We also need to be discussing the need for menstruating women to be using period recording platforms not in the US, so that as the government gets to the point of tracking women's periods to determine whether or not she aborted or miscarried, in a Romanian leader Nicolae Ceaușescu kind of surveillance.
For many years I taught a history lecture general education class, Women in the Ancient World, that was recommended strongly by the faculty in my university's 6-year BA/MD program for their first-year students. The class was huge (often 200+ students) and comprised about 50% med students. About a third of the class at any given time was male. My favorite lectures to give focused on ancient Greek and Roman notions of female biology, anatomy, and reproduction: the whole wandering womb thing as well as Aristotle's description of females as "deformed males." I used the word "menstruation" a LOT, quite deliberately. And watched the men in the room go queasy every time I described in graphic detail the ancient view of females, how this view has persisted, and why it is wrong in every aspect. The women in the class thought the men's discomfort hilarious, and they often came up to me after class in droves to thank me. In student evaluations, every year I had a number of (probably male) students who criticized me because they claimed I talked "too much" about women. In a class about women.
Then there is the complete lack of understanding of the female sex organs, how pregnancy works, menstruation, all of it. And along with it, the banning of teaching it in schools by some hard right parent groups. And, additionally, boys and men have very little understanding of pregnancy. The millennia of taboos and demonization of sex has not changed much.
I’m a retired surgeon. In medical school I started our sex education program with a lecture series, in 1968. Even in medical school there was no sex education.
Sex education should start in elementary school. Including the remarkable female reproductive system and menstruation AND menopause. Republicans have gutted funding for all education over 50-60 years, initially to keep African-Americans in the ‘service industries’ as a carry-over from the Southern Dixiecrats opposition to integration.
Scandinavian countries cover education from birth to grave, like healthcare. Kids are educated in sex. They do not giggle when they say the words:”vagina” or “uterus”. We need funding for public schools, elimination of charter schools, inclusion of sex education in all schools, in all curriculums, the elimination of religion in schools. Separation of church and state, not evangelical takeover. Evangelicals’ ideology is incompatible with education about sex, feminism, equity.
Women are the superior gender, genetically and reproductively. Compare the size of X to Y chromosomes on a photomicrograph, you will see that the massive amount of genetic material in the X chromosome , and every cell of every organ contains these genes, provides not only for uterus, ovaries and vagina, but reproductive ability, brains, intuition, and inherited knowledge. Women are superior, many men are feeling threatened ,and continue to try to keep them down, to dominate and restrain them. Men are such a mistaken and weak lot. Ya, for periods and menstruation. They only help us, they don’t hurt us. At all.
Bravo! Let's come out of the cubicles and say what's true: at least 50% of adult humans menstruate during much of their lives so why the secrets and shame? No big deal, right? And what's wrong with leaving supplies in every restroom? Only a fool or a coward would object, Mark.
Just a comment on posts like this in general. Is there a reason why they seem to be in grey rather than black type? I'm too old for menstruation, but I still wanted to read the article and my aging eyes could barely get through it. Some articles come through in strong black. This may be some kind of fashionable design idea these days, but it's really hard to read.
Of course, I support increasing understanding that menopause is a normal aspect of our lives. However, we should not lose sight of the fact that focusing on menopause is an easy way for politicians to indicate that they support “women’s health”without having to address the inconvenient issues around abortion and high rates of maternal mortality in this country.
It should be noted that tampons have many "MANLY" uses!
"Tampons are sterile, come very well-packaged in their own waterproof sleeves, and are designed to be ultra-absorbent — making them the perfect first aid bandage."
I worked at a FedEx facility at an airport probably 1990 ish. There were no tampon dispensers in the ladies room. We all just accepted it. Then one day one of the pilots was in need of said product. She was furious that there was none offered in the ladies room. So she was asking all us ladies for help. She raised hell,and shortly after they were offered. Probably had to pay 25 cents for one though 😳
I was at first confused by the term “menstrual equity”. But if that means placing menstrual products in our “binary bathrooms” for a population that is more than just binary seems very logical. And since we're talking about equity, here is an interesting article about reproductive health equity.
Seems like people, whether Dems or Republicans, don’t like the Trump’s regime’s war on women including trans women. Thanks for highlighting this important protest!
I totally agree with Jennifer Weiss-Wolf. However, she needs to advocate for both menopausal and non menopausal women to be included in medical research and drug trials. As an example: women who get treated for cardiovascular disease the same as men often have worse outcomes than men. Clinical trial results conducted on a male only population cannot be extrapolated to women.
Menstruation, menopause, childbirth, the details of these have been hidden resulting in an exceptionally ignorant male population.
Exactly.
We also need to be discussing the need for menstruating women to be using period recording platforms not in the US, so that as the government gets to the point of tracking women's periods to determine whether or not she aborted or miscarried, in a Romanian leader Nicolae Ceaușescu kind of surveillance.
