Period Power

Period Power

YA/adult nonfiction
Back when I was in high school we girls [back then I didn't know
the name for gender fluid] were culled from the freshperson herd for a
series of special classes. We had to memorize a hormone cycle and a
series of strange tips such as keep your legs closed enough to hold an
aspirin between your knees and if a boy wants you to sit on his lap
lay a phone book down first. Kotex gift packages were given out
during the final class. A girl ventured to ask, "Does this have
something to do with my period?" You see the words period and
menstruation had not been mentioned once even though this was what the
class was all about.
Nadya Okamoto, author of Period Power: A Manifesto For The
Menstrual Movement [gotta love all that alliteration] shows us that
the times are not all a changing quickly enough. Menstruation is
still for much of society the kind of taboo topic where off color
jokes are tolerated but accurate information is considered off
limits. I totally love the book for the following reasons:
1) There is a wealth of information for current and future
menstruators. The menstrual cycle is described in all its
complexity. Details (like what the blood will feel like) that are too
often ignored are included. A wide range of period products are
discussed.
2) There is acknowledgement that CIS women aren't the only ones
who menstruate. My transgender brother menstruated. There is a very
helpful discussion of what sex and gender really mean.
3) Climate change and sustainability are taken into
consideration. Just the sheer amount of period products [Okamoto
cites "12 billion--that's billion with a B--pads and seven billion
tampons] that end up in landfills each year should get us talking.
And there are all the deliterious effects of plastic componants that
take forever to decompose.
4) This one is my personal favorite. Readers learn that for
many people, because of cost, safe menstrual products are not
accessible. We're not just talking third world countries. In America
homeless and poor menstruators either use products way too long to the
point of danger or substitute inappropriate substances.
5) Readers are told that these problems aren't someone else's.
All of us need to be talking about periods, normalizing period talk,
and pushing for solutions to serious period problems. Throughout the
book there are great ideas for doing so.
Hoewever, at a number of points I felt sad and discouraged. I
was seeing red when I read the following paragraph:
"In the women's movement, we are seeing more inclusivity being
stressed, in order to avoid whitewashed feminism, and there are
conversations to be had in breaking down the gender binary as well.
As we enter the community of fourth-wave feminism--that is more
inclusive of those beyond the gender binary, of all races, and of all
socioeconomic backgrounds--we have to acknowledge how Intersectional
gender inequality is an an issue and push forward as a diverse and
beautiful movement toward total gender equality."
Where do I even begin? In the interests of total
intersectionality we also need to break down the age binary [the young/
the old] that is no more real than the gender binary. Assuming that
anyone who can't be described as "young" is beyond the old expiration
date is as wrong as assuming that younger people can't be leaders or
managers. [I call the latter bullshit whenever I encounter it.] Age
is a continuum; after drinking age chronological age means little
beyond how many candles to put on the cake.
I just turned 68. I am beautiful, bold, and badass. I have no
problem saying period even in church. To get people talking about
other difficult issues I've written opinion pieces for the Bangor
Daily News, sharing experiences like my abortion and my rape with tens
of thousands of readers. I'm drag royalty at University of Maine. I'm
gender fluid in a world that considers that term an adjective for
youth. I'm enrolled part time in a masters program in higher
education student development. I scrub gross pots, get covered in
crud in dishroom, mop floors, serve food, and wipe tables to bankroll
the privilege of studying my ass off because my fierce passion is
helping students including those "beyond the gender binary, of all
races, and of all socioeconomic backgrounds" to survive, thrive, and
work for a better world.
Doesn't achieving that better world require the energies of all
of us who see the light and feel the passion?
On a purrrsonal note, Coming Out Week was awesome at UMaine. My
favorite event was the drag pageant. I was one of the contestants of
course. First we had the runway part. My song was Ruby Tuesday by
the Rolling Stones. I was on fire--owning the song and the space--
feeling the pure joy of interpreting an awesome song for a very
appreciative audience. I was in seventh heaven. Then we had
intermission and the talent part. I read a poem I wrote trying to
help people see themselves as gorgeous and sexy like I do. We had a
second intermission. Then we each answered a question. In theories
class we've studied Kimberle Crenshaw's intersectionality theory. I
brought it right into my answer, explaining it in a way non grad
students could understand. I can't put a boundary between what I
study and the rest of my life. After the show people were talking and
taking pictures. I helped clean up. I was so psyched. Very few
people get the opportunity I had to be free, fearlessly creative, and
loved. I was also happy that my BFF Jodi and several of my theories
classmates were there for me.
Oh, yeah, I've changed my drag name. It used to be Too Cool Jules.
When Joey died it began to feel so frivolous. So now I perform as
Joey's friend.
A great big shout out goes out to all who participated and watched the
drag show, especially Rob and Jane who were in charge of planning, and
the best little cat in the world who still inspires me to be nothing
less than my best.
jules hathaway


Sent from my iPod