No, There Is No Empowerment To Be Found in Period Blood Displays
Why would women need any marked ritual to celebrate our monthly curse if we are already perfect?
Gross! A 26-year-old California sex coach who goes by Demetra Nyx splattered pictures of herself smeared with menstrual blood all over Instagram to celebrate her “beautiful and powerful” periods.
She said:
I used to spend my time worrying about what other people thought of me… And yet. It turns out none of that was ever necessary. I don’t do anything I do now for anyone’s approval…
Because what I have gained on this journey, finally, is the deepest love and total approval of my Self.
What if you deeply, truly loved and *approved* of yourself?That is why I post my blood. It is a little to liberate other women and a lot to please my Self.
I get so much pleasure from this ritual and I love feeling so free to share it and I love not caring what the reactions will be.
via Instagram
She is not a lone Millennial seeking to express her feminism through the display of a normal body function. It’s a bit of a trend now. For example, the iPhone will soon debut the very necessary period emoji. A book club in the UK is hosting “period poverty charity Bloody Big Brunch” on March 3rd, during which it will be serving Red Velvet “period” pancakes garnished with tampon macaroons. I think I’m skipping lunch today. Dinner, too.
The saddest thing about this trend is not even that it’s gross, but that it’s derivative. It’s Anthropology 202 mixed with punk rock, mixed with Sandra Fluke.
We all remember Sandra Fluke, right? She’s the character who, in the Obama days, testified before Congress that 40% of the female Georgetown Law students suffer financial hardship because they have to provide for their own birth control and that she herself spends $3000 a year on contraception. That left rational observers scratching their heads: how did she manage to run up that bill? The pill is $10 a month, and condoms are, what, 50 cents?
Nevertheless, a whole generation of female social justice warriors launched to fight the grand injustice of having to pay that $10. Period poverty became a thing, too, even though it’s common for an American household to have a fixture known as a coin jar. So, if a cis girl discovers that her valet is somehow empty, she can dig out two quarters, head to the nearest public restroom, and purchase a pad or a tampon.
In the 1990s, Eve Ensler’s Vagina Monologues recruited young women willing to speak frankly about their bodies and sexuality. Ensler, however, was a late adopter. It all had started twenty years earlier with women in punk. These punk rockers sought to shock the establishment with elaborate displays of depravity. Some of their experiments, like wearing swastikas, were quickly disavowed, thank you very much. Others lingered a little longer. Young women in that scene quickly discovered their own unique ways of being gross. I’m going to spare readers the details of that empowerment, male and female. It’s really not that interesting.
How did anyone get the idea that menstrual blood is empowering, though? That’s Anthropology gone awry. A girl’s coming of age is marked naturally with the onset of menses. Boys, on the other hand, have the need to mimic the female coming of age and inflict various atrocities on each other in rite of passage ceremonies. They may even brag about it in their high school yearbooks a la Brett Kavanaugh. Boys will be boys.
That’s Anthropology 101; so far so good. Anthropology 202 is when gals decide to reclaim the original creative power for the matriarchy and while imitating the young men and their customs take special care to celebrate the menses. The problem with that line of thought is logic. Why would women need any marked ritual to celebrate our monthly curse if we are already perfect? Let men drink each other to death and dive into mosh pits.
Yet today some overeager moms pledge to embarrass their daughters with red velvet cakes for their first period or some other wholly made up tradition. I’m highly suspicious of traditions derived from sociological theories, especially if the theory is on shaky grounds to begin with. I generally prefer theories based on observations of human behavior, not the other way around, but, I guess, to each his own.
Through most of human history, the period was a relatively rare event in a woman’s life. Women were often too malnourished, or pregnant, or breastfeeding to experience it on a monthly basis. It really was an extraordinary phenomenon. If we didn’t develop a way to celebrate periods when they were rare, why start now, when it’s but a common inconvenience?
And who celebrates them anyway? Childless women in their prime who probably never plan on having babies. Fertility is still a sign of youth, and youth comes with beauty. Regardless of her stated goal, the lady making a ritual (her word) of writing words on their skin with menstrual blood seem to be making a point of wasting both.