I'm thinking this practice should be on a monthly cycle. Just saying!
For many years I taught a history lecture general education class, Women in the Ancient World, that was recommended strongly by the faculty in my university's 6-year BA/MD program for their first-year students. The class was huge (often 200+ students) and comprised about 50% med students. About a third of the class at any given time was male. My favorite lectures to give focused on ancient Greek and Roman notions of female biology, anatomy, and reproduction: the whole wandering womb thing as well as Aristotle's description of females as "deformed males." I used the word "menstruation" a LOT, quite deliberately. And watched the men in the room go queasy every time I described in graphic detail the ancient view of females, how this view has persisted, and why it is wrong in every aspect. The women in the class thought the men's discomfort hilarious, and they often came up to me after class in droves to thank me. In student evaluations, every year I had a number of (probably male) students who criticized me because they claimed I talked "too much" about women. In a class about women.
Then there is the complete lack of understanding of the female sex organs, how pregnancy works, menstruation, all of it. And along with it, the banning of teaching it in schools by some hard right parent groups. And, additionally, boys and men have very little understanding of pregnancy. The millennia of taboos and demonization of sex has not changed much.
I’m a retired surgeon. In medical school I started our sex education program with a lecture series, in 1968. Even in medical school there was no sex education.
Sex education should start in elementary school. Including the remarkable female reproductive system and menstruation AND menopause. Republicans have gutted funding for all education over 50-60 years, initially to keep African-Americans in the ‘service industries’ as a carry-over from the Southern Dixiecrats opposition to integration.
Scandinavian countries cover education from birth to grave, like healthcare. Kids are educated in sex. They do not giggle when they say the words:”vagina” or “uterus”. We need funding for public schools, elimination of charter schools, inclusion of sex education in all schools, in all curriculums, the elimination of religion in schools. Separation of church and state, not evangelical takeover. Evangelicals’ ideology is incompatible with education about sex, feminism, equity.
Women are the superior gender, genetically and reproductively. Compare the size of X to Y chromosomes on a photomicrograph, you will see that the massive amount of genetic material in the X chromosome , and every cell of every organ contains these genes, provides not only for uterus, ovaries and vagina, but reproductive ability, brains, intuition, and inherited knowledge. Women are superior, many men are feeling threatened ,and continue to try to keep them down, to dominate and restrain them. Men are such a mistaken and weak lot. Ya, for periods and menstruation. They only help us, they don’t hurt us. At all.
Female restrooms. Is that the gender the restroom was assigned at birth? Just asking.
Bravo! Let's come out of the cubicles and say what's true: at least 50% of adult humans menstruate during much of their lives so why the secrets and shame? No big deal, right? And what's wrong with leaving supplies in every restroom? Only a fool or a coward would object, Mark.
Just a comment on posts like this in general. Is there a reason why they seem to be in grey rather than black type? I'm too old for menstruation, but I still wanted to read the article and my aging eyes could barely get through it. Some articles come through in strong black. This may be some kind of fashionable design idea these days, but it's really hard to read.
I totally agree. I keep turning up the background light to make it more readable. It is getting I just don't want to read the chats.
Of course, I support increasing understanding that menopause is a normal aspect of our lives. However, we should not lose sight of the fact that focusing on menopause is an easy way for politicians to indicate that they support “women’s health”without having to address the inconvenient issues around abortion and high rates of maternal mortality in this country.
It should be noted that tampons have many "MANLY" uses!
"Tampons are sterile, come very well-packaged in their own waterproof sleeves, and are designed to be ultra-absorbent — making them the perfect first aid bandage."
https://www.artofmanliness.com/skills/outdoor-survival/survival-tampon/
We know this caused the plane crash. /s
I worked at a FedEx facility at an airport probably 1990 ish. There were no tampon dispensers in the ladies room. We all just accepted it. Then one day one of the pilots was in need of said product. She was furious that there was none offered in the ladies room. So she was asking all us ladies for help. She raised hell,and shortly after they were offered. Probably had to pay 25 cents for one though 😳
I was at first confused by the term “menstrual equity”. But if that means placing menstrual products in our “binary bathrooms” for a population that is more than just binary seems very logical. And since we're talking about equity, here is an interesting article about reproductive health equity.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/mississippi-lawmaker-introduces-contraception-begins-erection-act-rcna188938
I saw that and support it.
Seems like people, whether Dems or Republicans, don’t like the Trump’s regime’s war on women including trans women. Thanks for highlighting this important protest!
I totally agree with Jennifer Weiss-Wolf. However, she needs to advocate for both menopausal and non menopausal women to be included in medical research and drug trials. As an example: women who get treated for cardiovascular disease the same as men often have worse outcomes than men. Clinical trial results conducted on a male only population cannot be extrapolated to women.
Menstruation and Menopause, excellent topics of discussion that need to be mainstreamed. Thank you both.