Period Power

In theory, this is a great book. At least for the first third of it. After that, it falls into this pseudo-medical, super-holistic branch of self-help, that I do not vibe with. The moon has nothing to do with periods - our womb doesn't have a tide, despite a figure of speech stating otherwise - and while there is a link between metabolism and hormonal balance, the whole notion of there being just one “healthy” (do not get me started on this stupid phrase, or I'll be here all day) way of living that will cure all your ailments is very ... questionable. The medical stuff is pretty accurate and there are a bunch of amazing quotes in the first part of the book, that vibe with my baby-feminist mind - mostly because they are very funny, even if a bit over the top for the sake of what I guess marketing. Those quotes are also fun examples of the writing style of the author, which steers more towards quirky blog rather than academic research. 
 

“I have spent years healing that pain ??? casually at first, and then with fierce commitment. Acupuncture, Chinese herbs, Western herbs, osteopathy, reflexology, massage, homeopathy, nutrition, menstrual cycle awareness, cognitive behavioural therapy, psychotherapy, hands on healing, yoga, divorce, masturbation ??? I have tried them all.” 

“They???re also fond of describing it as phallus-like but given the fact that the clitoris in its entirety is larger than an average flaccid penis, I prefer to think of the penis as a small clitoris.” 

“If you???re using the sympto-thermal method as contraception, then this is when you need to take other measures, e.g. abstaining (boring, particularly if your libido spikes around ovulation), using condoms (still a bit boring but highly effective), or ???pull and pray??? (fun but it requires a lot of prayer, i.e. arguably not a safe method of contraception because it relies on your lover having an excellent level of control).” 

“Periods are the only source of blood not caused by trauma but for the most part they are hidden, managed and minimised, which is ironic, given that they are a sign of a healthy functioning reproductive system and that menstrual blood is a rich source of stem cells ??? a type of cell that can develop into any other cell in the body and is therefore highly valued by the medical community.” 

“Why is it that when blood that comes out of a v*gina is caused by a man ???taking??? someone???s virginity, the blood is celebrated ??? sometimes shown off ??? and he is admired and slapped on the back, but when it???s a monthly natural biological process, it???s repulsive and must be kept hidden?” 

I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, it delivers what it promises, in the sense that your knowledge about your body as a menstruator is enhanced and thus it helps you regain your autonomy in dealing with reproductive health issues. And that can be really empowering, redefining the way we relate to our bodies and helping to prevent and identify conditions that are misdiagnosed or mistreated. Another important aspect is the use of gender-inclusive language, bringing trans and non-binary identities to the conversation about menstruation.

On the other hand, the book often falls into an infantilizing, ‘trying-to-act-cool' approach that is simply not my taste and left me with no will to continue the reading. I know it can benefit those not comfortable about their reproductive and sexual health, but it gets really annoying sometimes and the articulation of her insights with gender, racial and class inequalities ends up being a little bit superficial. Most information is also UK (and US)-centred, which means that statistics and products mentioned do not apply to other contexts.

Overall, it's a useful read for someone who lacks a basic understanding of reproductive health and wants to make improvements in their menstrual cycle. As someone who suffers from the kind of symptoms that are commonly normalised and misheard in the medical community, I felt more empowered to not stop seeking for help and to speak out about my experiences with menstruation.