Have a Happy Period!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

But I do know women that go through hell every month and I certainly don't presume to speak for them.

But that's just it!- they presume to speak for us! The women you hear from most are the ones who talk about 'women' (and they usually do refer to women as a group, not just referring to themselves) becoming homicidal maniacs, etc. during their periods. They make it sound like all women are like this, that's my only beef. They pretend to speak for all of us when they talk like in that letter:

As Brand Manager in the Feminine Hygiene Division, you've no doubt seen quite a bit of research on what exactly happens during your customer's monthly visits from 'Aunt Flo'. Therefore, you must know about the bloating, puffiness, and cramping we endure, and about our intense mood swings, crying jags, and out-of-control behavior. You surely realize it's a tough time for most women....
...Are you f------ kidding me? What I mean is, does any part of your tiny middle-manager brain really think happiness - actual smiling, laughing happiness, is possible during a menstrual period?...FYI, unless you're some kind of sick S&M freak, there will never be anything 'happy' about a day in which you have to jack yourself up on Motrin and Kahlua and lock yourself in your house just so you don't march down to the local Walgreen's armed with a hunting rifle and a sketchy plan to end your life in a blaze of glory.

Yes, it's funny in a superficial sort of way, but it also perpetuates a way of thinking that paints women as hysterically driven by their hormones, not unlike the pervasive Victorian notion of women's 'fits of hysteria' or 'having the vapors'- an attitude we look down on today...a way of saying women were not in control of their behavior because of some sort of biological weakness, and therefore were not to be taken seriously. I realize this may over-analyzing the issue a bit but please forgive me- I like to think in depth about the underlying meanings of all kinds of things. I have been enjoying hearing other women's opinions about this. I know there is no all right or wrong, but rather shades of grey in all things, depending on one's own perspective. And we all do have different perspectives, and yes we can only speak for ourselves, not for all women. I am speaking only for myself.

One of my daughters has to literally spend the day in bed once a month, in terrible pain, faint, weak, and nauseous. I feel so bad for her! Happily, this is not typical of most women.

I personally feel it's not so hilarious anymore to overdo the homicidal maniac school of menstrual humor about women, regardless of whether the comedian is a man or a woman. It's become a cliche about women and is not very accurate. They can speak for themselves, I'm all for that, but I just don't enjoy being lumped in with it. Let them talk about their own horrific periods, but not describe it in terms of women in general.
That's all i'm saying. (are we 'allowed' to post anymore?)
This is still on topic for the "Happy Period" theme. It's always interested me in fact, and I'm glad to be able to express my longtime feelings about it. I have no great malice about it.

P.s. In fact, I just had a happy one, and actually smiled and laughed during it!