Red wedding, Riding the Pony, Rusty Pipes, Tomato Soup on boil. Regardless of what one refers to their monthly cycle as, most women purchase that handy box of Always, devour pints of rocky road and carry on with life. Yet have you ever considered the environmental and financial impact of your moon cycles? Do you put much thought into the alternative methods to handling your period’s needs.Would you dare free bleed?
Free bleeding is just that, shedding naturally. Opting out the use of tampons,pads, panty liners and arguably enough, the menstruation cup (DivaCup, The Keeper). Obviously being an “undomesticated” form of ridding the red warrior, free bleeding has dated back to Eve, and is a method widely used throughout the world for a variety of reasons. Only recently have sparks of free bleed conversation been on the rise in the US, by cause of an obnoxious prank staged on a misogynistic website. Although offensive, the hoax dubbed “Operation Free Bleed” helped bare light to the shame and restrictions we have tied to our periods.
In attempts to encourage breaking the taboo within ‘period talk’
I cross examined the facts and quirks about one of the whispered terms; Free bleeding.
On one side it is a body positive statement in the feminist community, while on the other end, thousands of ladies are forced to free bleed due to not having access to funds or the products. Clearly there are ups and downs related to act of free bleeding.
The average american woman will spend nearly $5,600 on feminine protection over her lifetime that’s about an extra $120 a year until the age of 40. Most tampon lovers plug it up typically 240 times a year, going through 9,600 tampons in her period’s lifetime. We are essentially flushing thousands of dollars down the toilet. Aside from the acute damage we are doing to our own wallets, we may also be harming our bodies. Scientists have developed strong evidence that the chemicals used can directly irritate the vaginal tract.
Before the creation of tampons in the 1930s women used things like papyrus leaves and grass to absorb their menses. Some of those same techniques are used in different parts of the globe. Today’s tampon are usually made from bleached cotton and/or rayon. Many contain chemical fibers. Over time manufacturers added surfactants and adhesive to increase absorbency. These additives are liable to cause dangerous buildups of dioxins in our bodies.
The first reports that linked Toxic Shock to the use of tampons struck a argument from feminists in the 1960s, forcing the government to set stricter regulations for tampon use. The outraged feminists argued that “tampons were designed for cosmetic value and not safety.” and that “tampons encouraged disease by keeping the menstrual fluids from draining and encouraged bacterial growth near the sensitive vaginal lining.” Between the years 1972–1982 approximately 3000 women contracted Toxic Shock Syndrome from faulty tampons. Of course there are tampons made from organic cotton, but these tampons cost 10–20% more than the regular ones do. Not to mention regardless if they’re organic or not there are important healthy fluids being absorbed. The Menstrual Cup has become a popular alternative, there are many upsides to using one. Once the initial $30–40 dollars is paid, the cup can be used for the rest of your period’s life. The downside in my opinion would be the fact that the cup must be emptied throughout the day, and if you have a heavy flow like I do, that’s all the time! The cup is also known the alleviate cramps, but it slightly re positions the organs, which is seems uncomfortable to think about altogether.
There are women who skip going to work or to school because they can’t afford the products that many take for granted due to affordability. Making the decision to free bleed at home is often the only option. Does this deem these women as gross? Or is it okay to free bleed, when there is a legit excuse attached to it? The fact is that tampons and Pads are also the most limited items in America’s shelters. Most homeless women succumb to the “free bleed” by default. Where do we draw the line between women who free bleed to make a statement and the women that will seldom have access to protection? While interviewing women about views on homeless menstruation, Anima, who has tried free bleeding several times stated “ It’s interesting that I’ve never even thought about homeless women on their periods. It’s like, no one truly considers them which sucks. I always thought that their periods just don’t exist,But if we’re tryna make this a statement they would be at the forefront, granted it would be by default. But who knows, this can also be a cause to help homeless women get out of their situations too. Be one with all women, no matter their circumstance”. Maybe if more of us attempted free bleeding it will bring us closer in understanding the naturalness attached to our periods and bodies.
There are a load of women who would never even think to free bleed, deeming it as unsanitary and irresponsible, never having considered the negative these products have on us as women, as well as mother earth. I myself have been compelled to attempt the free bleed, it helped me to see both sides of the fence. Yes, It can get a bit messy, However I slept on a towel, didn’t have to worry about getting up in the middle of the night to change out my usual super plus Kotex. I did have to constantly wash pants and sheets for those four days… yet I felt a A little more human. Closer to my body into my cycle.On top of having my tampons a reach away under my bathroom sink, I realized I was one of the privileged menstrators, I decided to donate those tampons to a shelter. Feeling thankful all in all, my experience was well-needed, considering I have the luxury of throwing on some dark sweats and showering whenever versus the woman that sees showers or a change of clothes unattainable. There is really no right or wrong on dealing with your monthly, Yet I am still in search of ways to balance the beam of women who can protect and the women who cannot as well as easing the stress our cycles puts on the earth.
