Talk and learn about your endometriosis
It is one of the most common diseases on the face of the earth. More common than AIDS - more common than cancer. Nearly 90 million women world-wide have endometriosis and this number is growing. For everyone going through this painful disorder, or has someone close to them who is, please join our discussion on the topic at
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He corrects some views about Moslem menstruation proscriptions on this site
As a researcher in sexuality and comparative traditions, I find your site a most fascinating one.
I noted a couple of misconceptions about Moslem Laws about menstruation, which might be cleared up. A woman menstruating is NOT REGARDED as DIRTY, which a lady from Kyrgyzstan [read her letter] seems to think. It seems she has confused local Kyrgyz culture and Moslem Law. Many an attitude found in a predominantly Moslem society might not necessarily be from Moslem religion, just as many non-Christian attitudes found in a predominantly Christian society would not be from Christianity.
When asked, the Prophet Mohammed categorically said that a menstruating woman does not become dirty as such. Her menstrual blood, like a man's semen, and many of the other bodily fluids of both men and women, are regarded as dirty, and hence are required to be washed away. But the person himself or herself is not regarded as dirty. That's why the Prophet himself continued to share his bed and blanket with his menstruating wives and allowed this [for others].
The reason behind restricting a menstruating woman from compulsory prayers, fasting, attending mosque, etc., is not because she is dirty, but more as an exemption in consideration of the hardship she normally undergoes during the period. The Prophet categorically said that menstruation is a ''hardship'' on her, during which period men must restrain their sexual demands on her, but yet not push her away from their shared bed or shared life. She continues to cook, if she likes, goes to granary, lives in the living room and everywhere in the house as everyone else, is allowed to hug, kiss, cuddle and be hugged, kissed and cuddled. It's that her normal religious obligation to keep up five daily prayers, which involve much physical activity - unlike prayer generally understood in the West - and fasting, which prevents even drinking water, essential during such times, are exempted as a token of divine mercy.
Prof. AA Rahmann
[Read more about religion and menstruation.]
Sexual arousal and menstruation
I am trying to find information on why some women become more "horny" at certain times of their cycle.
Do you have any sources of information? [The only pertinent item on this site is English feminist Dr. Marie Stopse's early 20th-century chart showing the relationship between the course of menstruation and sexual desire. Does anyone know of other references?]
Thank you,
[E-mail her.]
Menstruating together and mental health
Hello,
I am researching the relationship between menstrual timing and periodicity (in particular, menstrual synchronism with other women and with the lunar cycle) and mental health. I was wondering whether the Museum of Menstruation has any resources that could help me in this search, or if you know of other people who are interested in the same or related questions. [MUM has only Martha McClintock's ground-breaking article about menstrual synchrony among college roommates. Please e-mail the writer if you can help her.]
Thanks very much for any information you have,
Evelyn D. Fetrid
Period Piece in Hawaii: we missed it, but read on
Harry,
If you can access http://starbulletin.com/2001/08/23/features/story1.html, John Berger did a great article with photos [about our Period Piece, a show]. It is in today's edition, Thursday, 23 August 2001.
It is a show with monologues, dialogues, both dramatic and comedic. This show was originally produced in 1993, before "The Vagina Monologues."
Thanks for any press you can give us. Lucky for us, John Berger was supportive eight years ago, as well as today!!!!
Jan
What: "A Period Piece"
Who: Jan Itamura & Margaret Jones
When: Thursday, 8/23-Saturday 25 @ 8pm
Sunday, 8/26 @ 4pm
Where: Mark's Garage
Presented by: Lizard Loft
How much: $ 10.00
Why: Because it's "that" time of the month
The toddler saw his mother wearing a pad
Mr. Finley,
I found your Web site by accident while surfing the Web looking for some information on another medical topic. I am a male in my 30s.
This has to be one of the most "unexpected" Web sites in the world; it covers a topic that most people don't even talk about in private.
After reading some of the letters on your site it has brought back memories of an unusual experience in my childhood related to menstruation that I want to share with you.
When I was a toddler I saw my mother naked from the waist down during her period. I was at home one day when I wandered into the bathroom; the door was wide open. Inside the bathroom I saw my mother getting up from the toilet and pulling up and adjusting her belt and sanitary napkin. I noticed that the napkin was lightly stained red. In my child's mind at the time I thought to myself: "Mommy wears a diaper too but it looks different than mine - and why is the inside of my diaper not red?" I guess that the only reason that I was able to witness this unique sight is because my mother was alone in the house at the time and needed to keep a close eye on me.
