What Are Some Common Myths About Historical Periods Can You Give Us The Facts
The biggest myth out there is the âancient tamponsâ myth, that the ancient Greeks wrapped wool round a bit of wood and inserted that. Ouch. I’ve written about that on Mistaking Histories. There’s no evidence from the ancient world about this and the myth seems to originateâsurprise, surpriseâfrom a tampon-marketing website.
A close contender for biggest myth about menstruation more generally is the theory of menotoxinâ a toxic substance when menstruating. It would explain all those customs around the world by which women don’t make jam while they are menstruating because it won’t set properly, shouldn’t bake bread because it won’t rise, shouldn’t preserve meat because it will not keep… or shouldn’t have a perm put in their hair because it won’t take! As that last suggestion implies, this has a surprisingly long history!
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Were Periods Different Historically Compared To How They Are Today
It’s certainly possible that women had fewer periods and lighter bleeding, just because their diet was not as good as it is now. But, weirdly, the expectation was that they would bleed heavily and regularly, and if they didn’t, then remedies needed to be used to âbring out the blood.â
This goes back to a belief found in the 5th/4th century BCE Hippocratic texts, that women’s flesh is more like a sponge than men’s flesh, so it absorbs more fluid from what is eaten and drunk, and then that fluid builds up all month. If it doesn’t come out, women will become ill, as the blood could rot or could go somewhere in the body and put pressure on vital organs.
Aristotle mentions menstruation as being like the flow of blood from a sacrificed animal. That is now read as pretty oddâit doesn’t sound much fun being like a sacrificed animalâbut we could give that a positive spin and say, sacrifice is very important in keeping up communication between humans and gods, so isn’t it great that our bodies do this thing?
How Did Women Deal With Their Periods In The Past
Little is known about menstruation in antiquity and the Middle Ages, because it was thena taboo topic . The period of a woman living in those epochswas much lighterthan the one we are experiencing today. This has to do with the age difference at whichmenopausebegins. It used to be about 40 years, and today even 10 years later. In addition, the phenomenonmalnutritionhad a large impact on its intensity. Even so, women have always needed hygiene measures.
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The First Sanitary Products
Sanitary towels, as we might recognise them today, didnt come about until the late 19th to early 20th century. Industrialised weaving and spinning meant that fabric became cheaper, bringing about the emergence of cloth towels for women.
While the evidential absence of sanitary products poses a difficulty for historians, there’s a similar silence surrounding medication for period pains. One hypothesis suggests that they did exist but, like womens experiences of menstruation, were simply not written about. Instead, it was likely that remedies were simply shared from one woman to another.
The sources we have tell you what a women could have expected from her period, says Fissell. Its a shame we cant find out more about individual experiences but, unfortunately, its as close as we can get. How did women cope? Its a complete mystery.
Mary E Fissell is professor in the Department of the History of Medicine at the Johns Hopkins University. She was talking to Ellie Cawthorne on an episode of the HistoryExtra podcast
Listen | Professor Mary Fissell unearths the history of womens reproductive health in the pre-modern Atlantic world, including menstruation, fertility and childbirth:
Sponges And Reusable Pads
More options have been available to women in recent years, including reusable pads, sponges and period underwear.
“It took a very long time for period products to meet the needs and comfort of women,” said Elise Thiebaut, author of the 2017 book “This is my blood”.
The rise of social media has also seen more discussion and heightened awareness about menstruation. And some advertisements that had long used blue liquid to depict menstrual blood have now switched to red.
Are these signs that the stigma surrounding menstruation could be lifting?
Thiebaut said that the dialogue had changed “in an exceptional way over the past five years — but it is in certain circles, certain generations, certain countries.”
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How Did Women Deal With Periods In The Dark Ages This Web Series Will Tell You
In school, you learn about history mostly with wars, empires, and governments as reference points. But the history of menstruation is a lot more exciting. In fact, there’s so much to know about periods throughout the ages that the topic has become the basis of a web series cleverly titled Period Piece.
The 11 episodes are a little cheesy for sure , but in the best way possible. The theme song goes, “I am woman and I’m running this show,” and the ad revenue goes to Planned Parenthood. The best part, though? The “1800s Germany” episode is inspired by Mean Girls.
Here are some of the most fascinating facts the show teaches us about periods in different cultures:
- In Ancient Rome, people believed menstruating women could ward off natural disasters and farm pests.
- Women held their pads up with suspenders in the American West in the 1870s.
- In the 1800s, it was normal for German women to free-bleed onto their pouffy Victorian dresses.
- A century earlier in France, the scent of a woman on her period was considered a turn-on, since it demonstrated her fertility.
- During Biblical times, women on their periods would gather in red tents, tell stories, andif the video is to be believedengage in drunken debauchery. “I had no idea getting my period would be so much fun!” one exclaims.
