traditions II

If you participated at all in my post about traditions-how to celebrate them or how to make them work for you and your family-get a load of this tradition started by one of my professors.

In my political economy of women class on Wednesday we talked about...drumroll...periods. Can you sense why I freaking love this class? We talked about historical and current views of the menstrual cycle and why it has been viewed as "yucky" or "unclean"; we talked about how little women are trained to know their own bodies and what signs to look for during their menstrual cycles; we talked about what the negative effects of the pill can be and how natural family planning works and there were guys in the room listening all the while. It was amazing.

But the thing we talked about that caught my attention most was how women can be affected by their introduction to their own menstrual cycle. Understandably, there are women who hate their periods. Cramps, messiness, expensive measure to control it; these are all things many women deal with on a monthly basis.

Our professor talked about the importance of coming-of-age rituals. For instance, in my church boys of 12 traditionally become deacons (which allows them to pass the sacrament, collect fast offerings, and visit members in their homes with their fathers; girls are given no such service opportunity). I don't see it this way, but some members of my church (my professor is one of them), view menstruation and reproduction as the female equivalent of deaconhood/priesthood. Members will often celebrate their son's transition as a deacon by giving them a gift, such as a set of scriptures, or throwing them a family party. It is something to be celebrated.

But do many Mormons have an equivalent celebration for girls who have recently menstruated*? No. At least not among the white Mormon families that I ever knew growing up and none that I know now.

My professor decided she wanted her daughter's experience to be different. So when her daughter started her period at age 14, she had a plan. Her daughter's only condition was that her friends not be involved. Okay. Said professor had her daughter think of the women she admired most in life (one of them is a co-professor in this class). Mother and daughter wrote up invitations for a celebration at the house in the daughter's honor and these women were invited to come-the only condition was that they had to bring a gift that symbolized what womanhood meant to them. Mother/professor made her a special necklace. Red velvet cake was served at the party (hahaha!).

I was impressed and motivated to do something similiar for my daughter(s) when the time comes. I don't want my daughter to be ashamed or embarrased by her biology or to view it in other unsavory ways. After all, because of my own period, I was able to receive the greatest gift of my life-her! Any comments? Would you be inclined to do something similiar? If so, how would you change it to accomodate your family?


*There are exceptions to this, notably among Mormons that are Navajo. Some of them celebrate female menstruation with a well-worn and beautiful tradition called Kinaalda. There may be other groups that have similiar traditions, but they are in the minority in the wide spectrum of what is known as Mormon culture.