Washable pads from Almora, Uttar Pradesh state, India - Nineteenth-century Norwegian washable pads - Italian washable pad, probably from the 1890s - instructions for making Japanese pads, early 20th century? - German, about 1900 See Pad-n-all, with belt from about the 1930s-40s, U.S.A. Snap-on style washable pad -Washable pad with belt - See how women wear a belt with a pad - see a Swedish ad showing a belt and pad - German pattern for washable pads, probably before 1900 - And see a menstrual sponge See a Modess True or False? ad in The American Girl magazine, January 1947, and actress Carol Lynley in "How Shall I Tell My Daughter" booklet ad (1955) - Modess . . . . because ads (many dates). CONTRIBUTE to Humor, Words and expressions about menstruation and Would you stop menstruating if you could? Some MUM site links: homepage | MUM address & What does MUM mean? | e-mail the museum | privacy on this site | who runs this museum?? | Amazing women! | the art of menstruation | artists (non-menstrual) | asbestos | belts | bidets | founder bio | Bly, Nellie | MUM board | books: menstruation and menopause (and reviews) | cats | company booklets for girls (mostly) directory | contraception and religion | costumes | menstrual cups | cup usage | dispensers | douches, pain, sprays | essay directory | extraction | facts-of-life booklets for girls | famous women in menstrual hygiene ads | FAQ | founder/director biography | gynecological topics by Dr. Soucasaux | humor | huts | links | masturbation | media coverage of MUM | menarche booklets for girls and parents | miscellaneous | museum future | Norwegian menstruation exhibit | odor | olor | pad directory | patent medicine | poetry directory | products, current | puberty booklets for girls and parents | religion | Religión y menstruación | your remedies for menstrual discomfort | menstrual products safety | science | Seguridad de productos para la menstruación | shame | slapping, menstrual | sponges | synchrony | tampon directory | early tampons | teen ads directory | tour of the former museum (video) | underpants & panties directory | videos, films directory | Words and expressions about menstruation | Would you stop menstruating if you could? | What did women do about menstruation in the past? | washable pads Leer la versión en español de los siguientes temas: Anticoncepción y religión, Breve reseña - Olor - Religión y menstruación - Seguridad de productos para la menstruación.

Lakshmi Murthy: Teaching girls about puberty, menstruation and how to make washable menstrual pads, in rural India In 2001 Lakshmi Murthy wrote me about her work with rural girls in southern Rajasthan, India, and asked if I would be interested in showing something about it on the MUM site. Of course I was! Ms. Murthy is a graphic designer in Udaipur, in the state of Rajasthan (see the map, below) and has used her talents to a good end, as you will see. She writes, "This particular component, i.e., pad making and working with adolescents, is a part of a larger area of my work: developing media for rural teenagers on issues related to sexuality." Read Ms. Murthy's detailed explanation of her project (with mention of local menstrual customs and beliefs). Her Web site is at www.vikalpdesign.com, and has an interesting discussion of how differently drawings convey meaning to different people (at http://www.vikalpdesign.com/background.html) and more about her MacArthur Foundation project (at http://www.vikalpdesign.com/summary.html). More recent information about menstrual management in India with an article critical of this museum. And read the New York Times article about the situation in India and what people are trying to do about it, including the Great Wash Yatra and WASH United. The MacArthur Foundation supports some of her work with a Fund for Leadership Development Fellowship, authorized in 2000 (Population and Reproductive Health program of the Global Security and Sustainability program), "[f]or a media design project to improve the communication of health information to young people in rural areas (over two years)." The arrow points to Udaipur town, in Rajasthan, India, where the project director, Lakshmi Murthy, has her design studio, Vikalpdesign. Interestingly, another washable-pad project takes place in the bordering state to the right, Uttar Pradesh (see that project).   The cardboard-and-fabric doll demonstrates how to wear a washable pad. Click for larger image. The maker, Ms. Murthy, sent the doll, explanatory material and photographs to this museum. Next: Using the doll The real pad, instruction wheel, pad-making instructions 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |, explanation of project Snap-on style washable pad -Washable pad with belt - See how women wear a belt with a pad - see a Swedish ad showing a belt and pad - German pattern for washable pads, probably before 1900 - And see a menstrual sponge Washable pads from Almora, Uttar Pradesh state, India - Nineteenth-century Norwegian washable pads - Italian washable pad, probably from the 1890s - instructions for making Japanese pads, early 20th century? - German, about 1900 ©2002 Harry Finley. It is illegal to reproduce or distribute any of the work on this Web site in any manner or medium without written permission of the author. Please report suspected violations to hfinley@mum.org