FemCare - Holy Hormones Journal

Reproductive Writes: Giving Blood: An Interview with Chris Bobel

August 27, 2011 By Leslie Carol Botha 1 Comment

Bitch Media

Social Commentary post by Holly Grigg-Spall,
March 12, 2010

University of Massachusetts professor Chris Bobel is the author of the soon to be released book New Blood: Third-Wave Feminism and the Politics of Menstruation. In this two-part interview she unpacks periods and the activism, advertising and controversy that makes them so very personal and so very political.

How did you come to see menstruation as more than a personal matter?

A slogan menstrual activists use is ‘We’re Making Bleedin’ Everyone’s Issue.’ As women, we are expected to keep our periods hidden and silenced. We internalize this attitude, and police each other: Women learn to hate their bodies, seeing them through racism, ageism and sexism as problems to be fixed through constant ‘improvements’ – that too big nose, too-dark skin, too-narrow eyes, tiny breasts, fat butt. And now we can ‘improve’ the body even more – we can eliminate menstruation altogether with pills such as Lybrel and Seasonique.

Filed Under: Birth Control, Birth Control Pills/BCP's, Education, FemCare, Hormonal Honeys, Hormone Cycles, Hormone Health US News, Hormones, Lybrel, Menstrual Cycle, Menstrual Health Education, Menstrual Suppression, Menstruation, Mothers & Daughters, My Sister's Song, Periods, Seasonale, Wellness, Women's Health, Women's History, Women's Politics Tagged With: Big Pharma, Birth Control, Birth Control Pills, Breast Cancer, Cervarix, Cervical Cancer, Estrogen, FDA, Gardasil/Silgard, GSK, Hormone Cycles, Hormone Imbalance, Hormones, HPV, HPV Vaccine, Menopause, Menstrual Cycle, Menstruation, Merck, PMS, pregnancy, Premenstrual Syndrome, Vaccinations, Vaccine Adverse Reactions, Vaccines, Women's Health

Seclusion During Menstruation Continues in Nepal Despite Supreme Court Ruling

August 19, 2011 By Leslie Carol Botha Leave a Comment

Global Press Institute

Despite a Supreme Court ban, the chaupadi pratha tradition of forcing women to live in isolated sheds during their menstrual periods is still prevalent in Mid- and Far-Western Nepal and among older generations in the capital. The government acknowledges it must do more to eliminate the discriminatory practice but resources to do so are minimal.

by Nima Kafle Reporter, Wednesday – August 17, 2011

KATHMANDU, NEPAL – Every month for the last 24 years Belu Damai, 40, from Bhairavsthan, a village in Nepal’s Far-Western region, spent her several days a month, during her menstrual cycle in a cowshed.

“Chaupadi pratha,” is a Hindu tradition that forbids women from touching anyone during menstruation for fear that it will anger the gods. Damai says her family forced her to live in the cowshed during her period. But the shed lacked insulation and was freezing during the winter.

Filed Under: FemCare, Holy Hormones Honey! The Greatest Story Never Told, Hormone Health World News, Menstrual Cycle, Menstrual Suppression, Menstruation, Mothers & Daughters, My Sister's Song, Periods, Social/Political, Women's Health, Women's History, Women's Politics Tagged With: Big Pharma, Birth Control, Breast Cancer, Cervical Cancer, Fertility, Gardasil/Silgard, GlaxoSmithKline, Hormone Cycles, Hormone Imbalance, Menstrual Cycle, Merck, Premenstrual Syndrome, Women's Health

I’ll Try Anything Once: Cleansing Vagina Wash

August 10, 2011 By Leslie Carol Botha Leave a Comment

The worst possible outcome was a yeast infection. The best possible outcome was ruling an empire!
xojane

MC Housework
Aug 4, 2011 at 3:02pm

There’s been much talk of this goofy Summer’s Eve ad.

See two videos on ad campaigns

I imagine them as simple workaday types who would rather be doing other, more wonderful things besides pimping a silly and unnecessary product. I can’t help but feel bad for these people. There’s no good way to market a floral-scented non-soap cleanser intended for a vulva, is there? I’d hate to be asked. Last year’s try was in a soft-focused advertorial that tried to say women they could improve their salaries by washing with Summer’s Eve “as part of your usual routine.” And be sure to tuck the companion towelettes into your attache for touch-ups during the day. Nobody wants a busted vulva in the boardroom, right? That stuff stays in the cubicles.

Filed Under: FemCare, Hormone Health US News, Hormone Humor, Mothers & Daughters, Women's Health Tagged With: Birth Control, Birth Control Pills, Cervarix, Cervical Cancer, Estrogen, Gardasil/Silgard, GlaxoSmithKline, Hormone Cycles, Hormone Imbalance, Hormones, Menstrual Cycle, Merck, Women's Health

Sex and Your Period

July 16, 2011 By Leslie Carol Botha Leave a Comment

EmpowHER
By Softcup July 15, 2011 – 1:01pm

You’re headed for a romantic vacation with your husband and it happens to be that time of the month. Years ago, the myth of not being able to have sex when you have your period may have literally put a damper your intimate vacation plans. But, as research and women have progressed, and if partners are willing, your period doesn’t have to get in the way of romantic plans.

