u/DiscoReads

just a thought - I know advertising doesn’t really work on autistic people most of the time.

I have irregular periods and cysts. I currently suspect I’m going to start my cycle in the next 48 hours(?) so I’m writing this from the pits of my incubation dungeon.

luteal has gotten even harder the older I’ve become too, nearing my 30’s.

there has been an increase in discussion (in the UK) that women should be allowed time off work if they are having period related pain or sickness, and of course there has been backlash! I’ve seen the odd comment about athletes and arguments very much backing ‘THIS GIRL CAN! 💪’ girls can do everything and anything on their period, the struggle is over exaggerating 😉’

and I was like oh yeah holy shit - all those adverts from the 2010’s were not meant to be empowering or inspiring…they were primarily meant to sustain women being:

a) undermined / not taken seriously / painted as dramatic

b) expected to fund capitalism and put strain on their bodies — no matter what

c) belittled and ‘dramatic’ in relationships for any changes in their mood, capabilities or expression

d) pain management subtly programmes women into accepting discomfort as the norm (which I reckon obviously leads to sexual based relationship issues)

maybe I’m being a little far fetched? but, I can’t help go through this menstrual experience monthly (ish) and think it’s a breeze for most people with a uterus out there… surely? this narrative has to be slightly societal right?

………………………………………………………………………………

EDIT 👉👉👉 : I just want to state I am not saying this is an intentional , palm rubbing , evil conspiracy. I don’t think anyone in the marketing office was plotting(!). I truly believe it’s subtle in the sense that every grain of sand makes a beach, accumulating over years upon years - and the same can be said for patriarchal society, deep rooted misogyny and the dependency on capitalism.

advertisements and messages are subliminal (not in the paranoia way, simply in a biological way.)

so, these period adverts I’m speaking of have become a part of a green lit narrative / norm that’s been slipping through the cracks for years, and it is sadly absorbed (pardon the pun) and taken as reality by those who aren’t affected by the struggles (aka those with privilege that thrives on ignorance - NOT ALWAYS PURPOSEFULLY TOO !!)

therefore, the THIS GIRL CAN is used in a discriminatory manner - whether consciously or subconsciously.

it also spreads the wrong information ( e.g the multiple comments of people meeting teenage boys totally shocked by periods being blood… or another example, I went to an all girls school, and I knew more about condoms than I knew about the reality of menstruation or period products. It’s taboo!) - so given that women’s health, safety and literal anatomy isn’t the priority of society … of course this kind of representation will naturally be favoured. it keeps women under some form of undermining scrutiny, allowing them to be used against one another alongside the normalisation of underfunding in a multitude of spaces - a ‘malfunctioning’ woman’s body or behaviour threatens the system which relies on money.

^ I hope this clears up my post a little more 😅😅😅