Menstruation - common misconceptions

[lilliesnremains.livejournal.com]

Hey all, if this isn't allowed, go ahead and delete it, but I read the rules it it didn't say no, so here goes.

I'm taking a human sexuality class this semester in college, and while i was originally going to do my term paper and oral presentation on "Female sexual abuse and later sexual dysfunction" i have since changed my mind and decided to do "Menstruation-How society views coming of age".

Here's where you guys come in. I have a basic outline of thing I want to talk about in the oral presentation portion, one of which are common myths associated with getting your period, or images displayed by the media. I'm looking for stories of your first time, and how you felt. i'm also looking for how you felt the first time you used a menstrual cup for those of you who use them.
Also, any links you have floating around that you think would be helpful to either suggest to the class or for me to use information from for my presentation.

What i'm hoping is that not only will many people benefit here from this, but that i will be able to change some peoples' minds about it in my class (i'll be talking about things like menstrual cups, cloth pads, and having sex while a girl is menstruating).

(on a somewhat related note, how do you pronounced menstruation? 3 syllables or 2?)

Comments

[fshk.livejournal.com]

My parents sat me down when I was about 9, and we had this whole elaborate discussion of menstruation (with pamphlets and visual aids, and I'm totally not kidding... they did the sex talk first with children's books and then with PBS specials on teen sexuality, so we were well informed) and I remember walking away from that conversation horrified, but I'm glad I knew what to expect. First, it gave me a sense of smug superiority in fifth grade during the time when the teachers separated the girls from the boys and the school nurse came to explain menstruation, because I knew all about it but very few of my classmates did. Second, when it did happen, I just kind of sat there and said, "Oh, there it is," without any major trauma.

I got my first period when I was 11, in the middle of a week that I was home from school with the stomach flu, so in retrospect, I'm wondering if "the flu" was just cramps and nausea related to my first period. My mom found my bloody undies and came into my room and said, "You know what this is, right?" I replied that I did, and that was basically the end of that. (Although, until I got to college, I had kind of a menstrual products crisis, because my mother only ever used pads and my stepmother only ever used the OB tampons without applicators, so my teenaged self had to sort of figure out which was better for me. The only menstrual cups I've used are Insteads, which I never really got the hang of. The Diva Cup is next, though, as soon as I have some spare change to put towards it!)

[imnotyourstarx.livejournal.com]

my experience was similar. my parents (or mother, really, to be more fair) tried very hard to prepare me. she also found my undies, and i also suffered no more trama than, "oh, there it is." i remember just sticking a pad on my undies like an old pro and forgetting about it.

the coolest thing was i got it on new years eve when i was in 6th grade. i thought i was special. :D