douche or something. I can't remember now. Anyway,
a daughter and her mother are sitting outside and the daughter asks her
mom if she ever gets That Not So Fresh Feeling
--- TNSFF. There were a whole group of us that used this term because we
all hated that commercial so we basically made fun of it by saying we were
having that not so fresh feeling and it eventually got shortened to the
initials. [See what happens when you're not
so fresh!]
"What a bloody mess!"
"Shark bait"
"Chumming the waters"
"Dying the beard red"
"I'm a ragdoll."
Actually a friend of mine and I would sing the Aerosmith song "Ragdoll,"
except we would change the words:
Ragdoll
feeling kind of moody!
Ragdoll
bleeding from my booty!
Ragdoll
never had cramps like THIS before!
Also, we worked in a large single room office and we'd call attention
to any woman who might be on her period by loudly asking,
"Where are you going with your purse? Why are you taking your
purse to the bathroom?"
Yes, someone saw the pancake-uterus video
(see the e-mail below this one)!
I saw that movie in 1995 when I was in the fifth grade. It's called
"I Got It!" I remember this because the opening scene is a girl
yelling, "I got it! I got it!"- referring to the slumber party
invitation, and was an embarrassing in-joke for us that whole next month.
I've found a few things online that suggest it was a 1988 production maybe
made by Always. Sadly, I remember absolutely nothing else about this video
except that I was a little frightened that I could just wake up in the
middle of the night and discover this thing had happened to me! (Because,
you see, I imagined it to be like wetting the bed, only worse because blood
stains.)
I just wish it had left a more positive, meaningful impact on me
than the weirdness of your best friend's mom getting way too creative with
the pancake batter and a fear that this could happen totally without warning.
When I found "Molly Grows Up" online a while ago, I thought that
it actually did a much better job of presentation, even if some of the
information is antiquated.
Hope this helps with her paper!
Has anyone seen the pancake-uterus video?
This is going to sound strange, but I'm also looking for information
about the video where the mother makes a pancake in the shape of a uterus
to explain menstruation. I'm currently writing a graduate paper about shame
surrounding physical development during puberty. Several of my friends
reported seeing this video in the 80s in Wisconsin and I'm including the
anecdotes in my paper. Have you gotten responses about the title? I'm searching
the internet and have found references to it several places, but no actual
title.
Thanks! (E-mail me if you have and
I'll pass it on,)
"Certain Oral Contraceptives May Pose Health Risks, Study Suggests
"ScienceDaily (Mar. 11, 2008) - The widely used synthetic
progestin medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) decreased endothelial function
in premenopausal women in a study done at the University of Oregon. The
finding, researchers said, raises concerns about long-term effects of MPA
and possibly other synthetic hormones on vascular health in young women."
More.
"Structure Of Brain Receptor Implicated In Epilepsy And Pre-Menstrual
Tension Determined
"ScienceDaily (Mar. 11, 2008) - Scientists have identified
the structure of a receptor in the brain implicated in conditions such
as epilepsy and pre-menstrual tension. The same receptor has also been
reported to be highly sensitive to alcohol." More.
Store your menstrual blood for future use for stem cells at http://www.celle.com/about.aspx
Looking for collaborator in study about sexual functioning during
menopause
I am proposing a longitudinal study based on a biopsychosocial model
looking at sexual functioning during menopause. This project is designed
to look at primarily social (relationship and lifestyle) factors that contribute
to preservation of sexual functioning during the progression through menopause.
The population will be African American (recruited in Pittsburgh), Hispanic
(recruited in Santa Fe), and Caucasian (recruited from both sites) to examine
variation based on race/ ethnicity, culture, and community.
Because of limited work looking at racial and ethnic differences especially
during the progression through menopause, we proposed conducting focus
groups (and are also adding individual interviews also based on reviewer
comments) to make sure that the longitudinal questionnaires addressed the
majority of domains important to mid-life women. Currently Ellen Olshansky,
whose work has been in the area of infertility and branching into the experience
of menopause in women who were previously infertile, is working on the
qualitative component. We are looking to add a collaborator with content
expertise in sexuality, preferably during menopause, and racial/ ethnic/
sexuality variations.
