tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41688674862462439012024-03-19T04:02:47.010+00:00Adventures in MenstruatingHighly unsanitary comedy for menstruators and non-menstruators alike.Chella Quinthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05761526560194444488noreply@blogger.comBlogger67125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168867486246243901.post-35618264907558472592010-06-13T22:12:00.002+01:002010-06-13T22:15:02.668+01:00Chella Quinthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05761526560194444488noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168867486246243901.post-73942501743251637842009-11-18T02:21:00.004+00:002009-11-18T02:23:19.608+00:00Wordpress.So, we moved a while ago over to wordpress, but seem to still be ironing out how to get feeds etc. If you're still linking to this blog, please weigh in with comments over on our new one at<br /><br /><a href="http://chartyourcycle.wordpress.com/">chartyourcycle.wordpress.com</a> or <a href="http://www.chartyourcycle.co.uk/">www.chartyourcycle.co.uk</a><br /><br />And you can also now friend us on facebook, which we update with gigs and new stuff.<br /><br />Cheers!<br /><br />ChellaChella Quinthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05761526560194444488noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168867486246243901.post-33670395942576084722009-10-02T01:39:00.002+01:002009-10-02T01:42:27.119+01:00We're in the news, and we've moved!Hello! If you're still following this page, head on over to <a href="http://www.chartyourcycle.co.uk">www.chartyourcycle.co.uk</a> where my blog and website have chosen to cohabit at the same address out of wedlock.<br /><br />Also, <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/oct/02/menstruation-feminist-activists">check out some groovy coverage we just got in The Guardian</a>.Chella Quinthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05761526560194444488noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168867486246243901.post-26540409752619084322009-08-11T16:14:00.002+01:002009-08-11T16:19:32.420+01:00New blog, now with wings!If, metaphorically, wings are additional pages and shiny things and stuff. I'm moving the blog over to wordpress, and combining it with our old website, thanks to the tireless efforts of my cousin Rick, who understands such things.<br /><br />It's still in the works, but all the old posts are there, and will soon be joined by some new ones, so please reset your um... feeds? links? apps? to:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.chartyourcycle.co.uk">www.chartyourcycle.co.uk</a><br /><br />Thank you! (And thanks to blogger for starting me off with shiny buttons I understood!)<br /><br />-ChellaChella Quinthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05761526560194444488noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168867486246243901.post-92188398939821888422009-07-21T23:20:00.002+01:002009-07-21T23:26:20.888+01:00Berlin continues!<span style="font-family: arial;">We had a great weekend at Ladyfest, where we met loads of amazing people and heard some awesome bands. (More details to follow!) We're co-organizing another event with Lady Gaby (who contributed to Adventures in Menstruating #4) tomorrow night - details are below - please forward and repost to anyone you know in Berlin! :) I had the great pleasure of meeting Brittany Shoot yesterday, and I'm really psyched that there will actually be four contributors reading at the same event!<br /><br />Cheers,<br />Cx<br /></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Vintage Women – Reclaiming Time!</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Wednesday 22 July 2009</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">14:00 until late</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">20:00 Doors open for evening performances</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Lady Gaby presents @</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Wonderbar Wienerstr 45. Berlin XBERG</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Entry: Suggested donation 2 euro</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Daytime Workshops: </span><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Adventures in Menstruating on 50s adverts – deconstructing the media and creating your own spoof ads; Gender stereotypes – subverting oppression through comedy exploration of representation.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">24 Hour Zine Thing – Create your own zine response with ad collages and captions using materials provided or vintage ads/images/text you bring. The completed zine will be available to trade or buy on the night as part of July’s International Zine Month!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Coffee, cakes, brownies, cookies and treats at 1950s prices!</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Swap shop: bring vintage clothing and accessories to trade and share! Fabric pens available for quick modifications – bring your own sewing supplies/ribbon if you’ve got some! </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Knitters and crocheters welcome!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">DJing by Mary from The Baby Cheeses</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Evening - Doors open 8 pm – Comedy sketches, poetry and spoken word from Lady Gaby, Adventures in Menstruating’s Chella Quint and Sarah Thomasin, Brittany Shoot and more!</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Live Music from The Hairy Marys!</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Retro set by DJ Girl Detective</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span>Chella Quinthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05761526560194444488noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168867486246243901.post-49516423173719206612009-07-16T18:25:00.002+01:002009-07-16T18:27:21.025+01:00Ladyfest Berlin!<span style="font-family: arial;">Annual rather than monthly but just as predictably unpredictable and well-loved - Ladyfest Berlin is back under it's newish guise LaD.I.Y.fest Berlin. