I found Red Alert, a feminist zine at the Toronto Reference Library.
It was made and produced in the 90s by Concordia QPIRG, a group of Québécois grrrls. They want to take ‘men’ out of menstruation and called it FEMSTRUATION! Why is it called menstruation anyways!?!?
These girls essentially wrote a vagina manual. They glorified PMS, taught me how to do my own breast-exams, explained the dangers of commercial feminine hygiene products and even had a fold-out pattern for DIY re-usable pads… plus lots more.
Red Alert helped me decide to take the risk and get my hands dirty ;]
I’M GOING ALL THE WAY, LADIES! I’m not ashamed of my lady parts.
♥ I l-o-v-e them ♥
+ Life’s boring without a bit of blood. So I bought myself re-usable pads.
After using my Canadian, earth-friendly Divacup for over a year, I’ve decided to be 100% waste free during my period! I found myself occasionally having to buy pads and I hated it. I felt guilty and I hated the idea of bleach and other chemicals touching me. So I spent a bit of time reading about different brands and watching reviews. Every woman is different, so it really comes down to you and your body… I feel like I made some good decisions for myself!
I feel like Queen of the Vulva! My vulva, not yours. Be your own queen :]
Vulva Queen is a responsible shopper. She made sure she looked for organic or near-organic products. She also looked for companies owned by other Queens, so she could support artists/ladies for a good cause.
Eco Fluffy Mama (getwellsoon) helped with narrowing down my options because of her insightful reviews. She’s into eco-living, reusable [fem]strual products and crochet. Check her out! Some brands that stuck out were YurtCraft, Lunapads, Hyena Cart, Little Bee Creations, and Domino Pads. There are hundreds of makers out there, you can also DIY if your weapon of choice is a sewing machine.
I eventually decided to go with Domino Pads -one Med, one Heavy. Metal.
The website also sells YurtCraft pads – one Light. In a basil leaf pattern. I’m Italian.
At first, the cost of re-usable pads was steep. When I factor in how long they last and how much waste I will stop creating, there’s no way I can not give them a try.
Using eco-friendly femstruation products makes me feel so in touch with my body. There are absolutely no negative feelings within me. Seeing my blood in all of its natural glory makes me appreciate and understand myself. I can tell when my body is healthy and when things aren’t going right.
If I gross you out, go explore your body!
If you’re a guy and you’re reading this, disgusted in me, then you need to do the same.
Why are we taught to hate a natural, beautiful part of ourselves? To hide it in shame?
“Don’t wannna discuss it
Think it’s time for a change
You may get disgusted
Start thinkin’ that I’m strange”
-Van Morrison
ARISETOTRASH 