The genesis of the project comes from my current career development
award, which follows about 700 women (at this point) during menopause to
look at the impact of menopause on quality of life as well as the current
slant of the medical literature towards testosterone supplementation to
improve sexual functioning during mid-life.
The proposal has been through a first review at NIH. It was scored,
but not fundable. The reviewer comments were enthusiastic and addressable
so I'm feeling good about eventual success.
Rachel Hess, MD, MSc
Center for Research on Health Care
230 McKee Place
Suite 600
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
412-692-2025 (office)
412-692-4838 (fax)
hessr@upmc.edu
Kotex boxes in brown paper, washing hair, and being seen pregnant
I stumbled upon your site as a link from another site and spent more
than an hour reading history (and being thankful I live in the modern era!).
I may have missed this on your site, but wanted to relate a memory
I had going back to the early 50's when I was a young girl. The boxes of
Kotex, etc. were wrapped in brown paper at the drug store when you purchased
them to hide what you were buying. It was a shameful item to buy, I guess,
made even more shameful by the fact you had to ask for them and have them
wrapped. [Visitors to the museum in my house
told me the same thing. Read early reports of
embarrassment in buying menstrual pads.]
Also, and again you might have a topic like this on your site that
I missed, is old wives tales connected to menstruation. My mother would
NOT let me wash my hair or take a sit down bath during menstruation. Supposedly,
the water would make you sterile. [Booklets
companies made for girls often discuss this.]
As an aside (menstruation is obviously related to pregnancy), I also
remember my mother saying that she was glad I was born in November ('45)
so she could hide her pregnancy under a coat. Apparently, if a couple walked
down the street and she was obviously pregnant, the guys would hoot at
the husband. It meant he had got "some." My father was in the
military, so don't know if this was a military town thing or not. [My mom
was mortified when we kids saw a picture of her standing next to my military
father among the tourists at Mt. Vernon; she was visibly pregnant. Maybe
it was a military thing.]
****
Goods 4 Girls project:
Donate washable pads to girls in Africa.
Do menstrual cups (more about them) relieve
menstrual pain?
Hi there,
I run Femmecup, a company that manufactures and retails menstrual cups.
I have for a long time heard stories about menstrual cups alleviating period
pains and wanted to perhaps add a comment or reference your website? I
noticed that no one has tried/recommended this as a remedy yet.
I have had comments from ladies who have bought Femmecup saying that
their cramps have totally gone, how it works I am not sure but am researching
this at the moment.
Anyhow here is a quote from a happy customer and maybe you could add
something to your site? It may just help someone one day.
"I just wanted to say I'm so happy I went to the Clothes Show Live
in December 07, because I bought my Femmecup. I'm always willing to try
anything and particularly as this small device would lessen cramps, save
me money and help the environment. For the last 2.5 years I have suffered
from severe cramps (a fact of getting older I'm told) and took very strong
painkillers for 1-2 days each month. WOW, I am now using my Femmecup for
the second time and NO painkillers yet again! No leaks either and far less
mess and hassle than using towels and tampons. I am spreading the word
. . . "
Thanks very much in advance.
Kind regards,
Kate Selby
Femmecup Ltd
PO Box 9963, Harlow
Essex, CM20 9EU, UK
0044 1279 329307
0044 7748 757471
www.femmecup.com
She understands why there needs
to be a REAL MUM
Hi there,
Just wanted to let you know that I think your museum is amazing in
so many ways. The fact that you're open minded enough (or 'shameless' enough?
Well, good! - this is no easy thing, and if that whole bit about those
with strength walking alone is truth, then you must be Iron Man by now)
- to put something like this together is amazing and needed. People need
to know that women's bodies are part of history, if not more so because
of the subservient role women traditionally play in most societies. Your
museum points that out and fuels knowledge and education where usually
there is fear and avoidance.