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Schedule and all other details are </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://ladyfest.lautr.com/">here</a><span style="font-family: arial;">.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Hit us up by email or on the facebook if we should look out for you - we'll be there from Saturday!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Chella</span>Chella Quinthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05761526560194444488noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168867486246243901.post-10102232087822942152009-07-06T18:34:00.009+01:002009-07-07T17:33:13.406+01:00Skids Pads, Viral Ads...and AWESOME comments sections.<span style="font-family:arial;">I have a minor addiction to the Guardian G2 Shortcuts section and quick crossword. Yes, they're available online, but as a zine writer, I need it in print form. Today's dose included Kira Cochrane's </span><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/jul/06/tampax-online-advertising-campaign-men"><span style="font-family:arial;">account</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> of a viral ad campaign about masculine hygiene products by, um, one of my competitors. It's getting a bit freaky how closely feminine hygiene product advertising seems to be echoing our comedy sketches lately. Have we tapped into the zeitgeist? Or are their marketing departments just <em>very</em> thorough? If it's the latter, "Hi there, marketing department researchers. Thanks for stopping by. I think." (Waves nervously.)</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I did these ads for the launch of issue 3 of Adventures in Menstruating, and they've been around ever since at our live comedy shows, which feature various riffs on 'pads for men' ads.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355403800561453474" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJOhuODkE-RralI4FdZQpQe07XHz8bo8gIBolm-AHLK9r03CREYyxCAe6EgeUo-s0fPsewVx3pEwa07VU0P1jVg-B2WKHeeOaVdYF6yXyPcSJTL_QeR6voAu-rJHfm9YO9ItfmDdngQKY/s400/back+cover+issue+4.png" border="0" /><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;">You may enjoy my own </span><a href="http://www.skidspads.co.uk/"><span style="font-family:arial;">contribution to the viral internet canon</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;">, which, like the other Skids stuff, went live in August 2007. Thanks to </span><a href="http://www.cakebreadillustrations.com/"><span style="font-family:arial;">Cakebread Illustrations</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> for offering to make the website after seeing our show in Berlin. Stay tuned for further additions.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">In the meantime, please enjoy the fantastically hilarious comments on today's G2 </span><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/jul/06/tampax-online-advertising-campaign-men"><span style="font-family:arial;">article</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;">. Now </span><a href="http://www.mooncup.co.uk/"><span style="font-family:arial;">Mooncup</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> <em>really</em> know how to do viral. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Time flies. Issue 4 is due another reprint, and we're back in Berlin on 18 July.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">-Chella</span>Chella Quinthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05761526560194444488noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168867486246243901.post-35605070106578711262009-06-15T00:36:00.003+01:002009-06-15T00:39:20.993+01:00Meanwhile, back in menstrual superhero land...<span style="font-family:arial;">One word: </span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=25967684">Vajewellery</a><span style="font-family:arial;">.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">You heard it here first.</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">-Chella<br /><br />Thanks to <a href="http://www.brittanyshoot.com/">Brittany Shoot</a> for the link.<br /></span>Chella Quinthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05761526560194444488noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168867486246243901.post-13621621197561493422009-06-07T23:18:00.002+01:002009-06-07T23:42:24.873+01:00Come see us!<span style="font-family: arial;">Hey! So...we're gonna be at the <a href="http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2009/06/431812.html">Bradford Zine Fayre</a> on our first anniversary, which is the 21st of June. <span style="font-family: arial;">We reckon since it's our paper anniversary, that's pretty cool! We'll be tabling, doing a workshop, and reading. Join us if you can.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Big thanks to Joel for inviting us, and for giving a shout out to Ye Olde English.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Chella</span>Chella Quinthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05761526560194444488noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168867486246243901.post-64127784777863863952009-06-05T00:07:00.006+01:002009-06-10T01:15:15.474+01:00The Great Red Spot of Jupiter, huh?<span style="font-family:arial;">My writing buddy, Rich, sent me this </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/reddit/i-asked-my-girlfriend-to-draw-what-was-happening-i#responses">link</a><span style="font-family:arial;"> today - it's a doodle done on paint (it appears), in a seemingly hurried and off-the-cuff sort of way. It's surprisingly accurate, though. (More accurate than Sarah's vague paint rendition of US geography, which is hilarioius and she has allowed me to disclose this here.) I'm disturbed by the </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Langoliers">Langoliers</a><span style="font-family:arial;">*, but their presence makes sense.