Puberty is starting earlier

[EdinburghFeminist]

I thought this was very interesting (and quite scary, particularly as someone with a 4yo girl). Puberty is starting significantly earlier and no-one knows exactly why but there is also an increase in mental health issues associated in girls who start puberty early.

www.facebook.com/316489315054055/posts/5091329927569946/?d=n

The article mentioned stress as a possible trigger, which I hadn't heard before.

I thought it was pretty well accepted now that early puberty is linked to endocrine disruptors in a swathe of chemical products like BPAs (and their alternatives), phalates in plastics (particularly softened plastics such as those used in medical and food production environments), artificial perfumes, fire retardants, waterproofing, pesticides etc.? It affects men and women differently of course but is linked to reproductive issues in both sexes (see the book Countdown for the link between phthalates and male fertility, other studies linking to endometriosis in women) as well as other issues like the recent studies linking to obesity and metabolism disruption. I'm not a medical person so just repeating anecdotes from multiple sources without references so would be interested if anyone more qualified can comment!

I started puberty at 9 and was always super skinny as a child. It was usually the bigger/chubbier girls who started earlier though. But quite rare almost 20 years ago regardless of size.

I was also the skinniest, smallest girl in class. I started aged 11, a couple of years before my overweight older sister.

Please don't decide the words I can use about my periods, or decide that because you had heavy periods and were fine it was ok for all women.
Leaking bloody clots, with no control of when they occur, covering the toilet and my hands in blood, breaching my san Pro and leaking onto my clothes, whilst crippling me through pain. Limiting as I couldn't swim unless I wanted to insert something, worried about leaking when I ran, or changing at school.
No I don't think this is some marvellous passing of the season, I don't think uncontrolled leakage is a very good design.

Yes a pill as a teen would have seemed like the answer.

My mother had her first period at 11 over 70 years ago, I had mine at 13 years two months, My SIL at 10 and my MIL at 13. I'm not sure about DD she will be 10 in September and in the last few weeks one nipple has been a bit swollen. We've talked about it just in case but her brother who is 11 has no symptoms. He is intrigued about periods and so we've discussed them a fair bit.

I started just a couple of months after my tenth birthday, in 1976. I was short, and not overweight 🤷‍♀️

Its not a completely new phenomenon

Please don't assume you are the only poster who has experienced heavy periods.

I'm not going to apologise for quibbling your use of "disgusting". Periods can and do cause all sorts of problems but they are not "disgusting". It's extremely retrogressive and unhelpful to young girls to say so.

Bovine lactation that is designed by nature to turn a calf into a cow in a short space of time?

No way could that be an issue for humans!

Unlike you, I was careful to say my periods, which I find disgusting. Not shameful but I can fully understand why girls would jump at the chance to identify (and medicate)out of them.

Period pants/moon Cup are the first innovation for a long time. The driving force behind them was the environment not woman's comfort.

You're splitting hairs. Periods are not "disgusting" and that's a terrible attitude , but feminists so frequently seem to detest their bodies and anything connected to their functions.

Except its a lie isn't it. You cant identify out of your biology. And medicating only delays the inevitable. The only people who benefit are those selling the meds and those pushing the idea that you can identify out of it or medicate out of it to validate adults who didn't do any of those things.

The only thing that might be of use is perhaps the contraceptive pill. But much of that would depend on parents being prepared to take their daughters to the doctor and being prepared to accept its not an instant fix because it may take several different brands to find the one that works.

Of course it is a lie, a massive one, a dangerous one, I have years behind me which means I know this. I just wonder how I'd have felt as a young teen, reading that it could all be easily stopped.

feminists so frequently seem to detest their bodies and anything connected to their functions.
Kimi yet again, only talking about how I feel, not keen on sweeping statements. It is my feelings

Mistache
Today 12:33
Also, it’s amazing that we know so little about puberty, even why it starts, but doctors are perfectly confident prescribing blockers and saying there’s no effects…

I wonder if you’ve seen this from another thread?
drdylanwilson.substack.com/p/an-open-letter-to-australias-doctors/comments

Then presumably you see how it's all effectively gone full circle now?

How it's gone from something shameful to be endured in private to something embarrassing and with all sorts of adult connotations added, to something that can be easily catered for and dealt with with a ton of choices as parents desperately try not to make the same miatakes ours did, back to something where we constantly remove the ability to.privately deal with , where instead of period being a dirty word the word woman /girl is, which cannot do anything but exacerbate embarrassment amd shame and to confusion as no one is allowed to discuss what happens who who . And something so traumatic and disgusting that must be drugged to prevent instead of dealt with.

There is alot of money to be made in teaching girls it's shameful and disgusting.

Scully I do see your point, although not completely agree, denying how some women/girls feel is also not helpful. The truth is for many it is not easily catered for, and the reality is that there has not been the research or the injection of money in order to address this because it is a woman's problem.

Periods affect school attendance, they affect participation in sport, they affect choices women and girls make. To pretend
otherwise to expect others to embrace it does not address the problem.

I never said everyone.

I just said that I think we do need to separate out those who have been made to feel ashamed /embarrassed/disgusted by parental failure to address issues/properly equip their kids, or by the many people online talking to teenagers and pre teens convincing them that puberty is so traumatic they will kill/hurt themselves and the solution is harmful medication that won't even help because despite being physically older they will remain as mentally ill.equipped as they were before. From those who do genuinely have issues requiring medical intervention.

Especially given the current situation where its virtually impossible to speak to or see a dr.

I thought this was the general take too. Puberty goes on weight and girls are much healthier, taller and stronger. I was the smallest in my class and didn't start my periods til I was 14. Then only sporadically as I had EDs.

Periods are painful, smelly, messy, and a nuisance.
Pretending that they aren't is silly.

No one is pretending that. It's describing them as "disgusting" which I have an issue with. The poster who said that is of course free to continue with whatever internalised self- hatred makes her think that. What she should not be doing is imparting that view to any sons and daughters she might have.

Periods can be painful, inconvenient, messy but they should never be seen as disgusting or shameful.

I frankly never want to hear again that ridiculous nonsense which rears its head frequently on here about "someone might hear me opening a tampon wrapper" - so what if they do hear - along with all the other noises which might be heard from a toilet cubicle- what makes tampon wrappers so horrific?

Periods shouldn't be smelly. They aren't really any messier than any other bodily function. And as I've said upthread, I am happy to have mine, whether you think that's 'silly' or not.

Not messier than any other bodily function? Are you sure you're talking about the dame stuff the rest of us are?

*same

I can only presume so, TeamSuckhareva!

I’m really interested in this idea that earlier periods is the norm, and that the aberration was basically the last 200 years, when menarche became later (because of industrialisation causing worsening of Irving conditions?). Does anyone know any more about this? I looked at the Conversation article linked above but would love to read more.

I also remember a thread about this a few months ago, but can’t find it now. It was very interesting.