It's probably obvious which part of your web page I read right before
writing this email to you, but it's true just the same, and while this
is stuff you might already know, I think that this whole project is interesting
and important enough to give my opinion on. I hope you're still able to
open a museum-in-real life somewhere. I think it would also be interesting
and important enough to catch the public eye. Good
women rarely make history, and same goes for men - few of which
dive into a history not based around things that are culturally accepted
and understood. I'm glad you were curious and bold enough to give cultural
reactions to the female body (and ultimately women) the respect and recognition
deserved - and also for giving people who don't quite understand a feeling
of discomfort. I mean, discomfort turns into discussion, which in turn
becomes questions of 'why' - something that in this society we certainly
have a shortage of.
Remember that what doesn't result in all-out fear creates change, and
what does is only a product of having made a person question their own
understanding of the world.
Thanks and hope everything is going well with your cats,
**** and (the no-longer-able to menstruate feline who lives with me,)
Vendetta. [Great name for a cat!]
She likes The Keeper menstrual cup, suggests
a way to change cups in a public restroom, and will probably buy one for
her daughter
Wow - this site has me a little freaked - I never thought of a museum
on the topic of menstruation, let alone one run by a guy. hmm
Anyway - I think it's all great, and I'm glad for it, because poor choices
based on lack of info is completely absurd in this day and age. Ladies
risking TSS is something I can't comprehend. The
eww factor is beyond comprehension too, when you figure at least SOME of
the women have GIVEN BIRTH!!! Get over the eww thing, having a baby is
plenty messy with various bodily fluids - during conception, labor, and
for at least a year after that, in my experience.
I bought my Keeper almost 10 years ago, after
seeing an ad in a magazine for hikers and outdoor people. I was planning
to hike the Appalachian Trail, and thought I would get it for the trip.
Obviously, if you are on a trail for a month or more, what are you going
to do with paper stuff, new or used? The critters will even pull up used
toilet paper. Now seeing a rodent unburying a pad or tampon, that qualifies
as eww!!!
Well, the Keeper showed up, I tried it out to make sure I "knew
my gear" before getting out in the middle of nowhere, and I've been
hooked ever since. I never did get to the hike (yet) but I have yet to
buy any more paper products. And my daughter is 11 now, so I'll be buying
another one, I guess. I'm glad I've seen other women's
comments, because I never thought much about it. I guess she'll have
to decide if it 'fits,' and I hope it does! I've had a leak here or there,
but no more of a horror than I ever had with tampons or pads. The cost
factor is awesome - I'm a heavy-med-light-off, wait, 2 more days of med-light!!
girl, so I used to have to waste a couple of days of pads on the off-wait
interval, so I didn't get caught unprepared, but it always made me mad
to use and toss expensive, essentially unused paper stuff every month.
The Keeper is a set-it and forget-it. I can heartily recommend to anyone
to at least give a try. (and not to totally freak anyone out, but when
I have to check on the cup in a public stall, the easiest method is to
go before you need to pee, but with a bit in your bladder, pull the Keeper,
tip it out, pee in the cup to rinse it out, and yes, you pee on your fingers,
and urine is sterile - possibly cleaner than the water you are washing
with!! - and by the time you replace the cup, wipe with a bit of toilet
paper and all, your fingers are OK to go to the sink and wash. I mean,
ladies wash after anyway, so what's the big deal? (not that you, gentle
director, don't - but studies show women wash more predictably:-))
Good work, best of luck to you.
(December 2007)
POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP in SEXUAL &
REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH:
1-2 year new position available at The Kinsey Institute for Research
in Sex, Gender and Reproduction, a vibrant multidisciplinary research center
at Indiana University. Responsibilities include research initiation and
collaboration on several projects involving sexual health and methods (approximately
80%) and assessment/treatment (20%) of individuals and couples with a broad
array of sexual complaints and relationship distress.
Qualifications: Ph.D. and internship from APA-accredited program; strengths
in research skills and clinical knowledge. Indiana University is an Equal
Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer strongly committed to excellence
through diversity. Please send CV and three letters of reference by March
1, 2008 to Julia R. Heiman, Ph.D., Director, The Kinsey Institute, Indiana
University, Morrison Hall 313, 1165 E. Third St., Bloomington, IN 47405,
or email jheiman@indiana.edu
She's collecting older
women's stories about menstruation.