How Did Ancient Women Deal With Their Menstrual Cycle
In biblical times, ancient Hebrews upheld laws of Niddah, in which menstruating women went into seclusion and had to be separated from the rest of society for seven clean days. Despite these mythological or even medicinal hints at menstruation, however, its generally unknown what women used as ancient tampons or pads.
Is there any history of women having menstruation?
Though females have experienced menstruation since before humans even fully evolved as a species, theres very little documentation about periods among ancient peoples. This is likely due to the fact that most scribes were men, and history was mainly recorded by men.
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What Is A Normal Amount Of Bleeding During My Period
The average woman loses about two to three tablespoons of blood during her period.8 Your periods may be lighter or heavier than the average amount. What is normal for you may not be the same for someone else. Also, the flow may be lighter or heavier from month to month.
Your periods may also change as you get older. Some women have heavy bleeding during perimenopause, the transition to menopause. Symptoms of heavy menstrual bleeding may include:
- Bleeding through one or more pads or tampons every one to two hours
- Passing blood clots larger than the size of quarters
- Bleeding that often lasts longer than eight days
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When Do Periods Start
Most young people will have their first periods when theyre between 11 and 14½, but anywhere from 9-16 years is considered normal.
Periods are likely to start soon if your child has:
- had a major growth spurt
- grown some underarm and pubic hair
- developed breasts.
If your child hasnt started their period by the time they turn 16, its a good idea to talk with your childs GP. There can be many reasons why periods havent started by then, and the GP can help to rule out any serious problems.
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What Is Period Poverty
Period poverty refers to the social, economic, political, and cultural barriers to menstrual products, education, and sanitation.
Although period poverty is a widespread problem, there is a lack of research on the topic. In 2019, experts from academic institutions, NGOs, governments, UN organizations, and elsewhere came together to form the Global Menstrual Collective to solve this issue.
The Global Menstrual Collective defines menstrual health as a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, in relation to the menstrual cycle. It notes that people should have:
- access to information about menstruation, life changes, and hygiene practices
- the ability to care for themselves during menstruation
- access to water, sanitation, and hygiene services
- the ability to receive a diagnosis for menstrual cycle disorders and access to healthcare
- a positive, supportive environment in which to make informed decisions
- the ability to participate in all aspects of life, such as going to work and school
Period poverty can affect people in a variety of ways. It can make them feel embarrassed about or ashamed of their periods, and it causes young people to miss out on school due to a lack of menstrual products.
How Ancient Women Dealt With Their Periods
The early version of tampons was believed to be invented by Egyptians. It is made from papyrus, a plant that was abundant in that area. Greeks reportedly used cotton lint and wrapped it around wood splinters, while Romans used wool.
Meanwhile, Dr. Sara Read, an English Lecturer at the Loughborough Universitys School of the Arts, English, and Drama, wrote about how ancient women dealt with their menstruation.
According to Dr. Read, women during the Middle Ages either used rags or other absorbent materials or simply let themselves bleed into their clothes.
To cover up the scent of menstrual blood, medieval women were said to have carried sweet-smelling herbs with them. More so, they also used odd medicines such as powdered toad to lessen menstrual flow.
As for menstrual cramps, medically known as dysmenorrhea, it was also said that the Church did not allow the use of any form of pain relief. Apparently, such painful cramps should be a reminder of Eves original sin.
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Time Travel Through The History Of Menstruation Over The Past 100 Years
Did you know that the first tampon was made on a home sewing machine? Or that the first menstrual cup was created in 1937? Advertising has driven the narrative on period products and menstruation for the last century. See how the conversation has changed over the last decade.
1910s: Midol was created and marketed as a general pain reliever in 1911. Kotex used cellucotton, commonly used in bandages of the time for its superior absorbency, to create the first period product for women in 1919.
1920s: Sears popularized sanitary belts and overnight sanitary bloomers through their catalog. The advertisements of the time promised discreet packaging, imparting a narrative that menstruation is embarrassing.
1930s: Until the 30s, doctors treated menstruation as a disability and advised against physical activity during a womans cycle. Kotex premiered ads for their sanitary products with women dressed in activewear, dismissing the myth of a period being a disability. The company also produced the infamous pamphlet Marjorie Mays 12th Birthday as an aid for mothers to explain menstruation to their daughters. Dr. Earle Haas patented the first tampon with an applicator in 1931, which Gertrude Tendrich bought for $32,000 and founded Tampax.
1940s: Ads for period products emphasized womens role in the war effort. With many materials in high demand during WWII, women used health sponges to soak up menstrual blood.
Period Poverty And Menstruation Stigma
The issue of period poverty is shrouded in stigma. Although period poverty is a global public health crisis, the shame surrounding menstruation means that it goes largely unaddressed.
