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Dearest Monthlies, 

Welcome to Issue #7 of The Monthly, we hope you are keeping cool through this hot and humid summer weather. We packed a lot of information into this month's issue starting with highlighting Women’s Equality Day complete with a little bit of background on the Suffragette Movement. We're also sharing a moon ritual that will have you ‘getting in touch’ with your feminine side, discussing virginity and hymens in Taboo Trashing, sharing an amazing botanical piece from artists Travis Bedel, giving advice on pre-menstrual constipation and featuring UnTabooed founder Diandra Kalish. It’ll be a good, hearty read so grab an iced tea, find somewhere cool, kick back and enjoy! 

Happy Monthly,

The Red Rebels

Women's Equality Day 


In 1848 in Seneca Falls, NY, the very first women’s rights convention was held. Led by Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton and nearly 200 women in attendance they discussed and debated the social, civil and religious rights of women in the United States and put forth specific resolutions to their grievances. Twelve of those resolutions passed, the most notable being a woman’s right to vote. Thus the Suffragette Movement was born.

Throughout the latter half of the 20th century, the Suffragette Movement, under the banner of the National Women’s Suffrage Association (NWSA), worked diligently to argue that women and men were created equal and therefore deserved an equal opportunity to choose elected officials. However, the outbreak of the Civil War slowed their cause. With the end of the war in 1865 the country became keenly focused on race relations. The ratification of the 14th Amendment in 1868 changed the definition of “citizen” to mean “male,” and in 1870 black men were granted the right to vote.  

Being snubbed once again, the Suffragette Movement changed strategy. Rather than argue that women were “equal” they now argued that women were “different.” They made the point that the differences between male and female were actually compliments and could create a better, more well-rounded, egalitarian society for all.  

Even though newly created western states were beginning to grant women the right to vote, eastern and southern states did not. In the early parts of the 20th century, the growing tension among women’s rights advocates caused the NWSA to split into two factions: the NWSA that wanted to stay the course and peacefully mobilize and the National Women’s Party, a militant group who used a more radical approach to draw attention to their cause.

As the United States entered yet another war in the early decades of the 20th century, the Suffrage Movement once again slowed. However, WWI saw an increase in the amount of need for women to join the workforce on behalf of the war effort. Once the war ended, woman finally had the foothold they needed to make the argument for their contributions to American society. On August 26, 1920 the 19th Amendment to the US Constitution was ratified, giving women the right to vote. 

It was a long, arduous battle our foremother’s fought on our behalf. Their tenacity and dedication to the cause have given us a place as equal contributors to modern society. It can be easy to forget, especially since we still have such a long way to go in the name of gender equality, how far we’ve come. On November 8, 2016 we will have the opportunity to vote for a female president in a country where less than 100 years ago women couldn't even vote. So, on Friday August 26th, Women’s Equality Day, let us celebrate, give thanks and promise never to take for granted the struggles women who came before us endured so we could have the right to vote! 

Joint Resolution of Congress, 1971
Designating August 26 of each year as Women’s Equality Day

WHEREAS, the women of the United States have been treated as second-class citizens and have not been entitled the full rights and privileges, public or private, legal or institutional, which are available to male citizens of the United States; and

WHEREAS, the women of the United States have united to assure that these rights and privileges are available to all citizens equally regardless of sex; and

WHEREAS, the women of the United States have designated August 26, the anniversary date of the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment, as symbol of the continued fight for equal rights: and

WHEREAS, the women of United States are to be commended and supported in their organizations and activities,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, that August 26th of each year is designated as Women’s Equality Day, and the President is authorized and requested to issue a proclamation annually in commemoration of that day in 1920, on which the women of America were first given the right to vote, and that day in 1970, on which a nationwide demonstration for women’s rights took place.

Moon Ritual 
 

When I was growing up, in my bedroom I had bi-folding closet doors covered in full-length mirrors. I loved being able to stand in front of them to model new outfits, do my make-up or my hair (if angled just the right way they gave me a 360 degree view of what I was doing). And when I got curious enough, I would sit on the floor in front of them, naked from the waist down and examine myself. I grew comfortable with my genitalia at a very early age. I knew where everything was and could call it by its proper name. My body was mine and it was not a mystery to me. 