Kimbrey Pierce, a college student from southern Maryland (U.S.A.), has
a terrific idea about finding out what older women (as old as possible)
today can report about their experiences. She suggests visiting nursing
homes or similar. She writes, in part:
People could email me the stories at
kimbreypierce@gmail.com
In particular, I am interested in stories about
first menstruations, family stories of menstruation,
stories about experiencing menstruation in the past,
and the experience of first periods. These
stories could include the following details:
age
how prepared you were
where you were
your emotional experience and reaction
actions you took
people you turned to for help
reaction of friends and family advice you were given
Also, if the reader has a negative reaction to seeing this, why they
would feel uncomfortable sharing their story? I know my mom won't share
her story with me, she feels like it's a personal "body issue"
but her sister, my aunt, had no problem discussing it with me.
Please contribute before these stories are lost!
Register for "In the Flow: Embracing the
Cycles of Womanhood" Sept 29, 2007, In San Francisco.
"The key to a woman's health and well-being lies in knowing
her body and its natural rhythms. Understanding her hormones, and how they
influence her reality, is the birthright of very woman and girl. She is
equally entitled to feel positively about her body." Ashley Ross,
RWF Member and Co-Founder of Life Cycles
Join The Red Web Foundation Saturday, September 29 for "In
the Flow: Embracing the Cycles of Womanhood" held at the Jewish
Community Center of San Francisco. The day is designed for girls eleven
and up, teens, women, mothers and grandmothers who want a positive relationship
with their menstrual cycle; have a healthful peri-menopause; and create
new family traditions. There are 18 workshops with 6 focus tracks:
Mother/Daughter, Observing Cycles-Yours and Nature's, Menopause, Cultural
Experiences, and Celebrate Your Body.
"When Black Jewel Girl Comes Running -- Mother-Lines of Spirit
and Flesh" is the keynote by critically-acclaimed author Carol Lee
Flinders PhD.
She may best be known as co author of Laurel's Kitchen. Her newest
book is entitledEnduring Lives: Portraits of Women and Faith in Action.
The four featured women are Jane Goodall, Etty Hillesum, Tenzin Palmo and
Sister Helen Prejean.
To register or more information please go to
http://www.redwebfoundation.org/27.html
Lunch is included in registration
Student $35
General Registration $60,
First daughter $20, each additional daughter $15
Menstruation, brothels and contraception taboo in museums
What a great museum. I am writing an essay on museums and brothels.
Why they aren't exhibited in museums. One reason given by the scholars
who wrote the article that I have to use said that museums won't touch
menstruation and contraception. "Sex is a notoriously sensitive subject.
It forms part of a triumvirate of especially taboo topics associated with
intimate aspects of women's bodies, the other two being menstruation and
contraception. Museum curators, naturally wary of offending the public,
tend to steer clear of such subjects." RUBBISH I thought. I am studying
to be a museum curator.
What is taboo about menstruation and contraception? I thought. How stupid.
Millions, billions of women are using and doing both every day.
Maybe the curators use brothels and don't want their wives to know.
So I checked the web and guess what, a museum of menstruation. Thank
goodness a curator who will deal with 'real' subjects.
[There IS a museum of contraception at Case Western Reserve University
and I DID once have a real museum of menstruation
in my house. But brothels . . . . (September 2007)
Belts and pads still used in India
An Indian writes that menstrual belts and pads are available in India
from Johnson & Johnson and called Carefree and Helena. Older women
still use them but the young mostly switched to ultrathin pads after 2000.
(September 2007)
See two efforts (here and here)
to get poor Indian women to make their own pads rather than bleed into
their clothing.
A high school social studies teacher shares her lesson called
From Bullets to Blood: Military Technology and its
Impact on Civilian Life
It involves some images from this museum.
Mr. Finley,
This email is much too long over due. Below please find the link to
the unit I wrote in 2005 about the history of the technology behind feminine
hygiene products.