</span><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;">I LOVE the real photocheck of Jupiter because I'm a complete astronomy geek. </span><span style="font-family:arial;">The way Buzzfeed (which I've never looked at before but seems like an excellent procrastination tool to add to my inexaustible supply) works seems to involve an elaborate system of tagging - I count mostly LOLs but only one CUTE, with quite a few WTFs and, sadly, too many EWs (and one TRASHY, which seems a bit of a stretch, to me...).</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Anyone want to do a definitive work on this with a Venn diagram and everything?</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Chella</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">*The 'chompers' look remarkably similar to the Steven King bad guys from the film version of the book. They eat leftovers, so I suppose it's fair enough, but that film scared the crap out of me.<br /><br />PS. Edited to add that we're both really curious about the artist! We'd like to give credit we're credit is due and neither Rich nor I could find the source. :) So yeah, answers on a postcard, please.<br /></span>Chella Quinthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05761526560194444488noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168867486246243901.post-45672414999918367252009-06-04T02:52:00.002+01:002009-06-04T02:55:23.150+01:00Berlin!We're going to Berlin! 17 - 27 July! We'll be there for Ladyfest and will probably do some more readings and stuff there the following week. Stay tuned. (And get in touch if you will be in Berlin and want to collaborate.)<br /><br />ChellaChella Quinthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05761526560194444488noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168867486246243901.post-32649094322855041142009-06-03T00:35:00.001+01:002009-06-03T00:38:04.011+01:00I'm taking it as a compliment.<meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link style="font-family: arial;" rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CMQUINT%7E1%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:595.3pt 841.9pt; margin:72.0pt 28.3pt 72.0pt 36.0pt; mso-header-margin:35.4pt; mso-footer-margin:35.4pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> <p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal">"You were the funnest person I've met in a toilet for ages."</p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal">I was recently chatting to that girl I met in the toliet a couple of months ago, and this was her parting comment.
<br /></p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal">That's good, right?</p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal">Chella
<br /></p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"></p>Chella Quinthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05761526560194444488noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168867486246243901.post-49226558972827365522009-06-01T01:13:00.004+01:002009-06-01T01:34:50.316+01:00Zine-tastic.<span style="font-family: arial;">The London Zine Symposium was fantastic. Met great people, saw some beautiful work, and loved loved loved reading with a cadre of funny and intelligent fellow zinesters. I'd tour with those guys. It rocked!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">At the moment I'm working on Robyn's Egg: A child's Introduction to Menstruation (which I think I've mentioned before), and two companion children's books, which is taking some honing of my rusty illustration skills. The other two books are 'Rocket to the Moon' (tampons as improvised toys and craft supplies) and 'How Does Your Friend Make You Feel' (a colouring and activity book based on menstrual euphemisms that I think might also make a good creative writing/comic workshop - stay tuned). </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">I'm also in the middle of developing my guide to sanitary disposal units: The SDU and YOU: Public Inconveniences. Stay tuned for the results of interviews with industry insiders!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">We're looking at summer plans and should have a couple of events lined up soon. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Chella</span>Chella Quinthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05761526560194444488noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168867486246243901.post-55136776130881745742009-04-27T00:15:00.002+01:002009-04-27T00:22:16.597+01:00London Zine Symposium this Sunday!<span style="font-family: arial;">We'll be there doing some live readings from Adventures in Menstruating #4. Details can be found at the </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://londonzinesymposium.lasthours.org.uk/">website</a><span style="font-family: arial;">, and there's also a facebook group. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">The London Zine Symposium is a lot of fun - there are always groovy people to hang out with, sexy vegan snacks to eat (in 2007 there was vegan 'cheese' cake that I will never forget) and beautiful handmade and/or self-published zines and books to browse, trade for or buy. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Throughout the day there will be readings and workshops. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">12-6, The Rag Factory, London. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Chella</span>Chella Quinthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05761526560194444488noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168867486246243901.post-85487242748008857362009-04-17T14:40:00.030+01:002009-04-26T03:30:38.347+01:00I Love New York<span style="font-size:100%;"><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih5mEKhI8TRv3ssi5JweTVD5jeANWC9MjIYka8jn2L1FPy7YeZCToxcpGVEiriU6zLyALM2aX_GvZ5R-knwZegFj2EqS_NGJrUn2msEganbr9rPbE3WJGBIO7kvxbbxjKFoUUYT534dfQ/s1600-h/120420092812.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih5mEKhI8TRv3ssi5JweTVD5jeANWC9MjIYka8jn2L1FPy7YeZCToxcpGVEiriU6zLyALM2aX_GvZ5R-knwZegFj2EqS_NGJrUn2msEganbr9rPbE3WJGBIO7kvxbbxjKFoUUYT534dfQ/s320/120420092812.