07/01/2024 – 10:43
Half of the world's population menstruates at some point in their lives. Even so, the subject is still taboo for many. The exhibition covers everything from products, works of art to customs related to the theme. Among the 30 participants in a guided tour by Flow: The exhibition on menstruation, on display until October 6 at the Museum of European Cultures ( MEK) from Berlin, the majority are women of all generations, from mothers with their teenage daughters to elderly women. Some men are also part of the group, often accompanying a partner. Surprisingly, the guide is also a man.
At first, the fact that a man is leading a tour about menstruation seems a little strange, but cultural anthropologist Stefan Lischewski approaches the subject so naturally that any feelings of awkwardness quickly dissipate.
Underwear and menstrual products
The exhibition features around 100 historical and modern sanitary products, as well as advertisements. The first part traces the history of women's underwear and menstrual hygiene products, which were first developed commercially in the late 19th century.
At the time, sanitary pads were made of fabric. Due to cost and accessibility, do-it-yourself solutions remained widespread well into the 20th century.
Before the invention of modern panties as we know them, women wore one-piece underwear or baggy panties. They often had an opening to make it easier to go to the bathroom using crinolines or petticoats with metal underwire. At least six layers of cloth were needed to absorb menstrual fluid. Weighing around two and a half kilos, the fabric cushions were quite cumbersome.
The exhibition features a room with reproductions of these historic “special day underwear” that resemble large cotton diapers. Visitors are even invited to try them out.
Women inventors
The industry's pioneers were mostly men. But there were also inventors, such as the American actress Leona Chalmers, the first to patent a commercial version of the menstrual cup in 1937. Her model, like several other brands throughout the century, did not achieve commercial success. These collectors only gained new popularity at the beginning of the current century.
In 1954, Mary Kenner patented a sanitary belt, but the company that planned to commercialize her invention backed out after discovering that she was African-American. Before the development of adhesive sanitary pads, this type of belt was used to keep sanitary pads in place between the legs.
Plug
The first tampon, brand Tampax, was invented and patented by doctor Earle Haas in 1931. However, he was unable to get any company interested in marketing the product. In 1933 he sold the patent to businesswoman Gertrude Tendrich, from Denver, who founded a company with the same name as the product and began marketing the intimate pad.
A version without an applicator was developed and launched in Germany in 1950 by Germans Carl Hahn and Heinz Mittag. It was called OB – short for “ohne Binde” (without towel, in German). Gynecologist Judith Esser contributed to helping improve the product. She also revolutionized sex education in Germany and introduced it into schools.
Overcoming taboos through sexual education
The exhibition was developed to serve school groups through educational tours: “Not all teachers in Germany have the knowledge and materials to teach sex education properly,” says Lischewski. But he adds that, in addition to the student groups, “a lot more people come”: We have almost 200 daily visitors” – above the normal MEK average.
That's why one section of the exhibit has basic information about everything related to the menstrual cycle. For example, Lischewski points out that men and boys often think that women bleed gallons during menstruation. The actual amount is five to 12 tablespoons.
Still taboo?
Is the subject still taboo in Germany? For cultural scientist Jana Wittenzellner, chief curator of the exhibition, there is no clear answer: “Menstruation has been part of an ongoing public discussion for a decade. It's still taboo for some. For others, no more. And for some others it was no longer taboo even 30 years ago.”
According to Wittenzellner, there seems to be a lot of interest among the elderly, who say they are happy to finally be able to share their experiences through the exhibition.
Reactions on social media have been “mostly enthusiastic on Instagram, but on Facebook there have been complaints about the 'disgusting theme,'” says Wittenzellner.
Openness to discussing menstruation often depends on the individual's social circle. “In my family, it was more of a taboo,” says Ly Nguyen, a 30-year-old Berliner of Vietnamese descent who is taking part in the guided tour.
“In Vietnam, you don’t talk about this private thing. All the education I needed came from my friends. But when I got my first period, my mother told me not to use tampons so I wouldn't lose my virginity – although not in exactly those words.”
The “myth of the hymen” is a widespread and mistaken cultural concept. In fact, there is no vaginal membrane that ruptures with penetration. And using a tampon has nothing to do with virginity.
Another tour participant, Rukhsana Dill Riaz from Wiesbaden, has lived in Germany for 26 years. She doesn't think there is a taboo in Germany – unlike her home country of Bangladesh. “People there are very superstitious. Menstruating women are considered 'not pure'; They can’t even go to the cemetery.”
Public discourse on menstruation
Through nearly 200 everyday objects, photos, graphics, newspaper articles and social media posts, the third section of the exhibition addresses how the discourse around menstruation has evolved in the West.
Over the last 10 years, the topic has increasingly penetrated the public space, specifically through posts on social media using hashtags such as #periodpositivity and #menstruationmatters.
Ists also generated debates and political changes. In early 2024, Spain adopted a menstrual leave law, which allows you to take time off work when symptoms are too painful. On the other hand, for some critics the measure could perpetuate sexist attitudes and contribute to menstrual stigma.
The exhibition also addresses the public shame of menstruation with a striking portrait of Donald Trump made with menstrual blood. Sarah Levy created it in response to Trump's comment against Fox News host Megyn Kelly: “There was blood coming out of her everywhere,” the former US president commented after she put him in a difficult situation in a presidential debate on TV in 2015.
Menstrual poverty
While there is growing awareness of period poverty in developing countries, the phenomenon also affects women in wealthier parts of the world.
In an online survey carried out in Germany, for which Plan International and Wash United interviewed a thousand women in 2021, 23% of participants stated that monthly expenses for menstruation were a financial burden.
Monthly expenses for menstrual health are estimated between 5 and 35 euros (R$26.70 to R$187), including painkillers and contraceptives. The sum is multiplied by 450, the average number of cycles throughout a woman's life.
Pop culture and art
At the end of the tour, the group is invited to spend time independently in the fourth section of the exhibition, which features digital art images, as well as scenes from films and series. L
ike the 2016 comedy drama 20th Century Women in which the character played by Greta Gerwig causes embarrassment at a family dinner by openly talking about menstruation.
“Art and culture have a huge impact and play a very important role in the discussion about menstruation. They also make it interesting and fun,” says Wittenzellner. “And we wanted the exhibition to be fun. If people are embarrassed, laughter is the best way to get around it.”
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