To think “period cookies” is ridiculous…

[smallstitch]

Just seen a post on local fb page asking if any bakers can make some “period cookies” with a photo from Instagram. Various iced cookies - some depicting pants with pink gusset, others are sanitary pads, and some say “welcome to the big girls club”.
Is it me or has society lost the plot?

Surely very obvious?......... 🤔

More practical

I would've been mortified if I'd recieved those

I wear dark knickers when Im on my period. I am lucky and very rarely leak but its always good to know that if I did, my knickers won't be ruined. Dont lots of women?

You know you did a nice thing.

Jesus. This is so twee. A healthy open discussion in the run up, some period pants/towels waiting in the drawer, a cuddle and a chat when it happens, plus maybe a bit of cosseting the first time if it hurts, then on you go. Onto a life of period products and prejudice, but nevermind.

Not everything needs to be a grammable moment.

I think two different things are being confused on this thread.

1. Doing something to mark the menarche and cheer a little girl up
2. Who this celebration is shared with.

I feel very campaigny about the fact that boys, in particular, need to understand more about periods and the fact they happen and can be embarrassing for girls. However, I personally don't think it's anyone's business knowing when a girl is having their period. This education needs to be wider and less individually focused.

So my view is that period cookies could be a really fun thing shared between a girl and her mum, for example, but aren't an event for sharing in overtly the wider family or in the JC or local paper (or even with the girl's friends unless she wants a cookie party!)

I think it’s a lovely idea personally (and I’m always down with something sugary on my period 😂). Feels like cold comfort though - hey, you’re probably going to be in loads of pain, discomfort and running the risk of smelly blood-stained knickers for nearly half of the next 30-40 years of your life but here - have a biscuit! Not sure it makes it much better.

But overall, it’s just a nice gesture to mark a major milestone in a girl’s development, especially if she’s feeling rubbish. Ooohhh…maybe I’ll bake a molten raspberry red velvet cake for my daughter when she reaches that age. Really ram home the imagery when she tucks in 🤣

It is generational differences I think. I feel like generally my generation (under 40s) don’t care if they over share because how else can we ease our worries and know we are ‘normal’

almost 50% of the worlds population have periods. It isn’t crude or disgusting for us to acknowledge this…just maybe people should try not be the weird parent who gets period cookies (unless they know their daughter would find it hilariously cringe)

Oh, God, yes - sticking photos on Instagram! 😱

I dare say your average girl isn’t at all ashamed, but just doesn’t want a song and dance about it - especially not a public one.
Some MNers seem to think that if the menarche isn’t somehow ‘celebrated’, it means that people are ashamed or disgusted, or both.

What to the whole fandamily?

Imagine the siblings sitting thinking “oh no not beans and rice again… “

We don’t think periods are disgusting and vulgar, just the period cookies !

Jeez a lifetime of monthlies..I never felt I wanted to celebrate..

This just made my heart melt! That’s so cute 🥰

Yes I’m a dark knicker lady!

Yes I’d happily eat the cookie, just prefer normal ones.

My god that one with the sanitary towel! I have 3 daughters and they all would have been mortified !

Oh I dunno, might help us get through day !
We could confiscate them ..

WTAF???

I thought this was going to be about “cakes on light” made with period blood and semen not some gift to a young hormonal girl.

These words aren’t being used to describe periods though, just the very weird concept of period cookies …

With three daughters in my house someone is always having their period! Always openly discussed by all as we all suffer very heavy periods. Yes, they would have been mortified by period cookies and would have look at me sideways but no, I have not fucked up my parenting skills as we are all very open about it ! It just doesn’t need marking with weird cookies

Yup, nice packet of chocolate digestives would be lovely!

I pity youngsters today, having to live their whole lives online.

I think for most young people these days periods are already “normalised” and no big deal. My 4 daughters were unfazed and matter of fact, reminding me to buy pads/tampons in front of DH. Free pads in the unisex college loos.

Many posters are recounting their experiences from decades ago but things have changed. I remember the first “sanitary towel” advert with Claire Raynor; it came with a blaze of publicity, and led to menstrual products being more widely advertised (and spoken about) generally.
I don’t think menarche needs to be celebrated any more than 1st pubic hair, wet dream or budding boobs.
And the cookies ARE gross and vulgar. Used pads and tampons? Come on.

If you have a leak, my period days are long over, but I always used to like to wear darker shades of comfy knickers rather than chance leaking onto some of my more flimsy light coloured underwear.

It seems to be a thing at DDs school that a lot of the girls are excited about getting their first period. DDs friend group each took in treats to share with each other to mark their first period. DD got to do it twice, took in a box of mini flapjacks to share the first time before they got stopped (medical reasons) and then took a box of mini doughnuts when they started again.

I think it's good they're now more open and matter-of-fact about periods. I remember when I was her age that pads and tampons had to be carried around discreetly, slipped up your sleeve for going to the toilet, and there was a prevailing etiquette of keeping your period hidden. Even adverts for period products very rarely featured the actual product itself and, if they did, it was only shown in a scientific way when they'd pour clear or blue water onto it to show it's absorbance. There's an interesting paper on it by Rebecca Ginsburg called "'Don't tell, dear': The material culture of tampons and napkins" for anyone interested (very niche, I know, but it talks about how menstrual taboos force women to comply with them and perpetuate the objectification of women).

Cookies are a harmless thing but it does help challenge the taboos around periods and that can only be a good thing.

To the posters saying that Menarche is celebrated in other cultures, I would ask them to question what aspect of a girl's first period these countries are actually celebrating. Is it a positive act of female empowerment, a "welcome to the sisterhood" and a way to normalise menstruation? Or is it a marker of marriageable age and a girl's fertility. Is it a reinforcement of gender roles and preparing girls for their expected place in society. Someone mentioned Japan for example - a country that is hardly a shining light in attitudes towards women and girls.