Fast forward 20 years to grad school. I was required to take a women’s reproductive anatomy class. For our first assignment we were asked (in the privacy of our own home) to conduct a self exam with a hand mirror. I was a little taken aback by this. What a strange assignment. As someone who had been doing this for years I could not fathom why the professor would suggest this in the curriculum.

It wasn’t until I told a friend about it over lunch that she brought to my attention the reality that there are plenty of women out there who have never looked at or examined their reproductive parts. I was stunned. I never thought of it that way. I was instantly sad because I knew she was right. To think I was in a class with grown women who may have never explored their bodies in that way. 

This brings me to this month's moon ritual (surprise!): examine your body. Even if you’ve done it before, do it again. We can never look at ourselves enough in a loving way. Touch your body. Explore your labia majora and minora, identify the clitoral hood, clitoris and urethra, observe how your vaginal opening is painted with your bright, vibrant blood. Introduce yourself. Become familiar. Become friends.

Your body should not be a mystery to you. It should not be a source of shame for you. Your anatomy is uniquely you and it is beautiful. Being familiar with your body can help you feel empowered, to feel strong and excitedly feminine. Your reproductive body is a powerful source of life, love and pleasure. Take the time to get to know it. You'll be happy you did. 

Taboo Trashing

This month's taboo is really more of a myth, a myth that has plagued adolescent girls since the creation of tampons: tampons can take your virginity. I remember having these conversations with my girlfriends at sleepovers and many of us often avoided using tampons because we were afraid they would be painful or would inevitably "pop our cherries." So, today I am going to discuss this myth in-depth to hopefully clear a few things up. 

Let me start by addressing this myth is two parts. First, and this may sound subversive to many of you but, virginity doesn’t exist. Let me repeat that, virginity isn’t real. The word was created during the Neolithic Era (9500 BC) as a social construct to control bloodlines*. In the days before Maury Povich, men needed a guarantee of paternity. Throughout the centuries, the word virginity has been used to control, shame, marginalize, define and value girls and women. 

Although there is no agreed upon medical definition of "virginity," it is a widely accepted belief that the loss of female virginity occurs when the hymen is broken through vaginal penetration with a male partner. This frames virginity as a quantifiable “thing.” In reality, virginity is a concept that piggybacks onto a tangible part of a girl’s or woman’s body. 

Think about the role virginity played in your life growing up. Did it influence when and if you had sex? Did you think about it in relation to heterosexual behavior only? Did “losing” it make you feel like you lost a part of yourself or that you were worth less than your male peers who “lost” theirs? Did you feel disappointed when your sexual debut did not resemble a love scene from your favorite rom-com? The mere idea of virginity has immense power over the sex lives of girls and women and I think it’s time we do away with the word altogether.

OK, so if virginity doesn’t exist, what’s the deal with the hymen? The hymen, (another troublesome word) is derived form the Greek word for membrane. The hymen also happens to be the biggest mythical symbol of virginity. The “breaking” of it during heterosexual vaginal intercourse signifies the loss of virginity — “breaking” is such an aggressive word, no wonder so many girls are afraid vaginal intercourse will hurt!

This thin, porous membrane circles the vagina (notice I didn’t say covers the vagina?) and is thought to be leftover tissue from the fusing of the vaginal canal in utero. As young girls grow, develop and engage in physical activity their hymens grow, stretch and move with them. Oftentimes the hymen is completely deteriorated by the time of first vaginal intercourse. For those who still have an intact hymen, the blood associated with first vaginal intercourse is the tearing of this remnant tissue. Fun fact: many mothers used to advise their daughters to file a fingernail to a sharp point on the day of their wedding. If they did not bleed during intercourse they could use the fingernail to cut their inner thigh and wipe the blood on the sheets. Thus confirming their "virginity." 