The only reason we are talking about it now is that social media airs out the worst ideas. The ideas themselves are not new; Millennials, you need to work harder. What’s new is the degree of narcissism that goes into that cultural production.
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Comments
Shoulda gone ‘back-hole’
Woulda made just as much sense…
Fluke? Yeah, I remember that slut.
Any thing that bleeds for a week and doesn’t die is wrong.
Unfortunately, that kind of comment is part of why some women seek to do this kind of garbage.
“Unfortunately, that kind of comment is part of why some women seek to do this kind of garbage.”
Oh no you don’t. You don’t get to blame her craziness on comments like that. Well, you can, but you would be on shaky ground. Some women do disturbing things because they are disturbed. Smearing oneself with menstrual blood, and then posting that for the world, sounds seriously disturbed.
Recently there was an English lecturer who delivered a college lecture while in the nude to protest Brexit, and allowed strangers to sign her body as a living protest petition. Seems like she was hard put to think of a good reason for getting naked in public. (Disclaimer: I have never thought of a good reason for me being naked in public.)
I could be wrong, but I’m pretty sure it’s a joke (a character in South Park said something similar once).
Regardless, as the next commenter mentioned, one ridiculous move does not justify a second. This is just gross and weird, and I’d say we live in an era of more health understanding than ever, and I’d like to hope that civilization has progressed, even if only a little. Such arrogant and pretentious displays should not be justified nor invited.
Part of the problem is the whole “ew – menstruation” thing from males. I remember in high school having discussions with the girls and a boy would see a group of cute girls sitting around and decide to join us. After 30 seconds of listening, he would turn red, then quickly excuse himself.
There was a taboo about mentioning you were on your period – euphemisms, denial of the reality, etc. I would get cramps so bad that the 1600mg of ibuprofen would at least allow me to sleep off the pain, but I had a boss who thought that I needed an MRI to prove I had pain so bad he wouldn’t fire me for missing work for it.
I understand the need for women to make it normal, that it is not a mistake of evolution, a disgusting taboo that ought-not-be-mentioned. But being gross and smearing it all over your face is not the way. We all poop, and we don’t make that “normal” by smearing it around.
When my daughter started her first period last month, I gave her a hug, pulled out the supplies and made it a “normal” thing. But we didn’t announce it to her friends, no big dinner and cake with her siblings. Just me, her, and her older sister to show her the ropes. A private thing that we know and have in common.
side note – I think the idea of menstruation huts – a place where women were banned for the week because of “uncleanliness” would be a nice break – a whole week off from being mom, wife, housekeeper, etc.
“Part of the problem is the whole “ew – menstruation” thing from males.”
Could another word other than “problem” be used here, as in “situation” or “circumstance”? “Problem” suggests something wrong, or broken. Yes, an adolescent male could easily be grossed out by talk of menstruation. That isn’t a problem, it just is what it is.
My sister suffered mightily from PMS. My sister has issues. Once, when my parents were on a 2-week vacation, and my sister’s period was a week overdue, she cracked. She went to an emergency room and asked to admitted to the psych ward. They said no, there’s nothing wrong with you. She went across the street, cut her wrists and returned, and asked if there was something wrong now, and could they admit her? She was quickly on the psyche ward, and within 15 minutes her period started. The connection between the body and brain is power, and often out of our control. I’m sorry your boss was so unsympathetic. However, there might have been a woman or two in the past who has exaggerated the menstruating situation in a manipulative fashion. Who knows the truth?
– a whole week off from being mom, wife, housekeeper, etc.
So they can grouse about the state of the place when they get back.
Hey, win-win!
YUCK!
Well, just like multiple piercings and tattoos, I am all in favor of those people, who do not share cultural values with me, voluntarily outing themselves rather than hiding it until I find out too late. Nothing says “stay away” like menstrual blood smeared on the face. Similarly, I openly shared my values back when I was on Match.com. A friend commented that I wasn’t going to meet many women that way. I pointed out to him that the goal isn’t meeting a lot of women, it is meeting the right woman, so I made sure that my net had gaping and obvious holes for the loons to pass through. Women, on the other hand, seemed to write nearly identical profiles in order to snare as many unsuspecting men as possible. If a profile contained the phrase “I am comfortable with hiking boots in the afternoon and then switching into a little black dress for the evening” I immediately hit delete, because no women at any time has ever done that. It’s a trap! So this woman may be a nutter, but at least she is open and honest about it.
