Women’s Center “Red Party” to talk about menstruation in safe setting
HED: Party of the year, period
Your period. Let’s talk about it.
Most shy away from the topic of menstruation, and that’s why the Ohio University Women’s Center is trying to bring the topic to the forefront with the event “Red Party,” celebrating the gift “Aunt Flo” leaves every month.
Sarah Jenkins, program coordinator for the LGBT and Women’s centers, organized the event, and describes herself as a menstruation activist. She said this might be an awkward topic, but it should not be something that women should be ashamed of talking about.
“I think it’s healthy to unlearn some of the shame that we’ve been taught about our menstrual periods and hopefully gain a slightly new perspective on such a big part of lives,” Jenkins said.
The event may sound like a familiar concept after this summer’s viral YouTube video of the period-carepackage company HelloFlo’s “First Moon Party,” where a prepubescent girl yearns for her period –– until her mom throws her a party celebrating her faked Flo attempt.
Patty Stokes, assistant professor of women and gender studies, said the shame of period talk dates far back. It can be hard to talk about the topic in an introductory class, like Women and Gender studies, because shame is learned from a young age, like when students are separated and given puberty talks in school, with some men never really learning about menstruation, she said.
“When people plan an event that is meant to celebrate (menstruation), they are going against the grain of a lot of deep-seated tradition,” Stokes said.
The party will include crafting, a showing of Red Moon: Menstruation, Culture & the Politics of Gender and raffles of free alternative menstruation products, Jenkins said.
“I’m just excited about hopefully getting some people talking, hopefully making them a little uncomfortable but also thinking about things that they maybe wouldn’t think about and just making it an enjoyable event,” Jenkins said.
Susanne Dietzel, director of the Women’s Center, said she wants to see the stigma around menstruation taken away.
“I think it’s one of the roles of the Women’s Center to in many ways defamiliarize that what is familiar, and refamiliarize things that we have grown apart from,” Dietzel said. “One of the reasons we have the Women’s Center is so that we can have these conversations in private.”
The event hopes to educate and celebrate, Jenkins said, providing fun facts about menstruation.
“I just think it’s really important to talk about such a big part of our lives that we are usually taught is inappropriate or dirty in a way –– even though your menstrual blood is cleaner than your mouth,” Jenkins said.
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