With that being said, each girl will have a different experience when it comes to using tampons or menstrual cups depending on the thickness of their hymen and amount of residual tissue. The nice thing about hymenal tissue is that it stretches fairly easily. If hymenal tissue is interfering with a girl's ability to utilize inserted menstrual care products she could simply use her own fingers to gently stretch it out. Granted, this takes a huge amount of comfort with one's body but the results can create an amazing sense of empowerment and control over one's sexual health — and it may help assuage fears that vaginal sex is painful. 

So to make a long answer short, no. The use of tampons or menstrual cups will not take your "virginity." Virginity and the act of no longer being a "virgin" is something that should be defined by each individual: when and how you experience it. However we choose to define it, it is important to remember that you are not losing a piece of yourself, you are not giving a part of yourself away for another to be keeper of, but that you are engaging in this self-defined act as an equal and as a whole.  

*I do want to acknowledge that the agreed upon definition of virginity, and the behaviors associated with it, carry significant emotional, social and cultural weight for many young girls and women. I want to be sensitive to that. I also feel it prudent to have progressive discussions on the definition and meanings of “virgin” and “hymen” in order to stop the degradation, control and sexual exploitation of women and girls throughout the world. 

Bloody Good Art

Collage artist Travis Bedel (Bedelgeuese) is highly skilled at juxtaposing the raw, sometimes gruesome nature of human anatomy with the beauty and softness of the world’s flora and fauna to elicit a new sense of appreciation for the human body. 

“My artwork is cut paper collage. My tools are glue and razor blades. I cutout from printed vintage etchings and illustrations to recombine them into an amalgamation of anatomical, botanical, and zoology.”


 

I frequently get constipated before my period, is that normal? Are there any at-home remedies I can try to help, um, move things along?  

Joanna, 
Los Angeles, CA

Joanna, that sounds like a frustrating situation to be in. First, let me start by saying that, while I don’t want to classify pre-menstrual constipation as “normal,” I will say it is a very common symptom. Our menstrual cycle is a delicate fluctuation of different hormones that can cause various symptoms throughout our cycles. Underlying health issues or food allergies aside, it is safe to assume your constipation is caused by the increase in progesterone that is the predominant hormone in the pre-menstrual phase of your cycle. 

In a healthy cycle we ovulate about mid-way through. Ovulation triggers an increase in progesterone, the hormone that is responsible for sustaining pregnancy. In fact, it is this spike in progesterone that is responsible for the temperature rise you are looking for on you BBT chart when you track your cycles. A pregnant woman will see her progesterone levels go from around 28 ng/ml during the first trimester of pregnancy to up to 300 ng/ml in the third trimester. Doctors can predict an oncoming miscarriage by monitoring progesterone levels. 

OK, so why does progesterone cause constipation? Well, progesterone is responsible for relaxing the smooth muscles in the body. This phenomenon allows for expansion of the uterus to accommodate a growing fetus, lets more fluids pass out of the kidneys and into the bladder by swelling the ureters (the tubes that connect the kidneys to the bladder), loosens a woman’s pelvic muscles so her hips can shift during labor and delivery and, unfortunately, slows down the rate at which the intestines move matter (aka, constipation). 

There are a lot of safe, over-the-counter remedies you can use to treat mild constipation like Milk of Magnesia, but there are a few things you can do at home to help get things moving:

  • Exercise regularly, the increase in heart rate and blood flow can keep things moving freely.
  • Drink plenty of water (at least 80 ounces a day if possible), the longer you are constipated the more dried out the matter in your bowels will become…this can worsen the situation so be sure to stay hydrated.
  • Eat coconut oil. This healthy fat is excellent at lubricating the bowels. If you are new to eating coconut oil start with half a Tablespoon. My favorite way is to blend it in my coffee but you can spread it on toast or just eat it by the spoonful. Be warned, eating too much coconut oil before you know how your body will react can cause abdominal cramping and diarrhea, so please, go slow.
  • Eat your fruits and veggies. There is something about a banana, red grapes and steamed cabbage that can really help move things along (not necessarily eaten together). Be advised that raw vegetables, especially the cruciferous kinds (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, bok choy and brussels sprouts) can be hard on your digestion and cause gas and bloating, the last thing you want to deal with when you are constipated, so be sure to cook veggies lightly.
  • Avoid wheat and dairy. Both foods can cause your digestive system to slow down so cut back on them both if you are experiencing pre-menstrual constipation.
  • Have a strong cup of coffee. Although scientists still have no empirical reason as to why coffee helps with constipation, it is theorized that the caffeine stimulates contractions in the bowels — the same contractions that help move matter through. Just be sure to drink a cup of water to every cup of coffee because coffee acts as a natural diuretic and can lead to dehydration, not helpful with constipation.