It was a big success and I wound up presenting it at a few conferences.
I have used parts of the unit in my own classroom as have a few other history
teachers at my school. My students are always
floored when I mention anything to do with menstruation (which I do quite
often) but I am happy to report that many enjoy the lessons, if only because
it's more "under the table" history that is certainly not included
in their textbooks.
http://www.usd116.org/ProfDev/AHTC/lessons/kklebbe/Klebbelesson.htm
Again, thank you so very much for permission to use the info from MUM
and please feel free to post the link on the MUM website should you find
it worthy.
Sincerely,
****
Social Studies Department
**** High School
E-mailer praises this museum
It's been a long time since I've written you . . . . MUM has certainly
grown! I was wondering if some grad student at [a university] couldn't get
some grant money to organize your website and catalog things in preparation
for the day when MUM is once again a brick and mortar operation.
I hope that your detractors don't discourage you. I was shocked to read
the bit about someone actually killing one of your cats.
When did that happen? How horrible!
My own opinion of you is that you have been
a great blessing to all of us, and to women as a whole, as you have de-mystified
menstruation and shown it, and women, respect.
****
Where did Kotex REALLY get its name?
I have (tenuous) associations with Kotex on both sides of the family:
My father went to school with the reputed heir to the Kotex fortune, Rich
Kotite (no wonder he became a football coach when he grew up!) and my mom
says her mom worked in a Kotex factory. According to family lore, the wartime
predecessor of the Kotex pad was not a noble bandage or wound dressing,
as the ads on your site would lead one to believe,
but a swab for cleaning a particular gauge firearm. Also, the "COtton-like
TEXture" balderdash [same link, enlarged
words] is probably an etymology invented by ad copywriters. I imagine
that Kotite's dad was probably torn between the competing urges to name
something after himself, and distance himself from the taboos associated
with it.
Of course, this is more folklore than history. If you find archival evidence
to substantiate the above, please report it on your site! [Anyone have proof?
Write me.]
Are you a woman who gets headaches? Read on!
An Internet-Based Diary Study of Women with Migraines
This study explores the experience of women (aged 18-55) who have headaches.
It is not necessary to have a diagnosis of migraines, because women will
be screened to see if any of their headaches meet migraine criteria. The
purpose of the study is to increase our understanding of factors that trigger
headaches, and the symptoms that women sometimes have before headaches start.
The study will recruit about 100 women.
Each woman will complete a standard health history form and a series
of short daily diary pages. The health history and the daily diary pages
are accessed completely by Internet at the study web site.
When the study is over, a researcher will talk with women about the experience
of being in the study. At this time, we will also answer questions women
might have about their headaches, and we will provide any information from
our preliminary data analysis that might be helpful to the individual woman.
The study is funded by the National Institute of Nursing Research, a
division of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). It is supported by
both Georgia State University and Emory University. This is the fourth in
a series of studies that we are conducting on women and migraines.
If you think you might be interested in participating
in this study, and learning more about your headache patterns and triggers,
please visit our web site at:
https://cfusion.sph.emory.edu/Migraine/index.cfm
The study's Principal Investigator is Margaret
(Peggy) Moloney, RN, PhD. She is an associate professor of nursing at Georgia
State University.
Margaret Moloney, RN, PhD, ANP
Associate Professor
Byrdine F. Lewis School of Nursing
Georgia State University
PO Box 4019
Atlanta, GA 30303-4019
Two e-mails about menstrual cups: Lunette, The Keeper, Diva
Museum of Menstruation (USA)
Dear Mr Finley,
I read your entire history of menstrual cups
with avid interest.
A few months ago a friend told me about menstrual cups, and gave me
the website address for Diva Cup. I immediately bought one, and had no
trouble using it whatsoever (I use a cap for contraception so found a cup
easy to insert and take out).
I was so impressed I wanted to tell every woman about them. I couldn't
believe that I did not know they existed until I was 40 years old.
Next I discovered Lunette, a European version (cup made in Finland).
