Ridiculing Menstruation

A quote from a Dr.’s publication, mentioned in Ehrenreich and English’s The “Sick” Women of the Upper Classes, showed how society used to view a female’s ovulation cycle as an ailment that restricts them from everyday activities.  

 “We cannot too emphatically urge the importance of regarding these monthly returns as period of ill health, as days when the ordinary occupations are to be suspended or modified… Long walks, dancing, shopping, riding and parties should be avoided at this time of the month invariably under all circumstances…”

Throughout this article, women’s susceptibility to specific illness and disease because of how their bodies are built is consistently emphasized.

This short clip from the TV Show “New Girl” shows how menstruation is still often viewed as an illness that gets in the way of everything ranging from the ability to control one’s emotions, to getting off the couch and going about your day. Jess, the main character, uses PMS as an excuse to why she hasn’t been looking for a job and how her male roommates don’t understand the suffering that she’s going through. Winston, one of her roommates, develops ‘Sympathy PMS’ and begins to act like Jess when she has her period. I think this episode does a good job of showing how our society has significantly attached PMS, menstruation to weakness and sensitivity of females.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QapFMnOcDkk

http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=relmfu&v=QNDS7BzmgZU

Why is it that a natural occurrence in females can be used to evoke laughter? Why do we allow people to use it as an excuse for our or others, behaviors and actions? Menstruation doesn't have the exact connotation as it did in the article, but it is still seen as an unpleasant occurrence. For example, if you ask a male what he thinks about a woman's period you will usually get the same response, "gross" or that girls on their period are not fun to be around. Most of us know that having a period does not mean that you are “ill” and should be bed-ridden. We also know that the symptoms of a period, usually portrayed in TV shows and movies, are usually exaggerated; however we still get entertainment out of this idea.