Please read the following article: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/27/rupi-kaur-period-instagram_n_6954898.html?utm_hp_ref=women&ir=Women
Getting your period isn’t glamorous. It isn’t empowering. It doesn’t magically “transform you into a woman.” Menstruation is one of the most important biological processes that a woman’s body undergoes, and yet it is still a taboo topic in the year 2015.
Just last week, artist Rupi Kaur decided to conduct a small social test to show the world just how ridiculous this societal fear of periods is. She posted a photo on Instagram depicting her laying in bed, with a small stain of blood on her pants and on the sheet underneath her. I admit that when I first saw the photo, shared by someone else on my own Instagram feed, I was taken aback. Before reading the caption, I thought that someone posted this to embarrass the girl in the photo. However, I read the caption and was immediately impressed at Kaur’s thoughtful project. My own instinctive reaction shows just how society has been conditioned to squirm at the idea of menstruation, and Kaur’s post made me realize how ridiculous that stigma really is.
The author of this article, Emma Gray, writes that Instagram removed Kaur’s photo TWICE after she posted it. This means that not only did someone report the photo to Instagram for removal, citing it as “going against community guidelines,” but Instagram editors agreed and chose to remove the photo. Granted, the photo isn’t pretty, but it is not offensive. Kaur was unapologetic, writing, “i will not apologize for not feeding the ego and pride of misogynist society that will have my body in an underwear but not be okay with a small leak. when your pages are filled with countless photos/accounts where women (so many who are underage) are objectified. pornified. and treated less than human.” (Check out Kaur’s Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/rupikaurpoetry?fref=ts to see her analysis of the project.)
Gray is right; violence and gore are more accepted in today’s society than a woman’s menstrual cycle. People get squeamish and change the channel when an ad for tampons comes on TV, but have no problem watching ads for Call of Duty, a game where people can slaughter each other for enjoyment. It’s time to remove the taboo and accept periods as a part of life. I’m not saying we women have to be treated like queens when it’s our time of the month, but society as a whole needs to grow up and be able to see a pantyliner in the trash without cringing!
Why do you think people are still so uncomfortable with the idea of periods today? Is it unreasonable to think that this is old-fashioned, or even mysogynistic? Do you think Kaur’s idea was too provocative, or will it spark a movement for change? Leave your comments below!
Feminism and Women's Bodies 
I saw this photo the other day as well and it definitely surprised me at first. I think the idea of periods is so hidden from public view because of society’s high standards of women. Women are put on a pedestal as feminine, clean, polished, etc. While women’s bodily functions, including periods, aren’t accepted, men’s bodily functions are humorous and appropriate. I do think this is just another example of misogyny, therefore Kaur’s photo is a great step towards combatting this social discomfort.
I completely agree! It’s sad that society has made it so that the misogyny here isn’t noticeable until you really stop and think about it.
I totally agree! Periods have always been a hushed topic in the presence of men while men can go around farting and pooping for comedic purposed. I personally have seen so much period shame in my life and not until very recently have I realized there is nothing to be ashamed about at all. Even as a young teen first learning about the female body women in health class were separated from the male health class and we never taught about the opposite sex. So many men these days do not understand the female body and the reality of periods. It feels like the most common thing men associate with periods is PMS and mood swings and often only brings it up as a sense of insult to the behavior of a women. As young women we are taught to hide any signs of our period from men and this continues on into adulthood as you see grown profession women hiding tampons up their sleeve before growing to the bathroom. The culture we live in some how view the incredible amazingly complex and unique process of the reproductive cycle as some sort of leprosy and it need to stop.
Notice how men like to joke around saying that girls don’t fart or poop? Just another little example of misogyny and gender inequality…
I really like this article, & I like the concept that periods are something that need to be talked about. If anybody remembers, my article was on how tampons are not considered “necessary” and not counted towards food stamps, making it so many low-income women cannot access them. I drew comparisons to men’s health, which I think can also be related to here. The human body is a weird thing, it does some things that aren’t always pretty. However, it seems much more acceptable for men to talk about these things than women. Vaginas don’t always do the most attractive things, but they are pretty awesome. Like seriously, a lot is going on down there that proves why the human body is so incredible.
I also find myself getting into similar topics when I think about these double standards, a big one being masturbation. For some reason, it seems more frowned upon or awkward for women to talk about masturbating, while its something men are “expected” to do. Why do these double standards exist for so many things, especially natural ones that can be essential to health? For me, I think it’s an important cause for feminists to start taking up everywhere: ending the stigmatization and sexualization of women’s health.
Yes! Isn’t it ridiculous how having a penis somehow makes masturbation okay, but having a vagina makes it “weird” and “unnatural”?
I am loving this concept from Kaur. I saw it on Tumblr and found it so interesting and taboo and for what reason? It raises the issue of the many double standards women face against men. For example, female sexual pleasure as seen in movies is always a talking point, with an example being last year’s Gone Girl, but violence and gore in action movies are never really talked about, and in my opinion, violence is always wrong, whereas sex is only wrong when it involves violence.
Like @SerenaVDW said, the human body is weird, but it’s prevalent. Human bodies are everywhere, and it’s about time we stopped our odd fear of them.
