http://modernwomandigest.com/disturbing-new-feminist-trend-free-bleeding/
Many of you have probably seen something written about this new trend online, but I thought that it went along perfectly with our class on Thursday when we discussed radical feminism and the impressions that it made on society. These extreme actions fed into the stereotypes and negative beliefs of the equality opposition- perhaps setting the tone for the negative stigma surrounding the term "feminist" in today's American society!
This is new trend of "free-bleeding", or the boycott of pads/tampons during menstruation (sorry Mason!). I found a pretty good article about it, but I still don't completely understand it myself- seems a little too drastic, and a lot too unsanitary, for me personally. I mean, I'm all for fighting the status quo and standing up against oppression, but I'd rather not partake in this trend. Along with the staining of clothes, I feel like there are much more effective and respectable ways of fighting for equality, but that's just my opinion. I am very interested in what you all have to say about this!
Honestly, this is gross. And what what the author talking about these products being man made inventions intended to "rape" us?! I can kind of understand the concept that these women are embracing something that is natural and saying that don't need to hide the fact they're on their periods...but letting it "run down to wherever it may end up" is just unsanitary and rude to everyone else. If you're bleeding from a cut, you can't just leave the blood pooling around. That would be against numerous health codes!!! Someone could slip and fall...talk about the liability possibilities! I believe there are better ways to go about "sticking it to the man," literally so to speak. At least we aren't told to sit on a towel and unable to touch food and other people when we're on our periods like in some cultures.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to just pretend I've never heard about this. No, but in reality, why? At that point the women participating in this "movement" aren't standing up for themselves or feminism. They are basically voluntarily providing a health risk for those around them. That's like me getting punched in the nose, then walking around showing off my face for a few days, full of blood. Imagine if a person with hepatitis or AIDS sat on a bus before you and was a part of this. That's crazy. Don't get me wrong I'm all for feminism and equal rights. But damn, some people these days.
ReplyDeleteThere are definitely ways to normalize periods without "free-bleeding." In some of my research for this class, there has been this idea of fighting against the idea that a woman's body will fail her by leaking or whatnot. We are told to be embarrassed about the way our bodies (and reproductive systems) work. However, controlling our bleeding allows us to better participate in our education and society in ways that women who don't have access to feminine hygiene products cannot. This kind of in-your-face action from the article is meant to be inflammatory, and will not work in my opinion since it has so many negative side effects that we have learned how to deal with in positive ways already.
ReplyDeleteI don't see this idea catching on either.. Aside from the obvious health and sanitary issues involved with this, I can't imagine myself participating for the simple fact that I don't want people to know I'm on my period. I've been asked numerous times by people if I was on my period for speaking up about various issues and being passionate about them. People already equate menstruating women with highly emotional and unpredictable behavior and I'd hate for people to reinforce this stereotype or dismiss women's opinions and arguments because they can see whether or not they are menstruating.
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