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326208703349923346" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;">Last week I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">was</span> lucky enough to be in New York having a whale of a time over Passover and Easter. At the start of the week, I arrived at my parents' house in NJ to find two awesome parcels waiting for me from </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.sweettoothcrafts.blogspot.com/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Niku</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> and </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://sweetcandydistro.weebly.com/">Sage</a><span style="font-family:arial;"> containing copies of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Niku's</span> collage zine I'd contributed to and my cycle girl on badges made by Sage. As I was getting ready for the readings later in the week, I found out it was Joanne Morton of the <a href="http://fcwsociety.wordpress.com/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">FCW</span></a> network's birthday on the day of the reading, which gave me the idea to do the reading as a kind of an Adventures in Menstruating #4 launch party with goody bags, which I had great fun putting together with my best friend Matt the night before. They were little red paper bags tied with ribbon and contained a red ball and jacks, two red lollipops, and a badge among other bits and pieces and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">flyers</span>. He also made a t-shirt for me with iron-on letters that spelled out 'Menarche Now!' - the slogan from Sarah's story in Adventures in Menstruating #2. </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://babeland.com/">Toys in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Babeland</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> donated a gift set including a reusable shopping bag (which gives the bearer 10% off every future purchase), vibrator, lube, and (most importantly) batteries, and my brother got me some classy chocolate-covered <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">matzah</span>. </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"> It was super cool having an all-male send off for my comedy menstrual gig, actually. </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">And thus, a party was born. <br /><br />My friend James read a really sweet intro and then helped me raffle off the t-shirt and the Toys in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Babeland</span> bag to raise some money for Bluestockings, and the menstrual comedy fans were really generous. It was a great atmosphere at the reading - a really warm and enthusiastic crowd, and (since I was only there for a few days) served as a welcome and a farewell for my flying visit. I was really psyched that Microcosm's Sparky got to NYC in time to attend because we'd never had the chance to meet in person before and she's really friendly! Huge props to long-time supporter <a href="http://jenna.openflows.com/">Jenna</a> from <a href="http://radicalreference.info/">Radical Reference</a> and the <a href="http://www.barnard.edu/library/zines/">Barnard Zine Library</a> who's <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">attended</span> the Bluestockings readings a few times now, and all the staff working that night for joining in and making me feel so at home.<br /><br />Later that night (after a karaoke, pineapple juice and rum-themed send-off) at <a href="www.livingtheatre.org/">The Living Theatre</a> I read some more on my own and also with a fellow baseball-loving, Doctor Who geek college pal. It seemed like a great small venue - I'd recommend it and will most likely head back there again to see other work. I met awesome people at both readings, including another woman who had a women's health-super-hero-alter-ego, some radical teachers, and wicked cool readers who were already familiar with the zines and well-versed in the menstrual <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">hi jinks</span>.<br /><br />The next morning I finished the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">triptych</span> with a visit to the <a href="http://anarchistbookfair.net/">anarchist <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">bookfair</span></a> where I donated zines to the <a href="www.swopusa.org">Sex Workers Outreach Project</a> and traded some more for some vegan chocolate <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">peanut butter</span> cups and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">screenprinted</span> speculum stencil patches. I also got chatting with lovely people visiting from <a href="http://www.woodenshoebooks.org/">Wooden Shoe Books</a> in Philly, who were the first shop to ever carry my zine, and picked up some info from <a href="www.booksthroughbars.org/">Books Through Bars</a>, <a href="www.abcnorio.org">ABC No Rio</a>, and <a href="www.teachingforchange.org">Teaching for Change</a> (got a book of radical lesson plans). </span></span><br /><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Zines I picked up (awesomely, all trades, actually):</span></p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"></span></p><blockquote><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">For the Mobile Menstrual Zine Library:</span></p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Where Have all the Placentas Gone? </span></p> <p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Herbal Abortion: A Woman’s <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">DIY</span> Guide</span></p> <p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">What Your Momma (or your doctor or your teacher or anybody) Never Told You About Your Period</span></p> <p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Girl Fuck - An <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Introduction</span> to Girl on Girl <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Lovin</span>'</span></p></blockquote><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"></span></p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">I also got Dave Roche's newest zine, About My Disappearance 2, because he's awesome and I miss him but I hear he's having a whale of a time in Australia right now so I can't complain.