The Patriarchy in Periods.

Chapter 1: Period.

This  chapter talks about: 

-Periods

-Tampons

-Pfas

-Pads

-Menopause

- Moods

PERIODS:

A period is when you have an egg inside you, that egg could become a baby if fertilized (a mans sperm). However if the egg is not fertilized, the uterus needs to get the egg out. Next the uterus will start getting the lining out with makes you bleed. It's very normal for it to hurt.

TAMPONS:

You may think that the patriarchy actually has no affect on periods, but it very much does. The first tampon was made in 1931 by  a MAN, named Earl Haan. Earl Haan was a physician in Colorado, he developed the first ¨tampon¨. The ¨ tampon¨ was actually made of cardboard and it had been meant to absorb menstrual blood.  Though Earl Haan had made the idea and the first prototype, it was in fact a women who had continued the idea. Her name was Gertrude Tendrich, however Gertrude did have to buy the prototype from Earl. In fact women used to use other materials such as wool, papyrus and sea sponges to prevent the showing of the menstrual flow. When Earl Haan had made the tampon it was not meant  for menstrual use, it was meant to stop bleeding from injuries   and to apply medication. 

PFAS:

Pfas, are what a lot of people call "a forever chemical" meaning once it's in you it's in you forever. Pfas are not the only "forever chemical" theirs probably hundreds more, but I choose to talk about this one because it appears in pads, tampons, menstrual cups and reusable pads. This is why I recommend research on menstrual items before buying.  Pfas do happen to be dangerous for humans although, in the environment , pfas can enter food supply through the plants and animals grown, raised or processed in contaminated areas. Common simtoms of pfas is changes in cholesterol and liver enzyme levels., small changes in infant birth weight and changes in the immune system and response to certain vaccines. 

PADS:

Pads originated from Native Americans, they used moss as well as buffalo skin to pose as a pad. Pads were originally to help stop wounded soldiers who are bleeding. Menstrual pads originated from Benjamin Franklin's ides, the one to help stop bleeding from wounded soldiers. But the menstrual pad idea was made from Thomas and William Southall in around 1880.  But Mary Beatrice Davidson was the first one to actually construct a pad. When she had first expressed the idea, a company had sent a representative to  speak with her. In the 1800's they  actually had not called the menstruation cycle periods, they in fact called them courses. NOTE: (free bleeding: Some people free bleed as a political act, to destigmatize periods or bring attention to the cost of period products.) Which is in fact a huge problem, that I might dig deeper into on a different chapter. 

MENOPAUSE:

Menopause usually happens around the ages of 50/40. Signs are usually when you've gone 12 months without a period. The average age of starting menopause is 51 in the United states. Signs for menopause is similar to sign of a period, but not the exact same of course. Signs can include: anxiety, depression, decrease libido, vaginal dryness, insomnia, difficulty concentrating and vasomotor symptoms (hot flashes and night sweats). For different people it can have different levels of difficulty. 

MOODS:

  This part is for anyone who has any involvement with a woman, and this is important to know. With a period a lot of emotions will come, anger, sadness, happiness, anxiety, depression and much more. But just because a period causes emotions does not give you the right to say any type of strong emotions could be related with a period. For example, you and your female friend have an argument, and they get angry. You do not say "are you on your period?" . Or anything related with their period. Because that is fucked up.

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648 words, Im so proud of this.