Women's Rites
6.14.2009 | Blog, Book Review
I love the idea behind My Little Red Book – a collection of 92 stories of first periods.
Menarche is a rite of passage for women, yet it is often shrouded in such secrecy that young girls assume it is something they need to fear, or at least be ashamed of. Some of the stories in this collection do recount sad tales of adults who did little to prepare girls for this transition into womanhood. Yet, there are stories of tenderness and celebration.
I hope that this book will begin a new way of thinking about and talking about first periods (and all periods, for that matter). I wonder how euphemisms like “The Curse” impact how women feel about menstruation, their bodies, and sexuality.
Menstruation is a sign that another life is possible. It is an opportunity to celebrate womanhood, creation, life, motherhood, and Self. When did these become shameful things?
6.24.2009
Wonderful!
That’s what I’m looking for. Isn’t it strange how mestruation is still a -don’t-speak-about-it-topic in our everyday life, although it’s monthly reality to 55% of humankind?!
It’s a taboo and it has to be broken.
Greetings from Germany.
PS: Have you ever read “Blood bread and roses” by Judy Grahn- it’s marvellous!
6.24.2009
Hi, thanks for commenting. I think you’re my first commenter from Germany, which is wonderful.
I haven’t heard of the book by Judy Grahn, I will check it out. Thanks for the tip.
I was at a training all day on Saturday, and it happened to be attended by all women. The purpose of the training was to evaluate our attitudes about all kinds of sexual issues. We shared our experiences of getting our period, and there was such a variety of experiences. Two of the women talked about hiding the fact that they had begun menstruating – one for over a year. They somehow felt ashamed and like they couldn’t let their parents (especially their dads) know. One girl said her friend was beaten for getting her period. Shocking! Like a girl has any choice in the matter.
I hope each generation is getting better at educating our girls about this simple fact of life as a woman. Of course, a big part of that educating is done by modeling — our attitudes about menstruation will teach our daughters how to feel about theirs.