This cup has a couple of differences. It has been designed to be easier
to clean. The pin holes that are difficult to clean out on the Diva Cup
are larger on the Lunette cup and do not collect blood, and the tag is
solid instead of hollow, and does not get bunged up either.
In the process of telling every woman that there is an alternative to
disposable products, that is easy to use, environmentally friendly and
healthier (I get less period pain than I did with tampons) I have been
fortunate enough to be able to work with Lunette, and now distribute them
in the UK.
So you know that I have a bias now due to my affiliation with Lunette.
However, would you like a sample of the Lunette cup for your museum? If
anyone has any queries about the Scandinavian version of the menstrual
cup we would of course be very happy to answer their questions. Please
email info@lunette.fi, or info.uk@lunette.fi
for enquiries in English. The website address is www.lunettecup.com
Kind regards,
There are more modern cups available than just the Keeper, now. This
article lists them:
http://community.livejournal.com/menstrual_cups/648061.html
I enjoyed your "exhibit" of the
cups' history. I started using a Keeper 6 years ago, and have never
looked back. I also have a 2 year old Diva Cup. I had a baby 4 months
ago, and now need to by the larger size for after childbirth.I used pads
for after the birth, and it refreshed my memory of why I searched for and
found a better alternative!
[I'm behind in updating the MUM section on cups.]
Her French cousin used a hotel towel for a menstrual pad
In the early 1970s my French cousin came to stay with my family in London.
She came from a small spa town in a semi-rural community in Southern France
where she worked at a fairly posh hotel. One morning, I came down
for breakfast to find my Mum drying what looked like a child's terry towelling
nappy in front of the oven. It was actually an off-cut of a old hotel towel.
To my raised eyebrows my Mum explained that my cousin used these napkins
for her period as her mother had done before her. I have to say I was mortified
and horrified in equal measure. Surely my cousin knew better? I
did (I was already using tampons as a young teenager). I never saw
my French relatives in quite the same light again! [See an Italian
terry cloth menstrual pad.]
****
June 2007
A PERIOD PIECE
Refreshing Film for Preteens
Contact: Ada Babino/ Camille Holder-Brown (202)232-3400 / (347)661-7179.
Email: ABabino@aol.com or aperiodpiece@gmail.com
http://www.cinemomma.com
New York City - Cinémomma Pictures new release, "A
Period Piece" (Film/Comedy 20min, 2005), by emerging independent
filmmaker Camille Holder-Brown will be available on DVD in June at the www.cinemomma.com website. This lighthearted
coming-of-age film focuses on puberty a subject often neglected and
in need of more positive communications. "A Period Piece" will
also have a limited theatrical release in select cities and is available
for private screenings at schools and other venues. Tune into the Cinemomma
Pictures website for more information and updates about the film and filmmaker.
After winning Best Film at Howard University's Paul Robeson Awards in
April 2007, "A Period Piece" made its national broadcast
premier on Black Entertainment Television Jazz Channel's (BETJ) program
called "Best Shorts." As part of this best short film competition,
audiences could vote online for their favorite short. It has screened in
over 20 film festivals including the Pan-African Film Festival in Los Angeles,
and the Cinewoman Screening Series in New York City.
The film takes us on a journey with 11-year-old Sionne, played by newcomer
Tweetie Lincoln as she tries to somehow avoid the inevitable of starting
her menstrual cycle. Health class reproductive films, classmate period testimonials,
and even "tampon hypnosis" can't change her faith of crossing
over to adolescence.
"Whether you are a young girl or a grown woman, you will completely
be taken back to that nostalgic first period experience," comments
Ms. Holder-Brown. This film talks about the things no one wants to talk
about, but first she makes us laugh out loud. It is a great tool to open
up communication between pre-teens and matriarchs. "I made this film
to be shown in the schools, girls groups and organizations, especially for
young girls," she commented.
Camille Holder-Brown was recently recognized, along with Radio One's
Cathy Hughes at the Paul Robeson Awards in Washington, D.C. She has won
at Best Student film awards and has also had her work shown on BCAT in Brooklyn,
NY. Teen Voices and Black press have also interviewed and written
about her. The film has also premiered at her hometown middle school in
Florida, then went on to be screened at Harlem Children's Zone, and at Women's
Health Conference.
