I do understand the point about not dancing wildly when on their period during that time period. Their protection was extrememly limited and bound to move around.
And wasn't that the truth! I remember the early horror of the 'belt' and sanitary pads so thick it felt as if you were sitting on a fence. The first time I encountered a tampon, I thought the world had suddenly become a much better place! (I was one of those early starters, too) Trust me, it's still a pain to deal with, but there are so many more options now!
La la la la la la ........... from someone who lived through the 50s, well and the 60s too. and whose only introduction to menstruation was a book from her mother which gave the life history of a frog. Go figure
My Nanna was a woman who thought sex was something you had to let your husband do whenever he wanted and children came from God. And I am quite sure the poor woman had no idea that the two were in any way linked!
I remember shortly into puberty I got hit by a period while at school. The pad the school nurse gave me was easily two inches thick and needed to be tied front and back. I had never met an instrument more designed to humiliate an early teenager in my life!
I don't think the film was that bad considering the era in which it was created. For one, this was probably a classroom film and sex education was not allowed in about 90% of schools. So mentioning sex in a film about menstruation is not necessary. After all, it was about the purpose and symptoms of menstruation. Babies are the purpose. Sex is not. And the part about looking good is pretty basic too. When you look good, you feel better. Do you feel better about yourself on days where your hair looks just right, your make-up turned out great and you hit the town in a sharp looking outfit, or on days where you shlub around the house in a tattered t-shirt and sweatpants? OK, so I do the sweats and t-shirt thing 99% of the time, but it certainly doesn't make me feel good about myself. And like you said, the range of products back then was very limited. I am not all that old and I still remember our 'girls only' class at school demostrated the 2 inch pads and belt. You could get the kind that tied on, or the new improved version that had clips. Even the subject of menstruation was nearly tabboo, so when considering all these things, the film was rather enlightened for it's time, IMO. But no film is going to make me like having a period, LOL.
The kind of stuff my mother gave ME! I discarded them within a few months and asked her to buy me tampons. Which I've used ever since! She thought the tampons would be way too painful, the dear.
Next Monday I'll turn 51. I can't believe that I still get the dratted period every month!!!
As for the video - I actually thought the medical facts were very accurate and well presented. In the context of informing young girls about their first menstruation and a general view of it I even thought they did well. The lack of information about sex didn't disturb me. What disturbed me greatly though was the emphasis on having to look nice so noone would notice you are in your "days"?
I think that the emphasis on the fact that it is a natural cycle and that no woman should be feeling down for having it was positive.
All in all the 50s look is not my favourite, but it was modern then and actually *quite* frank, too...
Whoever said that was rather out of his/her (probably her) mind...
I don't have children, but have used the tampons all my life. Just a question of size I think. One year closer to the menopause is what I'm hoping for, LOL! To think that my mum was rid of it at about 45 :-(((
Mel, what are you doing online now???? Or do you just leave your computer on? (According to the clock Sydney time is 5.15am - you are in the same time zone, right?)
Nah I left the puter on ..... I was tucked up sound asleep at that point. Started reading at 6:30am and Claire dragged my sorry carcass downstairs sometime after 7am ....
13 comments:
How did the world ever survive the 50's?
I seriously have no idea .....
I do understand the point about not dancing wildly when on their period during that time period. Their protection was extrememly limited and bound to move around.
And wasn't that the truth! I remember the early horror of the 'belt' and sanitary pads so thick it felt as if you were sitting on a fence. The first time I encountered a tampon, I thought the world had suddenly become a much better place! (I was one of those early starters, too) Trust me, it's still a pain to deal with, but there are so many more options now!
Some politicians and religious groups would like to send us right back to the 50s!
La la la la la la ........... from someone who lived through the 50s, well and the 60s too. and whose only introduction to menstruation was a book from her mother which gave the life history of a frog. Go figure
My Nanna was a woman who thought sex was something you had to let your husband do whenever he wanted and children came from God. And I am quite sure the poor woman had no idea that the two were in any way linked!
I remember shortly into puberty I got hit by a period while at school. The pad the school nurse gave me was easily two inches thick and needed to be tied front and back. I had never met an instrument more designed to humiliate an early teenager in my life!
I don't think the film was that bad considering the era in which it was created. For one, this was probably a classroom film and sex education was not allowed in about 90% of schools. So mentioning sex in a film about menstruation is not necessary. After all, it was about the purpose and symptoms of menstruation. Babies are the purpose. Sex is not. And the part about looking good is pretty basic too. When you look good, you feel better. Do you feel better about yourself on days where your hair looks just right, your make-up turned out great and you hit the town in a sharp looking outfit, or on days where you shlub around the house in a tattered t-shirt and sweatpants? OK, so I do the sweats and t-shirt thing 99% of the time, but it certainly doesn't make me feel good about myself.
And like you said, the range of products back then was very limited. I am not all that old and I still remember our 'girls only' class at school demostrated the 2 inch pads and belt. You could get the kind that tied on, or the new improved version that had clips. Even the subject of menstruation was nearly tabboo, so when considering all these things, the film was rather enlightened for it's time, IMO.
But no film is going to make me like having a period, LOL.
The kind of stuff my mother gave ME! I discarded them within a few months and asked her to buy me tampons. Which I've used ever since! She thought the tampons would be way too painful, the dear.
Next Monday I'll turn 51. I can't believe that I still get the dratted period every month!!!
As for the video - I actually thought the medical facts were very accurate and well presented. In the context of informing young girls about their first menstruation and a general view of it I even thought they did well. The lack of information about sex didn't disturb me. What disturbed me greatly though was the emphasis on having to look nice so noone would notice you are in your "days"?
I think that the emphasis on the fact that it is a natural cycle and that no woman should be feeling down for having it was positive.
All in all the 50s look is not my favourite, but it was modern then and actually *quite* frank, too...
It was definitely the "you are a bad person if you let the psychological effects of this natural cycle to affect you" that made my skin crawl.
But that probably says more about me than the movie .....
I was always told that you couldn't use tampons until you had reproduced.....
Never mind Marianne.... 51 is a good age and just think ... its one year nearer to the menopause..... te he he he
Whoever said that was rather out of his/her (probably her) mind...
I don't have children, but have used the tampons all my life. Just a question of size I think. One year closer to the menopause is what I'm hoping for, LOL! To think that my mum was rid of it at about 45 :-(((
Mel, what are you doing online now???? Or do you just leave your computer on? (According to the clock Sydney time is 5.15am - you are in the same time zone, right?)
Nah I left the puter on ..... I was tucked up sound asleep at that point. Started reading at 6:30am and Claire dragged my sorry carcass downstairs sometime after 7am ....
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