Many cultures see menstruation as dirty and something that people should hide. Campaigners want to shift the focus to the fact that menstruating is biologically normal and healthy.
The shame associated with periods prevents people from talking about them. This leads to a lack of dialogue regarding access to menstruation products, the tax on these products, and even the ingredients that they include.
There is also stigma around the experience of menstruating as a trans person.
Many sources still describe menstruation as being a woman-only experience, but this is not true. Many people who are not women menstruate, and not all women menstruate. Being conscious of using the right language to discuss period poverty is crucial in recognizing all people who menstruate.
This belief that only women get periods means that trans people often experience additional challenges. For instance, they may find that only insertion-based products are available in public restrooms, there are no disposal receptacles in bathroom stalls, and there is a lack of access to free menstrual products through school.
It is important to talk openly and inclusively about period poverty to improve menstruation experiences for everyone.
greater period poverty.
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Mental Health And Well
Being unable to manage their period with the appropriate menstrual products can make people feel upset, distressed, and uncomfortable. Research has found that a lack of access to these products can negatively affect someones mental health.
For instance, a study of college-attending women found that 68.1% of participants who experienced period poverty had symptoms of moderate-to-severe depression. They also had higher rates of depression than the participants who did not experience period poverty.
However, it is important to note that in populations with high income inequality, having a low income is associated with of depression. Many people living in period poverty also fall into this group. Therefore, although people who cannot access menstrual products may have higher rates of depression, it is not possible to conclude that period poverty directly causes the depression.
The Dawn Of Modern Menstrual Intervention
Towards the turn of the century, women were able to have the chance to be more comfortable during their monthly periods.
More so, several citizens and medical practitioners became concerned with how women handled their menstruations and the potential health risks it brings.
One of the earliest modern forms of menstrual pads was the Hoosier sanitary belt. Invented around the 1880s, it was composed of a washable pad attached to a belt around the waist.
During that period until the 1920s, women were able to purchase such pads. Slowly, gone were the days when they bled through their clothes and smelled like dead meat.
Soon, a less bulky version of menstrual pads was commercially-produced. It was known as Listers Towels made by global brand Johnson & Johnson.
Years later, nurses during the First World War began using wood pulp bandages as disposable pads.
The latter proven effective in absorbing menstrual blood flow, and later on became the basis of the early version of Kotex pads.
Many countries now enjoy the more convenient ways of dealing with menstruation. However, some countries still have a long way to go. Nonetheless, menstruation should not be a thing to be ashamed of.
Instead, proper education about this female phenomenon should be advocated across the world.
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A Glimpse At Womens Periods In The Roaring Twenties
A 1927 study by famed efficiency expert Lillian Moller Gilbreth revealed how American women dealt with menstruation and how they wished they could.
What did women do about their periods before the introduction of the convenient products we have today? Historian Vern L. Bullough provides a glimpse via an unexpected source: Lillian Moller Gilbreth, the real-life efficiency expert best known as the mother from the book, and then movie, Cheaper by the Dozen.
The study paints a fascinating picture of a bygone era. At the time, women tended to make their own menstrual products. Gilbreth noted that women usually made their own while living at home, only branching out into commercial products once they went to college or started working.
The report contains details of the types of commercial pads available in the late 1920s. All had their downsides. Women complained that the washable Mi Ladi Dainti was too wide, and they hated the idea of laundering it. May Kits required women to actually construct the pads themselves with cheap gauze and paper filling that fell apart with use. And Kotex, the first commercially available pad, was decried as too large, too long, too thick, and too stiff.
Once a Week
Period Drama: That Time Of The Month In Victorian America
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Thats in the past. Thats more from the Victorian era! Isabel Maos* daughter exclaimed. I was interviewing Isabel about her experiences with menstruation for my book, The Modern Period: Menstruation in Twentieth-Century America. Isabel, an immigrant from Taiwan, figured her American-born daughter must be fibbing when she claimed her swim team coach let her practice during her period. Her daughter, who had just walked into the room, rolled her eyes in protest. She explained that she was always encouraged to play in gym class and participate in sports unless she was feeling really crampy, and she had only felt the need to sit out once during high school. Isabel laughingly conceded that her worries were perhaps outdated. Oh, thats called Victorian. I see! Old-fashioned!
Isabel and her daughter, like many of us, associate the Victorian era with an image of a delicate woman swooning on a couch, incapacitated by her monthly visitor. Where did this image originate? And how closely did it hew to the reality of womens lives in Victorian America?
A patient lies on a chaise-longue, while a nurse brings her some refreshment. Courtesy of Wiki Commons
*Interviewee names are pseudonyms.
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Footnotes
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