April 2, 2008

Why don’t we talk about menstration? Is is scary. Just about every girl does it. I happen to have a friend that doesn’t but that’s all I want to say about that without her permission to go further. I was going through my reader this morning and happened upon Design*Sponge. They were interviewing some chicas and mentioned their current project was Party in My Pants. The name itself is hysterical. I must admit I’m a bit weary of the product, but I like to give everything a try at least once.

So that got me thinking about why the period is so dreaded. I thought about the book The Read Tent. Awesome read and highly recommended. Since it has been a bit since I read the book, here’s Amazon’s spiel.

The red tent is the place where women gathered during their cycles of birthing, menses, and even illness. Like the conversations and mysteries held within this feminine tent, this sweeping piece of fiction offers an insider’s look at the daily life of a biblical sorority of mothers and wives and their one and only daughter, Dinah. Told in the voice of Jacob’s daughter Dinah (who only received a glimpse of recognition in the Book of Genesis), we are privy to the fascinating feminine characters who bled within the red tent. In a confiding and poetic voice, Dinah whispers stories of her four mothers, Rachel, Leah, Zilpah, and Bilhah–all wives to Jacob, and each one embodying unique feminine traits. As she reveals these sensual and emotionally charged stories we learn of birthing miracles, slaves, artisans, household gods, and sisterhood secrets. Eventually Dinah delves into her own saga of betrayals, grief, and a call to midwifery. 

Which got me thinking about a girls group I attented in college called PMS–Project More Sisterhood. The only requirement was chocolate had to be involved each time we met. It was AWESOME.

So why can we embrace the big red wave? I’m gonna blame men’s fear of it. But that’s just my opinion. What’s your opinion?

 Peace,

Katy