Tuesday, June 15, 2010

take me to the shame-hut of menstrual isolation


I wish men could understand what  hormonal fluctuations feel like. There should be some sort of pms simulator they can go for a ride in at funfairs.

The ready-to-weep feeling. The frustration. The vulnerability. The irritability. The uncontrolled cliff edge feeling. The homicidal rage.

And even if you know it must be pms, it really doesn't help.

This month the first day of my period has coincided with something very real and difficult, and sweet jesus, the awfulness of how it feels. You wouldn't wish it on your worst enemy... just... all men...

No, seriously, I would cheerfully retire to the hut-of-woman-shame for the week before and during my period. For the good of others, and to get me the fuck away from all you people.

Demure Lemur, writes of all the positives of pms, and how fiction is far more fun and engaging during it - a lovely perspective, not one I've noticed, but a nice idea. Her post made me determined to be more grateful for my own hormonal experiences, but just having been in the middle of it, I am less delighted.

I will say though, that I did greatly appreciate driving with the sun shining warmly and comfortingly onto my cramping abdomen today.

5 comments:

Ms. Moon said...

Can I just say that I do not miss PMS one damn bit?
I'm sure you've heard what Roseanne used to say about PMS, right? The one time of the month when you can really be yourself?

Jo said...

Gah! That's horrible :)

Though my homeopath said something similar (well... kinda) about it being magnified, but magnifying real feelings).

morgor said...

happily ignorant of what it's like to feel it.

Mwa said...

Oh, I don't miss that misery just now either. It's horrible. And so demeaning sometimes, when Babes looks at me with disdain, thinking "It's that time of the month" and I can't even disagree because it is!

Jo said...

What about when you're teaching? I was mortified to think that the annoying naughty boys who used to give me grief were chortling to themselves when I lost the plot once a month.