The menstruation thread got me thinking: Let's have a Party!

[RandomKoolzip]

Hi.

I was reading the "Oh noes!" menstruation thread and was alternately happy and appalled by the responses. As a guy, I think lotsa men have a long way to go before they begin to think of menses as something other than something gross, mysterious, and annoying. And many women, as well, are forced into feeling shame about their natural functions.

Having siad that, I'd like to add my two cents and hopefully support a local small business in the process.

A couple of friends of mine in Wisconsin have started their own company, called Party in my Pants. They make designer cotton pads, each with its own cute and colorful custom design. These pads are inexpensive, reusable, recyclable, and eco-friendly; the company's founders stress that they are all about promoting a healthy, shame-free attitude about mestruation and the female body. Party in my Pants will also come to your town or city and host a P.I.M.P. party (y'know, like one of those ol' tupperware parties!) to show you the product and get the word out. If any DUers are interested, here's some more info.

http://www.partypantspads.com/index.html

Here's their myspace page.

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=234997209

Like I said, these people are friends of mine - I can vouch for their credibility (yes, I know the name's goofy - but you really should check out the website and/or buy their pads if you want to do something to combat patriarchy and environmental waste in one fell swoop.)

Enjoy!

[proud2BlibKansan]

1. My friend threw a Last Period Party for me before I had my hysterectomy

It was a hoot. She gave out tampons and sanitary napkins with ribbons around them as party favors. And we played Last Period games too.

[havocmom]

2. Thinkin of throwing myself an Official Crone Party

It is an event whose time has come. Am pretty sure it will catch on, especially during football season... :D

[truedelphi]

3. And what is a Last Period game??

I'm all ears, or all bloody crotch or somethin'

[proud2BlibKansan]

10. Basically those silly bridal/baby shower games

with tampons as prizes. :)

[Breeze54]

4. It isn't just some guys that think

it's "gross, mysterious, and annoying". So do I! :P

[Why Syzygy]

5. There was a

menstruation thread? Can't find it.

btw, it IS mysterious. That might be why some people are put off.

[Breeze54]

6. You can't find it? How could you miss it!

:rofl:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=2335135&mesg_id=2335135

[Chovexani]

7. Wow, that's so cool!

Thanks for sharing, I will have to check this out. :hi:

[Desertrose]

8. OMG. That is too cool.....

Gotta love the humor,too!!

Really neat...will check it out...

DR

[Withywindle]

9. It IS annoying.

I promise you, I'm a lot more annoyed by it than any man!

Any excuse for a party is good, though.

[TorchTheWitch]

12. and painful and gross

There is NOTHING pleasant or comfy about having periods. Shame doesn't enter into the equation whatsoever. It just plain SUCKS all the way around.

[BlackVelvet04]

15. thank you....

I was never ashamed of having periods, I just didn't LIKE them. They were painful, bloody and gross.

[kineneb]

25. for some, emphasis on 'pain'

endometriosis has made me look forward to menopause... had emergency surgery when I was 19 (ruptured ovarian cyst)...

[noamnety]

36. Some of the testimonies on the website

refer to cramping and pain also. It would be nice if reusable pads eliminated cramping, but anyone hoping for a miracle there is likely to be disappointed. :D

[BlackVelvet04]

11. Just because a woman doesn't like having a period doesn' t mean

she's ashamed of it.

And basically this is just an ad to promote your friend's business, eh?

[LeftyMom]

13. There was a thread yesterday/today about ecological altneratives to pads and tampons

posting a link to one is really no different than my having posted links to cloth diapers that worked well on my son in the subthread that dealt with cloth diapering. And nobody bit my head off for that.

Frankly, I think anybody who makes periods suck less deserves wealth that would make Bill Gates blush.

[BlackVelvet04]

14. Mentioning something in a thread is

a bit different than starting a thread to promote a friend's business, IMO.

And I don't think I bit anyone's head off...I think I made a valid comment.

[donsu]

32. so what is wrong with promoting a friend that is offering a good thing?

nt

[RandomKoolzip]

26. It's very easy to moan and groan and complain.

It's very easy to pretend you're "speaking truth to power" when all you're really doing is sitting at a computer...that you most likely, y'know, BOUGHT with, like, money.