I like what @scoutus said that society has this high standard for women who are put on a “pedestal as feminine, clean, polished, etc.”, which leaves no room for discussion about any unwanted bodily functions. Although we as a society have made a drastic advancement from excluding women during “their time of month” and we are all pretty educated on the menstrual cycle, we just need to get over the embarrassment of dealing with it. I think one way of doing this is to just not be ashamed of carrying tampons around. The “U by Kotex” tampons have started to make the packaging to tampons and pads more vibrant and attention grabbing. They also have campaigns to empower and encourage girls struggling with this “shame” of monthly bleeding (seen here https://www.ubykotex.com/ ). We are headed in the right direction to making periods as nonchalant as having to go to the restroom (or to something of that extent).
Definitely! We need to accept, if not embrace, our periods!
I first saw this on Buzzfeed, and my initial reaction was surprise, then curiosity as to why this topic was taboo. After reading more about the project, I realized how silly it was for people to be worked up over a woman’s period. It’s natural, just like a lot of weird things our bodies do. I have to agree with @l0lnope and @scoutus about the whole cleanliness of women business. I don’t think it’s overtly misogynistic, maybe it is in a more benevolent way. It’s certainly an outdated concept, but one that I think is gradually going the way of the dinosaurs. Kaur’s idea is certainly a great one, and I think it’s a good place for the conversation to start about this thing that we tend to sweep under the rug. I can say in my own personal instance, as a guy, it definitely made me think about how I treat periods and how we as a society do. I wouldn’t say that they are something that are appalling to me in any sense, but I know that I certainly don’t think about them much. The negative connotation we put on periods a little ridiculous in my book.
I completely agree. I think everyone’s initial reaction to her post was a little bit of shock, then understanding, and that’s just the point she was trying to make – that society has conditioned us to feel unnecessarily uncomfortable when periods are brought into the open.
I believe this brings up an interesting conversation, especially within the context of misogyny triggered by the topic of menstrual cycles. From an early time, people used to blame “female hysteria” on their reproductive system, saying that the uterus would “wander” around the body and cause problems, including psychological ones (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Female_hysteria). People now even severely misunderstand the menstrual cycle, what happens during it and why, and the side affects such as pain, cramping, bloating, and hormonal changes. I believe that periods should be talked about much more than they are. From the normality of a “leak” staining our clothes, to the widespread access to free sanitary items, to any other side affect from our cycles that may be less than pleasant, we should realize that these are common things to happen and we shouldn’t be covering it up behind censored instagram photos and white, flowery commercials.
Interesting how you brought up the subject of “female hysteria.” On that subject, do you find any misogyny in the fact that men like to joke around and say that if a woman is acting crazy, it must be her “time of the month?”
Yes I do find a lot of misogyny in those types of jokes, because the point of them is to invalidate women’s feelings and opinions. Just because I am a passionate person, or I’m angry at something that’s totally reasonable to be angry at, it MUST mean that I’m overreacting or that hormones are to blame, as though my feelings are so outrageous they must be a cause of something other than the way I actually feel. I find a lot of misogyny in men trying to discount women or make them seem incapable of making decisions/being reasonable/experiencing feelings by using their menstrual cycles as an excuse.
Also, it’s almost like they never want to talk about periods in a serious manner or in pretty much any form of conversation until they’re using it to make fun of a woman or be patronizing.
Yay, I’m so glad we’re talking about periods and this photo! I saw the photo on my Facebook feed, and I was so intrigued by the article about it. In my opinion, the reason why people find the idea of periods uncomfortable is because often times periods are exaggerated. I know of some people who talk about their periods as “bleeding out” and even complaining about needing a blood transplant. Honey, okay no. You may be losing blood, but you’re just being dramatic. And, it is because of these dramatizations that people begin to fear periods, and men get the wrong idea. There are time where periods can cause fatigue, cramps, and some nausea, but for me it’s a completely harmless procedure.
Honestly, I think periods are pretty cool in terms what is actually happening. Literally, our body is flushing out some lining and a little egg every month. Our vagina is capable of holding a little baby in it. The road to that stage of life may be a little rocky at times, but the idea of creating life is so beautiful to me! As for Kaur’s photo, I think it was beautiful and really provides the push towards society needs in becoming comfortable with periods and women’s bodily functions. @jloraines is right– society accepts gore and blood, so why not the women’s bodily function? For too long the period has been villinated in our society, and I really think its time that we begin to see its true color and beauty.
People are so uncomfortable with the idea of periods because no one talks about it.We shy away “gross” topics because we are taught that things such as that isn’t part of polite conversation. So what do we do? We avoid it. We ignore the commercials, turn away from the photos and refuse to talk about it. Personally I think its unreasonable because like you said its part of our nature, to me its a gift. Menstruation is part of a woman cycle that ultimately allows us conceive or not to conceive. It means we are able to bring life into the world and without it we cannot. So to consider this topic that give us all life if completely ridiculous to me. To change this we must start with teaching kids that theres nothing wrong or gross about it. This teaching I think should be aimed more towards boys and men because if they are more comfortable with the idea women will feel more comfortable about it. Its sad that its the year 2015 and women still have to sneak tampons and pads around in secret due to societies taboo misconceptions. We all need to wake up and look at reality we are women, we get our periods once a month and there is nothing wrong with that.
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