<br /></span></p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">More details to follow on those zines as I read them.<br /></span></p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">This update was written while listening to old <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">skool</span> Rutgers <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">zinester</span> </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://rradio.livejournal.com/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">Rebecca</span>’s</a> set at</span><span style=";font-size:100%;" > <a href="http://thecore.fm/public/shows/people/rsb.htm">The Core FM</a>.</span></p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal">The new issue and all back issues are currently in stock at <a href="http://bluestockings.com/">Bluestockings</a> and <a href="http://microcosmpublishing.com/">Microcosm</a>, and will soon be available at Erin's new <a href="http://www.thingsyousaydistro.com/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">distro</span></a>.<br /></p><span style="font-size:100%;"></span><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">I'll leave you with the Bluestockings bathroom - a joy to behold with a bathroom book, artwork, lots of space, an awesome minimalist bucket sink (you'll have to visit to see that part - it's inspired) and, if you're that way inclined, a hand-rolled cigarette lovingly left in the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">toilet</span>-roll basket. Crazy.<br /></span></p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">I'll post more when the ridiculously long-winded jet lag of doom wears off.</span></p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">Chella</span></span></p><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOnGvaTLlYzQnpr6j1NDC60CX3ETLcmpxLRji0Lyo0aQUCmvjsN3NUwLCLjmNe3IE_QFHxpSgVwh0qSilLMjsEw0ZZ9AD9_DJm1B5wfkgxRBq9xJ1V80Ce6DtULVP0IqGG4I-gJfECIcw/s1600-h/100420092760.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOnGvaTLlYzQnpr6j1NDC60CX3ETLcmpxLRji0Lyo0aQUCmvjsN3NUwLCLjmNe3IE_QFHxpSgVwh0qSilLMjsEw0ZZ9AD9_DJm1B5wfkgxRBq9xJ1V80Ce6DtULVP0IqGG4I-gJfECIcw/s320/100420092760.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326208694651639138" border="0" /></a> <a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2UJPGYfVVaTDsEestnPI3QArTLtwicm0NP7Mh6fUdvi35e57uizpI0ZkMIQv3_HZKSnbD25kx-x19a1PpcB5edS3Bgu1bh29FwBYWeI2FfE4ifOwJPJA8FQ8Dy4zD8JYsYTx1ripZMdY/s1600-h/100420092758.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2UJPGYfVVaTDsEestnPI3QArTLtwicm0NP7Mh6fUdvi35e57uizpI0ZkMIQv3_HZKSnbD25kx-x19a1PpcB5edS3Bgu1bh29FwBYWeI2FfE4ifOwJPJA8FQ8Dy4zD8JYsYTx1ripZMdY/s320/100420092758.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326208703412942962" border="0" /></a> <a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEdb72PnqE4SEqLqwimbgesL4Yo_0ka0XmCAB3b7ZheeQ_546hxm7DY0Q_jKr76TtuucxH1242ChNvuHa6kxXASGJ7bQ1zYYk4Ds6xyBGY-6ywa-wI-XyYSZMtpxYpz6RxsVUAfFs0F1Q/s1600-h/100420092759.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEdb72PnqE4SEqLqwimbgesL4Yo_0ka0XmCAB3b7ZheeQ_546hxm7DY0Q_jKr76TtuucxH1242ChNvuHa6kxXASGJ7bQ1zYYk4Ds6xyBGY-6ywa-wI-XyYSZMtpxYpz6RxsVUAfFs0F1Q/s320/100420092759.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326208696866854226" border="0" /></a></span></div>Chella Quinthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05761526560194444488noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168867486246243901.post-36138478337744374172009-04-10T15:53:00.003+01:002009-04-12T15:03:28.999+01:00Adventures in Menstru-reading<span style="font-family:arial;">See what I did there? </span>
<br />
<br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I'm reading tonight at </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://bluestockings.com/">Bluestockings Bookstore</a><span style="font-family:arial;">, NYC, at 7 pm with the new issue of the zine. It's all gone a bit launch party styley and there'll be treats and goodybags with vouchers and raffle prizes. </span>
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<br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Later tonight (at 10:40, to be exact) I'm reading at the Anarchist Bookfair's Arts Night at </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.livingtheatre.org/">The Living Theatre</a><span style="font-family:arial;">. Somehow I'm on the poster as simply 'menstruation'. Not Adventures in Menstruating, not Chart Your Cycle, not Chella Quint... I am amazed and impressed that the event coordinators and poster designers consider the simple act or concept of garden variety menstruation itself enough of a draw to give it billing. </span>
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<br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Hope to see you tonight!</span>
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<br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Chella</span>
