Hello Harry,
I just recently stumbled across your museum's site, and I must say I am surprised by it. I had no idea that women still feel ashamed of their periods. I feel blessed that my mother and grandmother were open and honest about it when I needed to know. It was never a taboo subject in our house - even my dad was open about it (he loved to say when my twin sister and I were still living at home that he should buy stock in Kotex). It bothers me that women are still thought to be impure in other cultures during menses [the concept is often more complex than it appears, and sometimes also concerns discharges from men - semen - and other topics. Read a long discussion about Jewish, Christian and Muslim beliefs], and from what I gather ignorance seems to be the reason. I hope your museum continues to enlighten women and men alike.
As the mother of four children, two of them girls, I would also like to see attitudes change, and when the time comes for me to explain womanhood to my girls, I will let them know it isn't shameful or embarrassing, just a normal curve in the circle of life.
Thank You
Gerade habe ich gelesen, daß Sie aus Heidelberg sind [Ich habe eigentlich sieben wunderbare Jahre da verbracht, insgesamt 13 in Deutschland. Ich war und bin Amerikaner], ich freue mich. Mein Englisch ist nämlich sehr schlecht. Ich möchte gerne mehr Information über das Museum, wenn möglich, in deutscher Sprache. Ich habe großes Interesse, in Wien eine Ausstellung bzw. ein Museum zum Thema Menstruation einzurichten.
Sie suchen einen neuen Platz für das Museum, vielleicht ergibt sich in Wien eine Möglichkeit. Ich ersuche Sie um Zusendung von Infomaterial an die Adresse:
Gabriele Pröll
Wien
[Lesen Sie eine Bibliographie deutschsprachiger Bücher über Menstruation - hier sind Bücher in englischer Sprache - und deutsche Anzeigen.]
I just read that you are from Heidelberg [Germany. Actually, I lived seven years there, and 13, total, in Germany. I was and am an American.] That's great! My English is very bad. I would like to have information in German about the museum. I am interested in having an exhibit or a museum about menstruation in Vienna.
You are looking for a new place for your museum; maybe Vienna is possible. Please send me information.
Gabriele Pröll
Vienna, Austria
[And read a bibliography of German books about menstruation - here are books in English - and also some German ads.]
I've been looking for information like this for years. I used to work at the [deleted] Historical Society in [deleted], Ohio. Around 1990 we received a request asking if we had any personal products for women in our three-dimensional collection. We did not and I have often wondered what happened to the woman who was writing that history. Thank you for creating MUM! [You're welcome!]
I'm delighted to pass this information on to my friends and to some of my students who get cramps from other sources than my assignments.
Keep up the good work. I'm sure there's a section on humor and jokes about all this that I will find as I wander through the site.
[name withheld]
French teacher
[deleted], Wisconsin
Please, may I post a letter on your letter page?
I'm researching a documentary for the BBC [British Broadcasting Corporation] about menstruation - myths and facts and blessing or curse.
I have much information about the curse and prejudice but I am finding scant information about the blessing! I was thrilled to find medical information linking surgery for breast cancer and the menstrual cycle and the New Scientist report about differing medication levels required during the 28-day cycle, and the research about eating requirements differing during the cycle etc., but I want to hear from women who have evidence of the cycle as a blessing, for example, artists, writers, etc., who are at their most creative whilst menstruating.
I also want to meet women who practice menstrual seclusion, as with menstrual huts of the past [and of the present; women still use menstrual huts].
And anything and everything to do with research into menstruation.
Next week I am interviewing Mr Peter Redgrove and Penelope Shuttle who wrote the first book on menstruation that offered positive information, The Wise Wound, 1978. I am very excited about asking many questions resulting from the book. If you have any questions for them pertaining to the book or their second book, Alchemy for Women, about the dream cycle corresponding to the menstrual cycle, I would be delighted to forward them to them on your behalf. They are not on the net so any questions would have to have addresses!
Thank you so much for this glorious Web site [many thanks to you for saying that!] and I look forward to hearing from visitors to your site.
Ali Kedge.
ali@shortkedge.freeserve.co.uk or fflic.zip@business.ntl.com
Irregular menses identify women at high risk for polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which exists in 6-10% of women of reproductive age. PCOS is a major cause of infertility and is linked to diabetes.