"Contact with it turns new wine sour, crops touched by it become barren, grafts die, seed in gardens are dried up, the fruit of trees fall off, the edge of steel and the gleam of ivory are dulled, hives of bees die, even bronze and iron are at once seized by rust, and a horrible smell fills the air; to taste it drives dogs mad and infects their bites with an incurable poison." ~ Pliny the Elder, Roman historian (1).
"We may think our society does not follow taboos, that taboos are primitive and superstitious, but we do follow menstrual taboos." (2)
Our Taboos
Our periods are normal and healthy, but we've been told that they are a curse, or that they are embarrassing and must be hidden at all costs. Most cultures "require that women be careful about where their menstrual blood goes" and we're no different: we "wrap our used pads in wads of toilet paper and bury them at the bottom of the wastebasket" because we're told to keep it a secret (2). Why are we so embarrassed about bleeding? Some say that the rise of patriarchy was "concomitant with the [ . . .] debasement and vilification of menstruation" (3). More recently, advertisements have played on our fears and shames to sell us products.
Consider this ad from 1922 that invites you to "dispose of it easily without embarrassment (4)."
This ad from 1950 suggests that you must douche or risk ruining your marriage! The advertisers play on fear of our bodies and emphasize we need their products so that no one knows the shameful secret that we menstruate (4).
The taboos about secrecy and shame we learn from ads and our culture in general encourage us to use disposable products, which can be harmful for us and the planet. But we have other options, both in the products we use and the ways we think about our periods. 'Taboo' or 'sacred' in Polynesian and Siouan is the same word as 'menstruating'. In Dakotan 'Wakan' means 'spiritual, wonderful, menstrual' (5)." Perhaps we can rediscover and create different ways of relating to our periods that can be earth-healing and self-nurturing.
Menarche Celebration
Many cultures have rituals to mark a girl's first period. Here are some suggestions for making contemporary celebrations.
A Pagan/Wiccan suggested celebration:
From a Parenting Advice Page:
A Monthly Retreat
Many cultures expected that a woman would take a few days out of her normal routine while she was bleeding. This practise can be seen as degrading, teaching a woman that she is unclean, but it can also be seen as a time of rest and renewal, and a time to visit with other women and share stories. Some say it can be a time of intense creativity, or a chance to connect with our shadow selves, or to remind us how we are connected with the moon, the tides, and the earth. If taking a whole week retreat a month seems a bit excessive, consider creating a ritual for yourself to mark your cycle. After all, "the word 'ritual' comes from 'rtu', which is Sanskrit for menses" (6).
Here are some Pagan influenced ideas:
A feminist reading of the Jewish mikveh ritual:
6. Menstruation.com