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<br /></st1:address></st1:street></span></b>Chella Quinthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05761526560194444488noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168867486246243901.post-72519546286131962912009-04-08T02:23:00.006+01:002009-04-08T13:44:32.839+01:00Who knew Trey Parker and Matt Stone had their collective finger on THIS pulse?<span style="font-family:arial;">This is a quote from our website: </span><br /><blockquote style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:78%;">Why is menstruation funny?<br /><br />Um...for the same reasons a lot of other stuff is funny.<br /><br />It's a taboo subject - the shock of it all always gets a giggle right away and, immature or not, the gross-out factor is still fun. It's the new fart joke. You wait and see.</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><span style=";font-family:helvetica,arial,sans-serif;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></span></span></span></blockquote><span style="font-family:arial;">And then I watched the most recent episode of </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.southparkstudios.com/">South Park</a><span style="font-family:arial;">, which was awesome. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Here's a you tube <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCzwRSA6IJs&feature=related">link</a> to the song at the end of the episode, since UK readers can't stream it, thanks to an irritating contract issue. I think, as usual, they've pretty much nailed it. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Chella</span>Chella Quinthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05761526560194444488noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168867486246243901.post-27211449513041035922009-04-04T20:25:00.003+01:002009-04-04T20:55:25.196+01:00Prop THIS.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil-xqiG3HxCbPOyyozmiMVNOzpoWJOb5zUxMO85MqSgUuYNMerj5IjfYWFvX2Sz7rqlShgQm9DftN76VlaChXqBIJTaogP4XqKHQdqCJGZ3oW_qOSNHYThDvoaW27pzKaW91LY7wE93BQ/s1600-h/front+cover+issue+4+small.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 283px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil-xqiG3HxCbPOyyozmiMVNOzpoWJOb5zUxMO85MqSgUuYNMerj5IjfYWFvX2Sz7rqlShgQm9DftN76VlaChXqBIJTaogP4XqKHQdqCJGZ3oW_qOSNHYThDvoaW27pzKaW91LY7wE93BQ/s400/front+cover+issue+4+small.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320923659448335426" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />Adventures in Menstruating #4 will be available from next week and I've decided to dedicate it to the people who <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7981893.stm">legalized gay marriage in Iowa</a>. Come on, federal government, keep up.<br /></span>Chella Quinthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05761526560194444488noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168867486246243901.post-71720306039579540792009-04-04T20:00:00.002+01:002009-04-04T20:15:53.754+01:00Bluestockings gets its period<span style="font-family: arial;"></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Our <a href="http://bluestockings.com/">favourite bookstore</a> had better break out the Diva cups for a week of menstrual mayhem with not one but two menses-themed events.<br /><br />First up is Rachel Kauder Nalebuff reading from her collection of menarchic anecdotes, </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.mylittleredbook.net/" target="_blank">My Little Red Book</a><span style="font-family: arial;">, tonight. If you're in the area, go and check her out. Sadly, I'll still be in the UK, busy printing and packing issues of AIM #4 for my own trip to NY next week but I'll be there in spirit, Menarche Now! style.<br /><br />To complete the menstrual cycle this Friday, I'll actually be at <a href="http://bluestockings.com/">Bluestockings</a> myself, with some comedy readings to launch Adventures in Menstruating #4. Join me for curious advertising and design trends, masculine hygiene products and more vintage ads. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Both readings begin at 7 pm and are free, although donations to the awesome Bluestockings team are always welcome.</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"> Two menstrual readings in one week? Mad props to the Bluestockings gang: That's more than most bookstores manage in a lifetime.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Chella</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"></span>Chella Quinthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05761526560194444488noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168867486246243901.post-2736479804559946362009-04-03T03:03:00.005+01:002009-04-03T03:16:41.879+01:00Meta Meta Meta<span style="font-family:arial;">I think it's silly how pleased I am, but feel free to weigh in on this one yourselves -</span><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://weltdeswissens.wordpress.com/2008/10/08/honeymoon-period/"><br />Die Wunderbare Welt Des Wissens</a><span style="font-family:arial;"> seems to be a blog of musings, events and things that caught the blogger's eye. It's certainly a Wonderful World of something, but I don't think my unintentional contribution showed particular wisdom...maybe just cheekiness.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I take a lot of pictures of the excellent Berlin graf every summer, and post them around on facebook and google photo and stuff...but it turns out I've now come full circle.</span><br /><br /><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcUWv41SOLyCfTH5NmR19jr2LjybAGWECvsDkNT_mYNvSUxC-HxrmGnd_qITfvPtCJa3Ov64ZpGNkQLx3wqra6_eSM0r72OPMo-D7nD4XBYcoxRy_hIKemiITs3iXnrqPfj5NdrSRaVAU/s1600-h/berlin+graf+me.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcUWv41SOLyCfTH5NmR19jr2LjybAGWECvsDkNT_mYNvSUxC-HxrmGnd_qITfvPtCJa3Ov64ZpGNkQLx3wqra6_eSM0r72OPMo-D7nD4XBYcoxRy_hIKemiITs3iXnrqPfj5NdrSRaVAU/s400/berlin+graf+me.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320281156409393170" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Thanks to my friend John who took a rubbish little doodle of mine and Illustrator-ed it into oblivion.</span> It's such a shame we won't get to use it agan, so I'm really glad it lives in sticker form, in Berlin, where we spent part of our lovely honeymoon.<br /><br />It's a shame one person felt the need to comment with, simply, 'Urgs.'<br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">But it's nice to see that a different commenter has written a reply that's pretty right on in any language: "What's your problem? It's only natural." (Thank you, </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://cunninglinguaphile.blogspot.com/">Sarah</a><span style="font-family:arial;">, for your fast and loose tranlations.)