I'd rather (at least) offer a positive solution to a problem. And if a couple of struggling, politically with-it sisters can make a li'l dough off of hawking products that foster an eco-friendly and woman-positive lifestyle, all's the better, I'd say...right?

Have a decent December!

[alarimer]

16. Personally I would take a pill to make it all go away forever

It serves no purpose for me because I do not want kids so I want the option of doing away with it altogether. I don't feel shame; I simply HATE it. A damned inconvenience if you ask me. I don't really care what other people say. It sucks. It IS gross, no matter what New Agey bullshit anyone would have us believe.

[LeftyMom]

17. There are options for that.

Several hormonal birth control options are safe for use without a off week for a period, or there's endometrial ablation (cauterization of the endometrium) if you want a non-hormonal method that's less drastic than a hysterectomy.

Any insurance that covers birth control should cover the first, and the second would probably be covered if you have a history of heavy bleeding, endometriosis, etc.

[otohara]

37. Oh You Will Miss It

that estrogen does wonders for the female body and when it's gone all sorts of bad shit starts to happen, besides hot flashes. While I found an amazing supplement to handle hot flashes, nothing was helping the daily gnawing headaches. I ran to my OBGYN to get help and within days of slapping on that estrogen patch and taking progesterone at night, the headaches were pretty much gone.

There are 32 signs of menopause, and they aren't pleasant. I still have problems with sleep, I miss sleeping through the night.

1. Disturbing lapses of memory
2. Increased allergies
3. Hot and cold flashes and night sweats
4. Anxiety
5. Irritability
6. Mood swings, sudden tears
7. Sleep problems
8. Irregular periods
9. Loss of libido
10. Vaginal dryness
11. Fatigue
12. Feelings of dread and apprehension
13. Inability to concentrate
14. Rapid heart beat
15. Incontinence upon sneezing, laughing
16. Itchy, crawly skin
17. Aching, sore muscles and joints
18. Increased muscle tension
19. Breast soreness, tenderness
20. Change in headaches
21. Stomach discomfort
22. Bouts of depression, loss of "self"
23. Worsening of existing conditions
24. Sudden weight gain
25. Hair loss
26. Changes in body odor
27. Electric shock sensation, in body or head
28. Tingling sensation in extremities
29. Bleeding Gums
30. Burning sensation in mouth or bad taste
31. Osteoporosis
32. Fingernails cracking and/or softer

[Blue_In_AK]

18. Growing old does have its benefits. :-)

[babylonsister]

19. Ha! And amen!

Saves money, too! :D

[Blue_In_AK]

20. I'm loving that I'm starting to get senior discounts on some things.

Apparently they haven't caught on to the fact that "60 is the new 40." :rofl:

[truedelphi]

21. Maybe you can relate to this?? I spent some extra time

Okay, some extra hours, on my appearance that day.

I get to the grocery store and the young lad working the cash register says, "I'm sorry but today we have to card everyone." Which I thought was odd, but hey there is the social price for that Beck's beer I love.

And I am thinking "Does he really not ralize I am in my fifties?" And feeling all young and smug.

Turns out it was Discount day for seniors - and that is why they choose to card me.

And I did get my 12% off so it made it worth it.<I guess)

[donsu]

33. true but the transition between bleeding or not is very sweaty :)

and big pharma barons try to tell you menopause needs their drugs for you to survive.

not true.

hot flashes are a trip.

[UTUSN]

22. Your pals are onto a fortune in feminine hygiene products. "TEX" Sesenbrenner

hates to be called "TEX". He is the heir to KOTEX. Plus, he wins lotteries a lot. That's in his spare time away from bashing immigrants.

[Berry Cool]

23. I think it's perfectly possible to regard menstruation as an annoying irritation

yet still regard it as natural and not in the least bit "gross."

The products of menstruation are not diseased, dirty or infectious unless the person producing them is diseased, dirty or infectious. They're the exact same material that would surround and feed a fetus for nine months if the egg had been fertilized. It wasn't, so out they come. That simple. And wonder of wonders...none of it smells unless exposed to the air. (For some reason, when people smell it after it's exposed to the air they assume it smells because it's infectious or diseased. Not so, any more than your sweat is infectious or diseased unless you are.)