Witnessing this sight was not traumatic for me but just piqued my childhood curiosity for a few days. Anyway, I just want to let you know that your site is interesting and informative while keeping a humorous tone to a very taboo subject. I am certain that my girlfriend will appreciate a site like yours.
Sincerely,
Museums are not always built in a day
H[arry]
A very interesting idea that you have there.
Consider this:
The Decorah, Iowa, Norwegian Museum was just a building full of junk in the 1930s and going nowhere until, by 1970, the Decorah Posten (Norwegian language) quit publishing and most of the old Norwegians had died off. But, the museum began to blossom. Nostalgia did it. The would-be Norwegianphiles donated money, volunteered, and got some hot-shot curator types into the campaign to upgrade the museum. First, they changed the name to the "Vesterheim Museum" or something of that ilk. They also added American to the name so that it is now the Norwegian-American museum. [See a Norwegian exhibit about menstruation.]
The point of the above is that museums are not always built in a day. A sub-point is that a catchy name is better than reality. For yourself, something like "A Women's World Museum" might relieve the shock.
From what I've gathered, menstruation is a woman's mind-set thing. Every woman I've known in a carnal way never talked about losing her virginity as the date of becoming a woman. That date was unanimously reserved for the time of first menstruation.
Good luck to your quest. A coward would tackle your subject in a six-volume encyclopedia set of menstruation.
[Read my ideas for the physical museum.]
Ideas and cheers from Israel
Shalom from an Israeli reader!
What a great, necessary site!
I'd like a chapter heading (like those at the bottom and top of the pages) called something like Menstrual Pride, Rituals, Symbology of Menstruation - sounds yummy to me. I didn't get to check out the religion part, so maybe I missed what you do offer about these topics. [Religion is here and contraception and religion here.]
I found the site to be entertaining and funny. [Humor] And informative. How ridiculous that those male scientists didn't know women's cycles often aligned! Didn't they have wives and daughters? [Read Martha McClintock's paper from 1971 on menstrual synchrony.]
Yes, as I said, I'd like to read more lyrical, poetic, rich, symbolic, maybe even mystical stuff like that found in Rob Brezny's novel The Televisionary Oracle, where he discusses menstruation plenty, and Patricia Lynn Reilly's wondrous book Imagine A Woman In Love With Herself, discussing menstruation. [Read some poetry and essays.]
Colorful, juicy KUDOS!
Blessings,
P.S. I enjoyed the article by Gloria Steinem [If Men Could Menstruate] very much! And thank you for mentioning cats [cat directory] those elegant, mysterious, artful animals. [My Chief Tomcat, Pam, is this very instant sleeping atop my scanner, two feet from me. Oops, now he's up and looking out the window. Um, now he's down again, trying to sleep.]
Hm. Ever found anything about the symbol of the mermaid? Such a feminine figure, yet with no way of menstruating, presumably. [Interesting!]
Cheers.
Australia's most popular sites for women
Hi, I'm Simon,
I represent Australia's two most popular Web sites for women of all ages: Girl.com.au and Femail.com.au. Both these sites are choc full of exciting competitions, have exclusive news and reviews on music, celebrities, fashion, finance, health and many other lifestyle features, are updated monthly and offer many interactive features including FREE E-mail.
After having visited your site, I feel that your readers would find both Girl.com.au and Femail.com.au to be of real interest. If you wish to add links to your site to give your readers' added value, please feel free to add a link to any specific stories or just the general homepage.
Then we will be happy to post you on our Girl and Femail favourite links page! Please note both Girl and Femail have over 500,000 readers and have been Australia's premiere sites for close to two years.
Simon Katic
Trellian Software
Menses and her art
Hi there,
I have just expanded and made the menses information section at my site a little bigger. Plus, it now has its own domain name.
http://amongwomen.com
Please feel free to visit this site and share your feedback, if you have time to spare.
Cheers,
Vanesa Littlecrow Colon-Ortiz
==
View my arts and lit portfolio and resources.
http://vaslittlecrow.com/artist
http://vaslittlecrow.com/links/artlinks.htm
Join the Vas Littlecrow mailing list.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vaslittlecrow
Thanks to the museum!
Dear Mr. Finley,
I have many things to explain to my daughter in the next few years and your site will be an excellent historical/factual guide for a subject that is difficult to find information on. Your plans for the new museum sound wonderful - such an undertaking is long overdue in a country where half the inhabitants menstruate. You are providing a valuable service that even the tampon industry abdicates. Their main interest seems to be the aggressive marketing of their product in schools - all in the guise of education, of course.
