When The Period Painters Come in to Decorate

If a woman’s body was a home, its walls would be covered in a myriad of vibrancy and colour.

But for a lot of us too, roughly 26% of the world’s population, we have painters come in to decorate the walls in a lovely hue of magenta, scarlett, sangria, mahogany, crimson, garnet, current and cherry. Time for a bottle of wine, she says.

Generally, we don’t like pesky painters. I don’t know about you, but my painters never come on time, always running late or knocking too early. Putting me in uncomfortable situations where I may have plans in white pants and wasn’t expecting those little shits to turn up. But they do, and I’ve learnt to live with them.

We may be used to the painters, but our society’s standards of TMI are not.

They love to look at our homes from the exterior, pretending like those painters spread glitter and fairy tales, and red riding hood never stepped foot in your forest…I mean, it’s ABSURD!

Apparently, no one likes the idea of red walls, red carpets, heck, if the paints heavy, well red bloody everything?

Today, I’m sick of pretending like our houses are always the same shade from the outside. It’s our house, our walls, our customised painters who sometimes like to wear pink on Wednesdays. It’s ours to own, and ours to protect and share.

So, no different to a Sunday bbq at your neighbour’s house, let’s talk about all those pesky painters at Janice’s and Barbara’s and their blobby bathroom paint finishes.

Here are some facts to ponder on:

• Many girls do not have a complete and accurate understanding of menstruation as a normal biological process. – UNICEF
• Many women and girls do not have access to materials to manage their menstruation, especially in times of emergency — natural disasters and conflicts. – UNICEF 
• 80% of women experience period pain at some stage in their lifetime. – Women’s Health Concern
• 1 in 10 women suffer from Endometriosis – Endometriosis Australia
• Only 13.8% of women call in sick during their periods, and over 80% of women who continue to go to school or work with their periods were less productive as a result. – British Medical Journal 
• 20.1% of women who would not attend work or school because of their menstruation pain, told their employer/school a different reason for being absent. – British Medical Journal 

This research suggests that there is an underlying taboo for women when discussing periods, more than likely due to a historical “mythical” misunderstanding. According to the British Medical Journal, it primarily shows that women “reflect the need to change the view of menstrual symptoms and the way they are addressed to society”. 

The most distasteful fact is, this taboo about periods still exists today.

This month, the first Australian commercial by Asaleo Care (produce Libra) for their #bloodnormal campaign, showed RED period blood *not blue blood* in prime time television. This historical destigmatising of menstruation moment resulted in over 600 complaints sent to Ad Standards. Ad Standards dismissed the claims saying it did not breach any Code of Ethics.

Now, for starters, I’m not from Planet Oestrogen, I don’t have blue blood, and even Smurfs bleed red!

Secondly, the fact that complaints went as far as saying the commercial was “disgusting” and “offensive” makes my blood boil.

Here is the link to the video. 

We would love to hear your opinion.

If you haven’t heard of Bodyform, they are a maxi pad brand in the UK and are renown for their kick ass marketing strategies in female period empowerment.

When lots of us women share our annoyances about the painters, it’s often ignored, and not spoken about.

But there are reasons why we don’t like them, and we need to be more educated about it. 

For some of us our painters bear fists and decide that while they paint, they like to punch you in the ovaries when you’re not looking. Bastards. 

But the old saying, of “you’ll be right, it’s just that time of the month”, or “don’t be dramatic”, should be out the window if everyone could see you’re in fisticuffs with the painter.

It is utterly heartbreaking knowing that so many women are in pain, thinking that it’s normal and listen to ignorant colloquialisms of it just being life. 

Now, if the painters come to decorate this month, and you’re used to preparing for fista-cuffs, then take this information and advice from Better Health Victoria:

Period pain is called dysmenorrhoea, and it is crucial that if you suffer from this, see your GP. You need to make sure that you are thoroughly examined to check that reproductive disorders like endometriosis or Fibroids do not cause your period pain. 

And most importantly, before you go, stand up for yourself! And if you’re reading this and you’re a man, be open to the conversation.  

Don’t be afraid to talk about red walls, and report those painters if they are punching you in the ovaries!

#bloodnormal 

Now recently, a man posted to Bodyforms Facebook, whinging about their unrealistic marketing of “happy periods”. 

If you want to see something so epic that you have a Breakfast Club fist in the air moment, by all means, watch the video, a PR DREAM! Hope it makes you smile.

MEDICAL DISCLAIMER: 

This article provides general information and discussions about health and related subjects. The information and other content provided in this article, or in any linked materials, is not a substitute for professional medical expertise or treatment.

If you or any other person has a medical concern, you should consult with your healthcare provider. 

We acknowledge the people of the Kulin Nation, on whose unceded sovereign land we work. We pay our respects to their Elders, past, present and emerging.