You’re absolutely wrong. I love camping, hiking, climbing, fishing, and spending a vacation doing all of those things. My husband thinks camping is a hotel without room service. We searched out places where we could do the things I enjoyed doing all day, and then return to a nice place to stay, shower, dress up, have a nice dinner, and sleep in a comfy bed. Over the years he managed to convince me it was “camping”. Maybe the problem is there are no women who want to do those things with you.
O.k., it’s late, I’m tired, but I will make a pertinent observation. These shenanigans are part and parcel of those with unusual sexual proclivities exhibiting those proclivities in public more and more often.
Exhibit A: gay pride parades
B: girls walking around with words like “slut” written on their bodies.
C: the whole leashes on Trumpers thing
B and C are actual sexual fetishes, which they now get to do in public. B is a humiliation fetish,C also, or one of several variants thereof.
By pretending they’re political statements, the participants all get to indulge in their fetishes in public with an almost respectable cover. Any normals doing it, don’t actually understand what’s going on.
Why don’t they just start their own bar or club, I will never understand.
Let men drink each other to death
Could be. But the only one of my contemporaries who actually died of alcoholism was a woman. Another, a man, might have died of alcoholism, but even if so, it took him a good twenty years longer.
Due to the cyclic effects of estrogen on the reward centers of the brain, women actually have a harder time breaking addiction and are more likely to relapse. Men tend to abuse harder and are more likely to OD, but with alcohol, that is rare.
I somehow doubt that those 5L boxes of wine which are starting to dominate supermarket displays are being marketed towards men. According to the info label, they last up to 6 weeks in the fridge, though in reality I suspect few make it past 2, 3, days. And, they can be crushed and hidden in the blue bin as opposed to the naked display of 20 empty wine bottles in yellow bins.
I was in line at the store yesterday behind a woman (no wedding ring) who had 12 bottles of wine in two of those fabric wine bottle carriers. IMHO, anyone who owns “one” of those has likely already crossed the line. But when they choose to address that issue is anyone’s guess.
Jagger writing “Mother’s Little Helper” over 50 years ago was not a shot in the dark. Ditto with Betty Ford. Addiction is an equal opportunity employer. Her suggestion that drinking is just a male issue is about, oh, 51% off base.
I see what you mean, and it’s true.
I was talking more narrowly about rituals like hazing in which young men do sometimes die.
feminists and other leftists seem to like to engage in strange rituals that accomplish absolutely nothing: pussy hats, smearing themselves with menses, walking some beta-makes on a leash with maga hats.
it’s nothing but histrionics, narcissism, and primitive magical thinking, like doing a rain dance only more pathetic.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/this-woman-smears-menstrual-blood-on-her-face-to-combat-period-stigma_n_5c7ecae7e4b06ff26ba30daa
By putting my blood on my face, I am saying that I adore my body in all of its expressions and in its natural form.
So she adores her natural form, but still uses cosmetics(I checked her pics)… What a hypocrite. She is looking for attention.
Oh, I dare her to go to work like that and see what happens.
Go out in public and test this little theory…come on, I dare ya!
She would definitely have a problem anywhere there are grizzlies….
This is not beautiful or empowering. It’s disgusting and depraved.
Deterioration of the culture continues at a rapid pace.
This is another of many to portray women as victims so that they can demand to be felt sorry for, and after all, we dare not criticize a “victim”……for anything!
Ask any guy. Maryann or Ginger.
Maryann always wins.
Ask any woman and they’ll pick Ginger.
Woman have a natural sense of low self esteem because they compete with each other but they blame this on men.
They don’t have 5 aisles of female beauty products at every store you go to because woman have high self esteem.
“Goodley woman don’t paint their faces.” -one of my favorite movie lines.
