Women assume power at LadyFest Baltimore
In a workshop on menstrual protection alternatives, women learned about the dangers of using conventional tampons and pads for both their bodies and the environment. They also learned what the other options are, including homemade pads, sea sponges and DivaCup (think of it like an upside down diaphragm) which are supposedly less harmful.
The women who led the group, Harriet Smith and Sine Jensen, stressed that tampons, in addition to creating risk for Toxic Shock Syndrome, sucks out all types of nutrients from the body, scrapes the cervix walls and releases dioxin into the bloodstream.
Smith said, "Capitalism and patriarchy have hand-in-hand made us believe that we need to put dioxin-filled cotton into our c---- to care for our menstruation ... Hey capitalism! I don't hate myself that much to let myself put chemicals and badness into my body."
The leaders urged women to also think about the environment while taking care of their menstruation through purchasing reusable alternatives, or at least those that are organic.
The average menstruating woman uses 9,000 tampons or pads in her lifetime, most of which end up in landfills. Smith and Jensen encouraged serious reduction in disposable menstrual products.
Another discussion group on women's relationships with their body hair featured a half hour documentary, titled, Women and Body Hair: An Intimate Relationship that explores the cultural expectations of women's bodies as it related to visible body hair.
The film focused on personal body hair anecdotes of young women, mostly in their early 20s, all the time questioning why women shave if purely due to societal pressure.
After the viewing of the documentary, the 30 or so participants divided into two groups and discussed their own stories, questions and concerns regarding body hair.
The women asked questions such as: Is this a purely feminine phenomenon, or are men struggling with their own body hair as well? Is there a difference between shaving your underarms, your legs and your public areas? And even if we choose to shave, how can we be more understanding of those who don't? Although no definitive answers were given, the women walked away feeling relieved that others have had similarly tumultuous relationships with their body hair.
The women who led the group, Harriet Smith and Sine Jensen, stressed that tampons, in addition to creating risk for Toxic Shock Syndrome, sucks out all types of nutrients from the body, scrapes the cervix walls and releases dioxin into the bloodstream.
Smith said, "Capitalism and patriarchy have hand-in-hand made us believe that we need to put dioxin-filled cotton into our c---- to care for our menstruation ... Hey capitalism! I don't hate myself that much to let myself put chemicals and badness into my body."
The leaders urged women to also think about the environment while taking care of their menstruation through purchasing reusable alternatives, or at least those that are organic.
The average menstruating woman uses 9,000 tampons or pads in her lifetime, most of which end up in landfills. Smith and Jensen encouraged serious reduction in disposable menstrual products.
Another discussion group on women's relationships with their body hair featured a half hour documentary, titled, Women and Body Hair: An Intimate Relationship that explores the cultural expectations of women's bodies as it related to visible body hair.
The film focused on personal body hair anecdotes of young women, mostly in their early 20s, all the time questioning why women shave if purely due to societal pressure.
After the viewing of the documentary, the 30 or so participants divided into two groups and discussed their own stories, questions and concerns regarding body hair.
The women asked questions such as: Is this a purely feminine phenomenon, or are men struggling with their own body hair as well? Is there a difference between shaving your underarms, your legs and your public areas? And even if we choose to shave, how can we be more understanding of those who don't? Although no definitive answers were given, the women walked away feeling relieved that others have had similarly tumultuous relationships with their body hair.
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