</span>Chella Quinthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05761526560194444488noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168867486246243901.post-37857491794560435322009-04-02T18:23:00.004+01:002009-04-02T18:28:51.129+01:00not!menstrual<a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5aLs6xE6fS1SoV_QwfeMDRtQnKlZvBez0fzL47PTSDd3Mgx7BD1fnRQZ5q0C65alhOj81V8Lkt9Z9hHI8_WtOhU7xD7JV3ykN-hd3VXXFdFLr4o1NtQj-_QAPhmmBLaNIRRAoi1Cq0M0/s1600-h/stalag-poster.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 137px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5aLs6xE6fS1SoV_QwfeMDRtQnKlZvBez0fzL47PTSDd3Mgx7BD1fnRQZ5q0C65alhOj81V8Lkt9Z9hHI8_WtOhU7xD7JV3ykN-hd3VXXFdFLr4o1NtQj-_QAPhmmBLaNIRRAoi1Cq0M0/s200/stalag-poster.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320146177000576962" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: arial;">Anyone know who designed it? It's amazing where you can allow yourself to see tampons while you're editing the next issue of your menstrual comedy zine.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Correction, I guess...It's amazing where I can allow myself to see tampons while I'm editing the next issue of my menstrual comedy zine.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">I just finished the cover and it's in for printing. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">We've got an interesting new sponsor, as well - whole back cover ad!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Hehehe...kidding. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Sort of. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">By anyway, that's where I've been the past couple of days I should have been posting. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Chella</span>Chella Quinthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05761526560194444488noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168867486246243901.post-58778649819980002912009-03-27T22:09:00.009+00:002009-04-03T03:18:01.301+01:00Synchronized!<span style="font-family:arial;">I met a woman in the toilet.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I know what you're thinking.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">But you're wrong.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">What happened was...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">...ok I know what you're now thinking....</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">and you're still wrong. (Thank you, Laura, other woman I just met in the pub.)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Shit.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Seriously, I'm out at the pub with some friends and we're all having a laugh over my ineptitude at keeping quiet about menstruation.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I just can't help myself. It's like a disorder.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">What happened was, I met a girl who asked to share my table, but the seat was taken. Then I happened to go to the toilet at the same time as she did, three times. It went: awkward looks in mirror as we were both surprised to see each other again, embarrassed apology on our second meeting for denying her a table, and finally, friendship. She saw me again and said, 'Wow! We've synchronized!'</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Readers of Adventures in Menstruating #3 may remember my concerns about what to say about menstrual synchronization. It's a whole other ballpark when it's toilet synchronization. We're now friends, I think. She works for an organization that gives kids free bikes. One day soon, I'll explain to her about the zine, and why I nearly exploded with laughter in her face at 'Wow! We've synchronized!' </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Last weekend I was in the public toilet at the newly refurbished theatre in town, and got into a very long and loud conversation with some cool old ladies about the width of the cubicles finally meeting their approval.<br /><br /></span>"I wrote in," said one. "The old toilets were too narrow for my mature backside! I'm glad they finally listened," she beamed.<br /><br />Mature backside one, Historically cramped public inconveniences - zero.<br /><br />I'm going to have to find a swift and sensible way to explain why I tend to loiter in public toilets and strike up conversations though.<br /><br />ChellaChella Quinthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05761526560194444488noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168867486246243901.post-30202027479764578032009-03-25T23:35:00.007+00:002009-03-26T18:08:50.630+00:00Newphemisms.<span style="font-family:arial;">So, in our quest for ever stupider content, Sarah and I have been doing some fart-joke style menstrual riffing. Proper lowest common denominator stuff. That's your disclaimer. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I mentioned to Sarah that I wanted to come up with some new menstrual euphemisms - just for fun - no stigma attatched but more for vocabularic variety. There are fabulous metaphors for masturbation, defecation and all the other -ations that come out of your body, but menstrual metaphors all seem very negative and 1950s to us. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Her suggestion: </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ScH-X91qmo">When the Red, Red Robin Comes Bob, Bob, Bobbin' Along</a><span style="font-family:arial;"> - I laughed and laughed. Then we looked up the song and realised it was sung by Doris Day (we love Doris Day), mentioned throbbing, and was about feeling positive. Why not specifically period positive, we say. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Usage:</span><br /><blockquote style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;">Sarah: Hey, Chella, my Red Red Robin just came Bob Bob Bobbin' along. Have you got a tampon?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Chella: What a coincidence. My </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14IRDDnEPR4">99 Red Balloons</a><span style="font-family:arial;"> have just gone by and and I've still got a pad in my bag.