Ahhh, the 80s. Back when women's bodies were still a dirty thing to scrub until they were chafed and dry...

Oh, you mean they're not anymore?
Kidding. I'm definitely not sorry we're no longer seeing those "not so fresh" commercials. Good riddance.

Then again, current ads are also pretty stupid. My personal favorite is the one where they have a woman saying how her pads' wetness "makes her feel so self-conscious"--to an interviewer...on camera...in the middle of a store aisle.
Sure...the wetness makes her self-conscious, but she's not at all bothered about discussing it publicly, on camera, to millions of viewers. Who writes these things, and however do they cope with inconvenient things like logic?

I love that she says "post-menstrual" (drink!) like "serial killer."

They should just outlaw commercials about feminine products. I'm so sick of hearing, "Have a happy period!" and the stupid, "Men have their way of freshening up . . . " commercials.

Erm, that probably has very little to do with feminism. It just buggs the hell out of me. lol

I agree with Jes...
there is no such thing as a "happy period"
How can I be happy? I am on my freaking period!

Those always ads always piss me off even more.

Hmm, 3 drinks in 15 seconds...awesome.

Aw, I kind of like the "have a happy period" thing. To me it sends a more positive message than ads featuring girls in bikinis talking about how wanting a brownie is "soooooooooo menstrual". Granted, it's a bit difficult to have a happy period while I'm curled up on the couch having cramps and alternating fever-chill spells, but I could just be easily amused ;)

Anyway, I thought the ad was hilarious and truly, truly wrong. Douchebags!

What the fuck is Natrasal? Is that like Retsin?

Natrasal is sodium chloride - salt-water, basically. Still wouldn't stick it up there.

I asked myself the same thing, hendmik. Clever name, eh? Or how about, "Now with extra strength menseclean for that daisy fresh scent!"

What part of our bodies can we NOT feel embarassed and ashamed of?!

For anyone who feels at odds with their period, check out Cunt by Inga Muscio. That book's amazing and will totally change how you look at your body and what it does.

I dunno, different strokes for different folks, and all.

I actually really like getting my period (it helps that the only negative effect for me is lower back pain that is easily disspelled by advil), but I hate Muscio's book. I don't like the tone--I find it so self-satisfied--and I don't like the writing, which I found informal to the point of incoherence.

But what I really hated was the lack of scholarship in it. She makes assertions about history and etymology and provides absolutely no citations or sources to back them up, implying through her language that if you question what she's written, you're part of some "patriarchal" institution.

True enough, EG. I get frustrated by the lack of citations too, just because I'd love to look deeper into some of her assertions -- especially about the etymology, I'm a dork like that. I guess the message was just something I really needed to hear, so I'll take that kind of positivity in whatever form I can get it. Heck knows we don't get enough of it -- Natrasal my ass. ;)

We're dorks of a kind, then!

Perhaps I read it too late in my life to find its message as revolutionary or meaningful as others do; I know it's an important book for a number of feminists. It just rubbed me the wrong way.

Wow, I think this is the only site where people aren't laughing uncontrollably at the word 'douche' or 'menstral' and can't seem to get back in focus. God I hate my freshman class. Ninth grade is the worst. (maturitally(word?) speaking, of coarse) As to the question brought up by Jenn, we are allowed by our gracious society to be not ashamed of our.... give me a minute, I'm sure I'll think of something. Maybe. Ummm, intesine? *resists urge to write 'lol' and thus discredit entire comment- not that these *'s aren't doing it*.

EG, I take it from your comment that you're a more seasoned feminist than I am. Can I ask what brought you to the point where you're this comfortable with your period? I think it's great to hear from women who have reached this satisfaction with their bodies, and I'm always looking to learn how they got there.

Mimo, high school blows. There's pretty much no way around it, but it is awesome that you can find your way around online enough to find (hopefully) likeminded people, or at least people who make you think about stuff from a new perspective. I wonder how women would grow up if we all had access to places like this in ninth grade...?

What the fuck is Natrasal?games