Filed Under: Birth Control, Condoms, Education, FemCare, Genital Warts, Hormone Cycles, Hormone Health US News, Hormones, Menstrual Cycle, Menstruation, Mothers & Daughters, Natural Birth Control, Ovulation, Periods, Pregnancy, Premenstrual Syndrome, Sexual Health, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Teens, Women's Health Tagged With: Birth Control, Birth Control Pills, Hormone Cycles, Hormone Imbalance, Hormones, Menstrual Cycle, Menstruation, PMS, pregnancy, Premenstrual Syndrome, Women's Health

Proper Sanitary Wear and Care for Adolescents

July 9, 2011 By Leslie Carol Botha Leave a Comment

The Swazi Observer

with Zanele Dlamini
July 9, 2011

Sanitary wear is essential for adolescents who are experiencing the feminine touch of menstruation. But how many of these young girls have been prepared by their mothers and older sisters on what they should expect as they grow up?

Filed Under: FemCare, Hormone Health World News, Menstrual Health Education, Mothers & Daughters, Women's Health, Women's History, Women's Politics Tagged With: BCP's, Big Pharma, Birth Control Pills, Hormone Cycles, Hormone Imbalance, Hormones, Menstrual Cycle, Menstruation, pregnancy, Vaccinations, Women's Health

Always Runs First Feminine Hygiene Ad To Show Blood

July 6, 2011 By Leslie Carol Botha Leave a Comment

Huffington Post

First Posted: 07/6/11 03:23 PM ET

If marketing campaigns have taught us anything about periods, it is that menstruating women love to dance, are drawn to white spandex and, oh yeah, bleed a Kool-Aid like blue liquid … which they store in beakers.

Filed Under: FemCare, Hormone Health US News, Menstrual Cycle, Women's Health, Women's History Tagged With: Estrogen, Hormone Cycles, Hormone Imbalance, Hormones, Menstrual Cycle, Menstruation, Premenstrual Syndrome, Women's Health

The annual legs akimbo hootenanny

June 29, 2011 By Leslie Carol Botha Leave a Comment

The Canberra Times
Australia
BY JENNA PRICE
21 Jun, 2011 04:00 AM

Honestly, it’s not that I minded pap smears all that much, the annual legs akimbo hootenanny at my local doctor.

I’m not at all squeamish about my bits (in fact some readers love to complain that I mention vaginas, penises and sex far too much).

Instead, I felt very empowered by these visits, taking good care to do it once a year. But you couldn’t love it, that poky bit jabbing away at the cervix, making sure it brings out a useful sample.

Filed Under: Cervical Cancer, FemCare, Hormone Health World News, HPV, Menstrual Cycle, Menstruation, My Sister's Song, PAP Smear/PAP Test, Periods, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Vaccinations, Women's Health, Women's Politics Tagged With: Cervarix, Cervical Cancer, Gardasil/Silgard, Hormone Cycles, Hormone Imbalance, Hormones, HPV, HPV Vaccine, HPV Vaccines, Human Papillomavirus, Menstrual Cycle, Menstruation, Vaccinations, Vaccine Adverse Reactions, Vaccines, Women's Health

10 Super Creepy Tampon and Pad Ads

May 10, 2011 By Leslie Carol Botha Leave a Comment

The Frisky

Rachel Rabbit White
12:00PM, 05/09/2011

Tampon ads are a big business. I mean, without them, would we understand the carefree-ness of white pants? Or the importance of feminine deodorizing? These ads have long been doling out advice. Like Kotex and their 1950s “Are you in the Know?” campaign, which offered gems like: “When at a restaurant, choose what appeals to you then give your order to your escort; he should pass it on to the waiter.”

Filed Under: FemCare, Holy Hormones Honey! The Greatest Story Never Told, Hormone Cycles, Hormones, Menstrual Cycle, Menstrual Health Education, Menstruation, Museum of Menstruation (MUM), Periods, Social/Political, Society for Menstrual Cycle Research, Teens, Women's Health, Women's History, Women's Politics Tagged With: Big Pharma, Birth Control, Cervarix, Cervical Cancer, Estrogen, Gardasil/Silgard, GlaxoSmithKline, GSK, Hormone Cycles, Hormone Imbalance, Hormones, HPV Vaccine, HPV Vaccines, Human Papillomavirus, Menstrual Cycle, Menstruation, Women's Health

New, Glittery Feminine Products Introduces Menstruation to Tweens

April 16, 2011 By Leslie Carol Botha Leave a Comment

FoxNews.com

Published April 15, 2011

It’s a proven fact that girls are getting their periods as young as 7 years old, as detailed in last year’s Pediatrics journal, and both mom and daughter might not feel ready for such a life-changing event.

Filed Under: Adolescent Girls, FemCare Tagged With: Estrogen, Hormone Cycles, Hormone Imbalance, Hormones, Menstrual Cycle, Menstruation, Puberty, Women's Health

Do You Know A Woman With a Blue Menstruation?

March 20, 2011 By Leslie Carol Botha Leave a Comment

The issue is bigger than blue dye in a tampon commercial.

Psychology Today
Shameless Woman
Stripping us bare on the frontiers of reproductive health

by Pamela Madsen
Published on March 19, 2011

If I ever checked my menstrual pad and saw something blue there instead of red, I think I would infarct! So, why do so many makers of “feminine sanitary supplies” feel the need to demonstrate menstruation with blue dye? Is the blue dye supposed to make us feel less ashamed of our monthly bleeding? Did someone – somewhere in the great marketing sky decide that women and the world at large would feel better if blue dye was used to demonstrate effective menstrual pads and tampons?

Filed Under: FemCare, Hormones, Menstrual Cycle, Menstruation, Mothers & Daughters, My Sister's Song, Ovulation, Periods, Pharmaceuticals, Wellness, Women's Health, Women's Politics Tagged With: Hormone Cycles, Hormone Imbalance, Hormones, Menstrual Cycle, Menstruation, Women's Health