From Your Big Sisters,
The aim of the book is to increase accessibility of information, encourage conversation, and empower our readers through contents such as, but not limited to, reflective exercises, crowd-sourced stories, and interviews. We see ourselves as messengers that raise awareness on the issue of period poverty and stigma.
We have made this book to help you through the intricate and wonderful details of menstruation.
We have spent a year between 2019-2020 to conduct our research and consulted many experts. We also asked our friends around the world to send in their menstruation-related experiences to help you understand things that will happen before, during, and after puberty. You can read them at the end of each chapter. This is for you to know that you’re not alone in this!
It is important to be kind and supportive to people around us because we may all experience problems and inconveniences related to menstruation at some point in our lives. We hope that this book will help you develop a positive attitude towards this essential part of your life and be kind to all of your friends.
Our aim is to increase accessibility of information, encourage conversation, and empower our readers through reflective exercises, crowd-sourced stories, and interviews with religious leaders and activists. We see ourselves as messengers raising awareness about period poverty and stigma.
Although we have done research within the health field and cross-referenced our content with certified doctors, gynaecologists, and health specialists, please do not use this book as a replacement for medical advice. It is intended to complement existing medical literature, information, and guidance, which we recommend you seek directly. This book is a general resource and should be used as a conversational and reflective tool for readers.
DISCLAIMER:
1/ The views shared in the period interviews are those of the speakers and not necessarily of the authors and partners of the book.
2/ The content of this book were originally written in early 2020 and published in May 2021, as such outdated information might be present.
Why Menstruation?
In 2019 during their talk on period poverty, Basma Osman (from CRIN) and Safiya Ahmed from Ricebox shared a story about a girl who died inside the Chhaupadi (menstrual hut). Our heartache and outrage towards this incident lingered long after the event.
Why is menstrual blood seen as dirty even though none of us will be here without it? Why isn’t PMS seen as serious? Why is menstrual and reproductive health not taught at some schools when it’s such an important aspect of life? Why do we still hide our unopened pads and tampons?
Menstruation has to be normalised, and it should’ve been centuries ago! When CRIN approached us for the fellowship, we decided to undertake the Red Cloud Project, consisting of a book on menstruation and a printing machine, in hopes to tackle period poverty and stigma.
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank everyone who peer reviewed, advised, contributed and supported us to develop this fantastic project.
Child Rights International Network (CRIN)
Veronica Yates (Director), Lianne Minasian (Deputy to the Director), Miriam Sugranyes (Art Director and Illustrator), Victor Sande-Aneiros (Editor) , Bene Lombe (Communications Director), Larisa Abrickaja (Regions Manager), and everyone at CRIN for their support and peer reviewing!
Religious Leaders and Period Activists
Rabbi Sybil Sheridan, Imam Aarij Anwer, Dr. Lidia Wojtczak, Dr. Haifaa Younis, Natasha Chawla, Avni Chag, Rev’d. Jonathan MacNeaney, Sophie Ascheim (PERIOD. End of sentence.), Amika George (Free Periods), Lauren Anders Brown (WOMENstruate), Mashiya Rahman (Resurgence), Radha Paudel (Global South Coalition for Dignified Menstruation, and Theresa Nyava (Sanitary Aid Zimbabwe).
Peer Reviewers
Hannah Ellis, Sinead Evans, Sophia Luu, Paul Emorut (Akworot Mukuju Active Youth Association), Joe Seavey (Nagoya International School), Women of Wimbledon (Wimbledon High School For Girls), Robert Mukondiwa (Journalist), Dorry Smith (Days For Girls), Rosani Limbu (Nurse), Aurore Sajust de Bergues (medical student), Dr. Haifaa Younis, Rabbi Sybil Sheridan, Project Soar Morocco, and all of the under 18s who got involved.
Contributors
Everyone who submitted their period stories, Florence Low for the Gender and Menstruation chapter, Radha Paudel for the Dignified Menstruation chapter, and Manasa Gade for her overall contributions.
This project was developed as the first Fellowship of The Rights Studio, a creative initiative by CRIN in 2019.
The Fellowship seeks to support young artists to explore art for human and children’s rights activism. It was piloted in 2019 with four BA Graphic Design alumni from UAL Camberwell College of Arts: Safiya Ahmed, Bristy Azmi, Maria Than, and Anna Tsuda.