*If you try these home remedies and after 72 hours you still have not had a bowel movement it would be prudent to visit your healthcare provider to rule out an underlying health condition. 

Have a Monthly related questions? Submit your inquiry via email for a chance to be featured in our next addition of The Monthly: ask@cycledork.com

Further Reading

I’m Pregnant and I Really Miss Having my Period

True confession: I miss my period. I’m pregnant so, yes, I’ve missed my period. But what I’m saying is I really miss getting my period. Let me explain. Being pregnant (FTM here = mommy message board language for first time mom), has been an amazing journey so far. I’ve just crossed over the halfway mark at 20 weeks and am so happy to be riding the energy wave of the 2nd trimester having drifted past the nauseating doldrums…

What you Need to Know About ‘Periods for Pence’ and Trump’s VP Pick, Governor Mike Pence

Well, it’s official. On the eve of the of the Republican National Convention we now know who presumptive presidential nominee Donald Trump has chosen for his running mate: Indiana Governor Mike Pence. If this name sounds familiar to you it might be because in April Cycledork featured Gov. Pence in an article about his Draconian stance on abortion and how he…

What’s in a Name? PCOS to be Renamed “Metabolic Reproductive Syndrome”

Announced by public health officials last week, and four years in the making, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) will soon be referred to as Metabolic Reproductive Syndrome. It was stated that the name change is necessary to more accurately reflect the complexity of the syndrome. The current name, it was said, puts too much emphasis on the presence of ovarian cysts – which may or may not be indicative of PCOS. Also, some women who have PCOS don’t…

Meet the Red Rebels

Diandra Kalish, UnTabooed founder

Hey Cycledorks! My name is Diandra, and I'm the founder of UnTabooed. UnTabooed is a nonprofit based in New York City committed to breaking the taboo surrounding menstruation by providing menstrual health education and sustainable menstrual products to women in need, and promoting conversation among people everywhere.

I started UnTabooed in May 2015 after
reading about the struggles homeless women face getting access to menstrual products. UnTabooed strives to provide a long term, environmentally and economically friendly solution, that has health and empowerment benefits, so that no person with a period has to wonder where their next pad or tampon is coming from. We lead educational workshops that talk about menstrual heath and reusable menstrual products (RUMPS), specifically cloth pads and menstrual cups, in shelters, community centers, colleges, and universities in NYC and beyond.

UnTabooed's one-hour educational workshops are for everyone and anyone! We want to help you (or help you convince your friends/neighbors/relatives) to make the switch to RUMPS because we think that switch is life changing. (Just look at me — I switched to a menstrual cup, and two years later I founded a nonprofit inspired by it! Okay, there was a bit more to it, but you get my point.)

By scheduling one of our workshops for you and your friends/school/community, you are making it possible for us to continue offering free workshops and RUMPS to those who need them the most. Please
contact us to schedule a workshop! 

PS - Make sure to sign up for our newsletter and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook for big news! And to learn more, you can check out our feature on Cycledork from April.

We encourage you to get the most out of your subscription by contributing to The Monthly’s content. Have a question you want to ask? Know an amazing period-positive artist? Want to share a story about your experiences as a menstruating person? We want to hear from you!

Feel free to send us an email, tweet us, or message us on Facebook. We look forward to sharing this space with you and building our community together. 

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The Monthly is curated by Cycledork contributor Amy Sutherland






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