Do you know how often I talk about my period?

Typically never. In recent months, I’ve had to because I’ve been taking a medication with amennorhea as a side effect. Before that, though, the last time I remember mentioning it was when I filled out the forms at my OB’s office when I was pregnant with my daughter.

One of the things I’ve never understood about cultural feminism is this need to talk endlessly about menstruation. My Little Red Book is a current book project aimed at focusing on women’s issues with their periods. Thankfully Vagina Monologues didn’t have much text on periods. I read a large number of books in women’s studies classes in college about periods – getting them, stopping them, dealing with them, telling your boyfriend about them.

It really isn’t necessary. Do I think we should hide in shame? Of course not! There’s nothing shameful about periods, but there’s nothing to shout from the rooftops about either.

How can we deal with “period issues”?

I’d like to see comprehensive sex education in general and am frankly appalled at the Obama administration that $94 million remains in the 2009 budget for “abstinence-only” sex education.

I believe that in late elementary/early middle school, students should get to have frank conversations about their bodies. Because of the hormones in our food, girls are hitting puberty earlier with many girls now starting their periods around age 10. Boys have their own concerns with spontaneous (and non-sexual) erections and wet dreams being two of them. Those issues say nothing of other concerns, such as those about body hair, voice changes, and disproportionate growth patterns.

I believe in the curriculum of every school somewhere around fourth grade, teachers should talk about these issues. Embarrassment is a key concern for children of this age, and so some maneuvering of students to separate by sex will be required. Children from certain religious background inevitably will have parents who don’t want them to participate. Allow them to opt out. But deal with these questions.

I’d truly like to see the school nurse address these issues. I know some of my teachers were sadly misinformed about reproductive issues, and a medical professional could better answer these questions. In schools without a nurse, perhaps a local doctor or physician’s assistant could be employed (or even – volunteer!) to come in for the few days a year it takes to have an open discussion.

Dealing with periods in this way would be more productive than I imagine books for adults are. While I have no problem with an author putting together an anthology of stories about periods, I feel the better way to open up and remove the cloak of secrecy around menstruation is to address the issue early.