Originally from Daytona Beach, filmmaker Camille Holder-Brown, a Howard
University alumna, based this film on her life. However, she fuses her anthropology
training from the University of Miami with over ten years in the film industry
to make a film that has soul and authenticity. She has worked for filmmakers
Spike Lee and Haile Gerima, and now she steps out to make a cathartic films
about being a woman, a wife, and mother of two, all at the tender age of
28. She has moved to pre-production for her first feature-length documentary
on parenting, starring her eccentric family. Speaking engagements are available
at http://www.blackfilmmakers.net
or contact info@cinemamma.com or
aperiodpiece@gmail.com.
"Thanks for having the vision and courage"
Hi,
I am just writing to express my gratitude for the well maintained site
you have. I am currently writing my thesis about the cultural construction
of menstruation through magazine advertisements and magazine articles. While I
haven't even looked through half of the site, what I have looked at
so far has been very interesting and very useful.
Thanks for having the vision and courage to undertake this project!
Regards,
****
Poll: "Would
you try a cup similar to the Instead if there was a way to prevent the messy removal?"
Open a pdf file (thanks to a reader!) or see a PowerPoint presentation about this (click on the
downloaded file to open it; it won't open automatically).
E-mail your opinion
and I'll forward it to the patent-pending holder (below). Read what the
inventor wrote:
Hello,
My name is Shonta Gooch I have a patent-pending idea that I'd like to
take a poll on.
I know that many women have used and like the Instead disposable cup
but have the same problem as I did with removal. I figured that if
the cup could somehow non-directly absorb the fluids without interfering
with the normal vaginal moisture they would be a smash. So I created
a vaginal discharge cup with an absorbent lining.
My Poll Question:
Would you try a cup similar to the instead if there was a way to
prevent the messy removal?
No tax on tampons!
Hello Mr Finley,
I really like your website and I would like to bring to your attention
of my myspace http://www.myspace.com/bantaxontampons. Please
check it out and tell me what you think.
I have your MUM link in my blog and wondering if you could possibly
put a link of my website on yours since they are both related to the same
topic.
Thank you for you time!!
****
Hi, Harry!
How exciting to finally be writing to you. You and your site have been
such an inspiration to me and my business partners as we have been involved
in the development of our new menstrual product the
last three years. I'm proud to write to tell you we are ready to launch
CodeRED!
The CodeRED Starter's Kit is our first-born!
It is for young girls getting ready to begin having periods and all the
supplies included in it are made from organic cottons and are biodegradable.
Our printing is done on recycled papers with soy inks and all our manufacturing
is fair labor/wage. In addition to supplies and support items, each kit
contains an informative guide called "All Things
Period."
We hope to have our CodeRED pads and tampons available for on-shelf
sales before the end of the year.
We are excited about the CodeRED line and want to share it with you
in the hope that you will give us feedback and critiques. We also hope
you will help us get the word out about this new alternative for women.
Our website is: fanciepants.com
I look forward to your feedback.
Regards,
Ellen Fenter
Kotex Security Tampons: "plastic applicator
for sensitive labial lips to get stuck in"
First, let me say how much I love your site. Very interesting,
and funny as well.
I notice that there is no mention of Kotex Security Tampons (at least,
none that I have found). It was the first tampon I used as a teenager,
used it for years, and I am wondering its history.you can still purchase
them today, plastic applicator and all.
Since growing up, I have switched to o.b tampons. Why? Well,
they perform much, MUCH better, fit in my purse or pocket or even in the
palm of my hand without betraying anything, come in an Ultra size (for
those super-heavy flow days)but you want to know the selling point? No
plastic applicator for sensitive labial lips to get stuck in.
-eee-
|
© 2007 Harry Finley. It is illegal to reproduce or distribute work
on this Web site in any manner or medium without written permission of the
author. Please report suspected violations to hfinley@mum.org
|
|
|