Period Power: A Manifesto for the Menstrual Movement By Nadya Okamoto
From anecdotes to statistics this book has everything you need to know to be part of the menstrual movement. This book covers the stigma surrounding periods, its effects on society, the history of period culture, and how much still needs to change in order for menstrual equality to be achieved. Period activist Nadya Okamoto combines facts and real-life situations into a compelling and educational book that will keep you engaged and interested the entire time.
When I first saw the cover for this book at Barnes and Nobles I was immediately curious, my family and people close to me have never been shy about menstruation or talking about our bodies, I live with my mom and my sister, we've always had and open dialogue about these things. And yet when I went to look at the book I looked around to make sure nobody saw me pick it up. And in the back of my mind I heard myself being like “why are you so ashamed?” and that just made me want to pick it up and devour it. But I didn’t buy the book. Then I saw it in the teen section at my local library and immediately found the same attraction and curiosity. So naturally, next time I went to the bookstore it was one of the books I sought out immediately. One of the first things Nadya talked about was the stigma attached to periods and how it is so inherently damaging. I realized that these thoughts I have are the exact problem she addresses. When she first started talking about stigma I got really mad like what kind of shit is that? Women aren't unpure or dirty, it's natural, but learning how other people view this is such an integral part of fighting this stigma that exists all around the world. She talked about how it’s ingrained in us since were children, she mentioned having gender separated health classes in elementary school which I totally remember and it just made me so angry to know that my education, the thing that is supposed to help me learn about the world and give me the power to take charge of my world, is the thing that is adding to this damaging thought process. It hit me hard when she talked about how much it affects educational opportunities. When I first got my period it was rough and I missed a lot of school, I can't imagine what it's like for people who don't have access to the supplies and resources that I had. It's really messed up because while a girl is at home missing school, her male counterparts are getting ahead which only adds to the cycle of inequality. It also has to do a lot with intersectional feminism which I think people feel is such a hard topic to grasp but it's so incredibly important that this movement not only include white women but that it includes people of color, people with disabilities, people with different gender identities, and so much more. This book really highlights that this isn't just a women's issue, it’s a global issue and needs to be addressed as such. She also makes a point of acknowledging other people's opinions even if she doesn't agree with them which is really important, we need as many people involved in this movement, no need to scare them away with an “it's my way or the highway” kind of attitude. At the beginning of this book I thought I knew a lot about these types of things but afterwards I realized there's so much I didn't know. It's written in a way so that you have all the information you need about periods before you get into all the complicated stuff. The way it's laid out makes the statistics feel interesting, not boring and her anecdotal commentary makes it relatable and gets the reader involved. You can really feel Nadya’s passion for the subject and its infectious. Overall this book was so informational and I learned so much. I think everyone should read this book, not just women and girls, I mean everyone. This movement is so amazing and I can’t wait to learn more.
-maren