My grandmother was the quintessential refined lady and this discussion would have her rolling in her grave. Some topics are not fit for public discourse.
Am I the only one that just threw up?
What you are missing is that ritual blood magic is a “real thing” that society is being “normalized” to. Look up Marina Abramović. Look up her blood magic “rituals”. Then look at all the celebrities and politicians that hang out / approve of her.
Is it OK that I try to live my life exactly opposite to how politicians/celebrities live theirs? As my dad taught us, “look at what poor people do, and then do the opposite.”
Ok, I’m gonna go there.
Migraines, disabling cramps every month, and lurid mood swings are all signs of a physical health problem. Any GP or GYN who doesn’t take them seriously needs to be summarily replaced with somebody effective. Neither complaining nor “celebrating” symptoms of bad physical health on the Internet will treat the underlying condition.
What we are seeing here is just another variety of exhibitionist. The woman in the photo is the female equivalent of the male nekkid bike-riding demonstrator with the inflatable scrotum in San Francisco. Some people will embrace pain and derision for the mere hope of making “normal” people uncomfortable. It seems like an excessive effort, to me.
Well bless her little heart.
I upvoted Othniel, but I guess where I’m coming from, is most people who do these types of things have suffered some kind of neglect/abuse/whatever in their lives, and need therapy.
“Depraved,” yes, but she probably needs a therapist. At least she is only marking herself up,, and not anyone else.
Sunshine,
My comment is a very old joke. I have rarely found anyone that thought the comment to be offensive. On the other hand, any woman that smears blood on her face is nuts. Do you think the US has problems, look in the mirror. This used to be a country that could laugh and saw humor in almost everything. But the current crop of young adults has decided to destroy our country, are you part of that bunch?
As Dick Van Dyke would say in Mary Poppins:
There is nothing like a good joke.
And that was nothing like a good joke.
Why would women need any marked ritual to celebrate our monthly curse if we are already perfect?
Posted by Katya Rapoport Sedgwick
Miss Katya:
This curse reference is cultural appropriation. The curses Eve received in the garden for that apple eating thing were two. The first is pain in childbearing, and the second: she would always want to be with her husband. The monthly cycle was not listed as a curse. The second part is both hilarious and sad. The saying is that no man ever went so low that he couldn’t take his woman and his dog with him. Women will be incredibly loyal to their man, and that loyalty may or may not be returned. More about that later. As for pain in childbearing, having never done it myself, I believe. A head how big is going to slide down the birth canal, which is normally how small? Even fully dilated at 10 cm, that is narrow. However, God is merciful, and the woman will soon, hopefully be nursing that baby. With lactation are hormones which comfort the woman, makes her feel lovey-dovey, and soon she want another child.
Back in the 60’s we noticed: If a man was an alcoholic, 90% of the time the wife stayed. If the wife was an alcoholic, 90% of the time the man left. Not fair, but then, if you take the warranty card you were given at birth, you will notice “fairness” is not included, although a sense of “fairness” is. By the way, you have been breathing. Every breath voids your warranty.
My recommendation, as a practicing nurse, since you are operating with a voided manufacturers warranty, is this: Receive the Sacraments regularly: Mass and Reconciliation, stay in a state of Grace, and pray the Rosary daily. These things will help make the final exit a little easier. (Not easy, just a little easier.)
Just another attention seeking millennial who lives on drama. I happen to work with many of these people and drama is an every day thing for such a group as these. Privately with other managers in my section we are striving for a drama free
department. Although personally, I don’t feel hope that this is achievable.
Gentlemen, would you kiss that face. Ladies, would you want us to?
I so want to slam the heel of my hand in her smug fat face.
Sorry, I’m not really a nice guy.
No, really, I feel sorry for her.
I would not slam the heel of my hand on her not ever. She deserves love. I would never return love for hate.
Or, rather, love for hate.
Soon they will be celebrating bowel movements, showing our shared humanity.
Mattress Girl with a Maxi-pad.
Take back or schools, or we’ve lost our country.
She should save that and sell it to a transgender “woman”.