“That time of the month” just got a little sweeter.
College student Parker Jones created a series of fake ice cream flavors as a senior capstone, with names specifically targeted toward menstruating women. Flavors like, “Don’t Come Near Me,” “I Need Some More” and “I Think I’m Dying” all encapsulate the struggles of dealing with the monthly period.
Although this product would be more specifically targeted toward people who are drawn to frilly appeal more so than size — personally, I would be headed toward the largest tub of ice cream I can find — I believe there is a lot of quirky potential in the idea. This campaign is another way to get people talking about something that’s glaringly absent in today’s culture.
Periods are a forbidden topic no one ever wants to bring up, but they happen to almost every mature woman every month. Even just recently, artist Rupi Kaur posted an Instagram of a fully clothed woman with a period stain on her pants as part of a series she was working on. The picture was removed from the site not once, but twice, for violating community guidelines, confirming how unnecessarily terrified society is of “that time of the month.”
People watch daylong murder marathons on “Law & Order: SVU” without thinking twice, but as soon as someone starts talking about a natural female cycle, that’s when things get uncomfortable?
When girls start their period for the first time, it can be rather embarrassing. Most girls start menstruating at about age 12, meaning on top of worrying about prepubescent acne and starting to “like- like” boys, now they have to deal with crippling cramps and bleeding several days ?a month.
Furthermore, the menstrual cycle has a very negative connotation surrounding it, which is difficult to deal with at any age. If you stand up for yourself or make a snarky comment, the first thought is “Oh, it must just be her time of the month again.” I’ve always found it funny, too, that girls are trained in the art form of sneaking a tampon from a backpack into the bathroom during class, which is something we shouldn’t have to be hiding at all.
Speaking of which, I have never understood why feminine hygiene products aren’t free to women at all times. When we have women pay, sometimes up to $8 a box, for tampons that last a little longer than one cycle, it’s safe to assume the feminine hygiene product business is one we all should be trying to get into.
No one ever wants to be caught buying tampons at the register because God forbid the cashier knows you’re on your period, right? While you can go to any doctor’s office or health center and pick up free condoms, there’s no dispensary for tampons, pads and other items women have no choice but to purchase whenever they get their periods.
Having sex is optional; getting your period is not. Sex is everywhere — in the media, on television, talked about in daily conversation; periods are not. Sex is debatably glorified, especially by today’s young adults; periods are not.
Jones took her own measures to shed light on a topic most women can relate to on a very personal level. If everyone else followed in her footsteps and started supporting this natural phenomenon, maybe women wouldn’t have to feel so shamed by their own natural cycles.
snvanden@indiana.edu
