The feminism/equality thread

[Volband]

My mother said that when she had her first period, she had NO KNOWLEDGE about it in advance, NOBODY had told her. They didn't teach it in school, and her mother never told her. This was in the early-50s. So she thought she was bleeding to death. So she ran out to tell her mother.

And her mother laughed at her.

So my mother was careful to tell me about it in advance, so that I heard it from her and not from school, etc., so I was fortunate.

Fucked up parents raise some of the best ones!

When I was in Jr High, I had cramps and periods so bad I would pass out. Like, literally, pass out. Then I met other girls who were the same way.

What the hell, that can't be normal, can it?

[Sarah K]

None of my parents ever mentioned anything about periods. I remember the school nurse holding a class once in I believe 5th grade, and that was the only information that I was ever given. And it's not like I started early or anything. I was 12, almost 13.

[telee.kom]

I don't think it is considered taboo to talk about menstruation, this is obviously something that should be primarily concern of parents and school. Sex ED is probably too late for this particular thing, but human biology is already taught at that age if I recall correctly. It's one think to be taught/told about it, it's entirely another to act like it's no big deal to have bloody panties and walk around in it in public. And don't get me wrong, I don't consider it to be something particularly disgusting, I just think it's silly to act like it's okay to have blood stains on your pants

[allegro]

What the hell, that can't be normal, can it?

Probably not "normal" but it's not that uncommon. It sucks, LOL. I was at a store clothes-shopping with my mom, and my mom said she looked over and I was under the clothes rack. And people were standing around, going "lady, do you know your daughter is passed out on the floor??" I was only about 14. These days, they tend to diagnose those symptoms as endometriosis.

[tony.parente]

It shouldn't be taboo to talk about menstration. I don't understand why it's looked down upon to call it gross though. It is a natural body function, but so is pooping, and peeing, and farting, and burping. Shit is gross, blood is gross no matter where it comes from, your body shouldn't define who you are and neither should the fluids and where it comes from.

Am I off base here?

[Sallos]

It shouldn't be taboo to talk about menstration. I don't understand why it's looked down upon to call it gross though. It is a natural body function, but so is pooping, and peeing, and farting, and burping. Shit is gross, blood is gross no matter where it comes from, your body shouldn't define who you are and neither should the fluids and where it comes from.

Am I off base here?

It is gross.

This reminds of that joke Seinfeld made about hair. Hair is beautiful when its attached to your scalp but when its not it's repulsive.

[telee.kom]

If I would have to make my top 10 list of gross bodily fluids, menstruation blood would be somewhere in the middle. Above cum, but below shit I would say. It would probably be a tie with piss the more I think about it. The point is, you want none of this on your clothing in public.

[Mantra]

Oh come on, I think it was interesting discussion for the most part.

Oh yeah, SUPER interesting, hoo boy, what a fascinating read those ten pages were.

[playwithfire]

Yeah, I sure love a bunch of dudes coming into the feminism thread and disagreeing with us! Period blood: grosser than cum but equally as gross as urine! Air Conditioning: what will feminists get unchill about next! Catcalling: I'm a male, what about what I think? Jessica Valenti: Clearly the worst.

Patriarchy: Is it a thing though?

Thanks guys.

[telee.kom]

Why are you guys so afraid of a different opinion? It's not like I was rude to you or anything

[allegro]

Nobody is "afraid" of anything. But your "prove it to me" attitude in "our" thread is exhausting.

In the 4 years that this thread has existed, it's been here as maybe a safe place for us to gather to discuss real issues that affect us; a shelter of common ground; not a place to defend feminist issues.

I used to work a board where, when it got to this point, I'd lock the fucking thread up to "members only." End of story. Fun with censorship.

[playwithfire]

This thread doesn't exist for a different opinion. It's the feminism thread. It'd be like going into the car thread and starting a conversation about how people should consider sustainable transportation alternatives. You wanna talk about which gear shift is superior, or why Ferrari needs to reprioritize, okay. But to be like SO, CARS, MAYBE WE SHOULD THINK ABOUT BIKES is derailing and lame.

It would be cool to actually focus on the issues we care about without someone coming in here and going "BUT" and then sticking around when we all are clearly getting nowhere and don't agree with you.

I for one would support a thread reboot, just to remove the context of this thread having been started as a split-off debate.

[telee.kom]

Oh man, I feel kinda sad you don't want me here. Well, let the safe times roll

[orestes]

We'll carry on.