We all came from the same place: a uterus. Demeaning and despising the process that gives us life diminishes everyone
Telling people you’re writing a book on menstruation and menopause is a great litmus test for the strength of the menstrual taboo. Most often, people skip a beat and force a weird smile, before saying something non-committal like “good for you”. Or they laugh nervously (especially men) and say, “oh wow, OK, not something I know too much about ha ha ha”. They rarely say, “I am completely disgusted by this” but you can usually tell if there’s a reluctance to delve deeper, or a squick factor at work.
Conversely, other people (mostly women) practically pin me down and launch into their own TED talk comprised of every thought they have ever had about periods. I love it when this happens, but I also sense a desperation that comes from me giving permission. “I’ve been DYING to talk about this” is a common refrain. And I know what they mean. Outside of close friendships, it can still feel a little risque to bring up menstruation and menopause in “polite” conversation.
Continue reading...from The Guardian http://bit.ly/2wM7Xjn
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