*Thank you* for the time and immense effort you took in creating this site.
Know of any medication not tested on animals?
Dear Sir/Madam:
I get really bad menstrual cramps but refuse to take any medication because they are all tested on animals. I was wondering if you knew of any medications that were not tested on animals. If not maybe you could suggest some remedies that could minimize the cramps. Thank you for your assistance. [Mail me and I'll pass along the information.]
Sincerely
What did the English call menstruation in the 1930s?
I am writing a book set back in the 1930s. The character is from England. I'm trying to find out what they called the menstrual cycle back then. You have terms of what various woman call their own or have heard it referred to (but not by the time period through this past century).
I think attitudes about reaching "womanhood" have changed a great deal in the course of 100 years. It's not so hush-hush or embarrassing, but neither is it a subject that is brought out blatantly. Why do we (women) still feel it is necessary to give our period a name? It's a part of life, and without menses there can be no life brought forward. I agree there's a time and a place to discuss it, but why mask what we go through one fourth of each month with a silly term?
If you could e-mail any information you have on English terms depicting the menstrual cycle in the 1930's it would be greatly appreciated.
[Anyone know? E-mail her at sbishop68@hotmail.com]
How and why she uses the Instead menstrual cup
Growing up I had been a tampon-girl (about 11 years), and did not have problems with using them until the past few years. Working with a women's health-care company, I learned more about my body and the consequences with using tampons (as well as began feeling "dried out" and irritated).
The first time I used Instead [picture, and more comments about using menstrual cups, plus an incomplete history of the cup] I had difficulty with correct placement and leaked. I was bummed out with my failed attempt, but after going back to tampons for a very, very short while, I knew I had to give it another try (surely there was something better than tampons!) - and I will NEVER wear a tampon again!
THE key is to place the cup behind the pubic bone, and to bear down when removing. I re-use the cup, by emptying, rinsing, and re-inserting - I only use one every 24 hours. I feel very comfortable - no more "dried-out" feeling, and do not have any cramps anymore. Sure, it can be messy, at first, but the comfort and freedom of movement are well worth the learning period. Also, there is no damn string that soaks up urine every time I urinate, or tries to sneak out when wearing a bathing suit!
I recommend Instead to all of my friends, co-workers, and family. Not only is it safer than tampons, it is a lot more comfortable, and you can have clean sex, too! As for the active role of inserting and removing, I am proud to be a woman and completely comfortable with all aspects of my own body - after all, it's with me for life.
Most sincerely,
P.S. I commend all the work you have done - great job!
[Instead Web site]
Book about menstruation published in Spain
The Spanish journalist who contributed some words for menstruation to this site last year and wrote about this museum (MUM) in the Madrid newspaper "El País" just co-authored with her daughter a book about menstruation (cover at left).
She writes, in part,
Dear Harry Finley,
As I told you, my daughter (Clara de Cominges) and I have written a book (called "El tabú") about menstruation, which is the first one to be published in Spain about that subject. The book - it talks about the MUM - is coming out at the end of March and I just said to the publisher, Editorial Planeta, to contact you and send you some pages from it and the cover as well. I'm sure that it will be interesting to you to have some information about the book that I hope has enough sense of humour to be understood anywhere. Thank you for your interest and help.
If you need anything else, please let me know.
Best wishes,
Margarita Rivière
Belen Lopez, the editor of nonfiction at Planeta, adds that "Margarita, more than 50 years old, and Clara, 20, expose their own experiences about menstruation with a sensational sense of humour." (Later this month more information will appear on the publisher's site, in Spanish.)
My guess is that Spaniards will regard the cover as risqué, as many Americans would. And the book, too. But, let's celebrate!
Two weeks ago I mentioned that Procter & Gamble was trying to change attitudes in the Spanish-speaking Americas to get more women to use tampons, specifically Tampax - a hard sell.
Compare this cover with the box cover for the Canadian television video about menstruation, Under Wraps, and the second The Curse.
An American network is now developing a program about menstruation for a popular cable channel; some folks from the network visited me recently to borrow material.
And this museum lent historical tampons and ads for a television program in Spain last year.
Now, if I could only read Spanish! (I'm a former German teacher.)
Irregular menses identify women at high risk for polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which exists in 6-10% of women of reproductive age. PCOS is a major cause of infertility and is linked to diabetes.