Dealing with the stuff coming out is a royal annoyance, but you cope. Anything that makes it easier is appreciated, and if there's a way to make it easier and less of a burden on the environment, then double hurray. I admit that if it's easier on the environment but feels like a step backwards to me, I'm unlikely to do it.

I'm lucky in that I've never been one of those women who gets any kind of cramps or physical pain. So it's more of a nuisance to me than anything else. But I don't find it gross or disgusting. And amazingly enough, I'm about the LEAST New Agey person you'll ever find. Believe it or not, it's possible to find your menstrual period un-gross without having to pray to a Moon Goddess or try to force anyone else to. I'm living proof. I just feel sorry for people who find their own bodies so disgusting...and as for men who find a normal female function disgusting, they anger me. Guys...no one's asking you to pray to the Moon Goddess. Just asking you not to treat one-half the human population as if it's ritually unclean, that's all.

[treestar]

24. Thank you!

I was going to respond, but you put down my thoughts to a T!

[RandomKoolzip]

27. Gotcha.

Alls I'm saying is that periods are a fact of life no one can truly avoid, and it's best not to feel any real anxiety about their presence. Physical pain, sure - again, dealing with the unavoidable. And there's nothing new-agey about Party in my Pants - the name alone should be a red flag there.

[donsu]

34. and some couples use the bleeding time as birth control

sex during bleeding can be messy but satisfying.

[noamnety]

28. Maybe you could suggest to them

that they become retailers for the divacup/mooncup as well. It is, after all, a little more like tupperware. :)

[RandomKoolzip]

29. In that it's concave?

Does it burp?

:dunce:

Nah, I keed. Really though - the divacup people sell these things at specially-hosted parties, too?

[noamnety]

30. You can be a distributor for The Keeper/Mooncup

I don't know about the divacup's policies, but the other folks seem to be looking for more distributors.

With a few simple-to-follow guidelines, this is the perfect minimal investment business opportunity for:

• Any woman with innovative, creative ideas who is looking for an opportunity to create her own business WITH THE RIGHT PRODUCT. (Your own sense of innovation is the key: You can make it all happen!)

• Any woman who likes to "do it my way" -- and is usually right! (Distributors of The Keeper or Moon Cup have an ideal opportunity to flex their muscles and do it "their way"!)

• There is no end to the kinds of people who might be interested in this opportunity. Examples: Health care providers -- nurses, physicians, midwives, doulas, birthing assistants -- anyone catering to women’s health

• Part-time working mothers, students, coops, health food stores, any women’s groups

• Women involved in feminist and environmental organizations -- and other for-profit or not-for-profit groups -- looking for an excellent, ethical fundraising opportunity"

http://www.keeper.com/distributorships.html

Nothing there that says you can't have a party.

(regarding the burping, I wasn't gonna go there!)

[RandomKoolzip]

31. Cool - i'll tell 'em about mooncup....

I don't think I've ever heard them mention either product before.

[noamnety]

35. I posted this elsewhere, but I thought you might be interested

as a guy who's not running in fear from the subject, since this is a break through developed by a man. :)

http://www.theworldchallenge.co.uk/message_board/read.php?2,159

Their situation is different because they don't have access to soap to properly wash reusable pads, but as I also noted when I originally posted this, it emphasizes the differences in privilege that we have in our relative societies. In Uganda, we have girls who can't continue their education once they get their period. They drop out of school and perpetuate their lives of poverty as a result of not being able to afford corporate disposable hygiene products. Having the convenience of just throwing used pads in a washing machine and walking away - and coming back to fresh clean pads that can be worn again would change their whole life. Here, if you don't mind my copying from your friends' website, we have women who are horrified at the thought of lowering themselves to this:

"Party In My Pants pads are hand washable and washer/dryer safe. They can be washed just as you would your underwear. Although it is not necessary, used pads may be rinsed in cold water or soaked for a few hours before machine or hand washing (warm or cold). For an extra fresh pad, add some vinegar or lemon juice to your wash water.

If you must postpone washing your P.I.M.P. pad, it is best if they are stored in a dry and breathable environment. Soaking them for longer than a few hours is not recommended, but not the end of the world."

[donsu]

39. back in the day, US slave women had to put their bloody rags

in pots out in the woods. and wash them out of sight of the master's house.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

38. thanks rkz.

[RandomKoolzip]

40. You bet!

Semi-shameless kick