<br /></span></blockquote><span style="font-family:arial;">(Only the English version of that song works, by the way, and could have some straw-grasping interpretations about male panic about menstruation rather than an impending invasion.)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">In more sensible news, Sarah's </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://feministreview.blogspot.com/2009/03/dream-on-sarah-thomasin.html">poem</a><span style="font-family:arial;"> was posted on Feminist Review today. For her efforts, she's won a quite cool looking </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://feministreview.blogspot.com/2009/03/what-is-your-dream-contest-winners.html">book</a><span style="font-family:arial;">. Another winner, Erika Mikkalo, wrote a </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://feministreview.blogspot.com/2009/03/light-bulb-erika-mikkalo.html">poem</a><span style="font-family:arial;"> that reminded me of the Radio 4 programme I mentioned the other week about feminists being funny: </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00j188w">Call Yourself A Feminist</a><span style="font-family:arial;">.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Do send us newphemisms.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Chella</span>Chella Quinthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05761526560194444488noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168867486246243901.post-3336604185336203892009-03-24T22:46:00.006+00:002009-03-25T07:45:22.713+00:00My Aunt Flo would be proud.<span style="font-family:arial;">I'm starting a new category of posts: things that</span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" > sound</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> like menstrual euphemisms, </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >could</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> be menstrual euphemisms, but </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >aren't</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> menstrual euphemisms...yet.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Yep - things that are not menstrual but could be - nay </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >should</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> be.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">First up: </span><a style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0); font-family: arial;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flora_the_Red_Menace">Flora The Red Menace</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">This was a 60s musical starring Liza Minelli. It's about communism, predictably, and, more surprisingly, fashion design.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">But to misquote HBO's favorite 80s rerun, Clue, communism's just a red herring these days. I doubt this play will have revivals as successful as its sibling creations, Cabaret and Chicago. That's why I suggest that we give it its own special revival. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Now, I'm obviously not condoning euphemism for period-shame-related cover ups, but I have no problem with nicknaming my period. (Party Weirdo's Cara gave her period a </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://chartyourcycle.blogspot.com/2007/04/how-does-it-feel-to-be-immortalised-in.html">stage name</a><span style="font-family:arial;">, after all.)</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><br />I nickname all my friends. Most of them don't mind. </span><span style="font-family:arial;">Imagine this exchange:</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" ></span><blockquote><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >Nicknamed Friend of Chella (who doesn't mind): Hey Chella, what's up?</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >Chella: I'm totally chilling with Flora the Red Menace today, man!</span></blockquote><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Yeah...that works for me.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Send in your not-menstrual-but-should-be suggestions.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Chella</span>Chella Quinthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05761526560194444488noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168867486246243901.post-35562635087671753072009-03-20T22:41:00.004+00:002009-03-20T23:23:55.173+00:00Actually, I AM having a happy period, thank you very much...Well, I <span style="font-style: italic;">am. </span>The Always campaign has been lambasted in a McSweeney's open letter blog post and the subsequent round of email fwds on the mom and third degree of separation friend circuit, but I actually <span style="font-style: italic;">am</span> having a happy period.<br /><br />By this I mean that my period is flowing nicely, no hiccups (I mean that figuratively, but now I'm beginning to wonder how a <span style="font-style: italic;">literal</span> menstrual hiccup would manifest itself...), no leaks, the cramps provided a reliable rhythm throughout the day like a small and temperamental Volkswagon Beetle, and I was in a good mood.<br /><br />I was teaching a drama class today, and a girl got 'that' panicked look on her face and asked to speak to me away from the other kids. She said, 'Miss, can I go to the toilet? I think I've just come on.' Without batting an eye, and particularly cheerfully (because I was actually having a happy period), I replied, 'Oh, yeah, no problem. I just came on today as well. Do you need a pad? And don't worry about saying it in private - we don't need to talk about periods like they're a dirty secret - because they're not.' She was really cool about it and when she walked back into the room she didn't do the 'slinking back from running to the toilet' walk - she held her head high.<br /><br />So, yeah, despite major difficulties with the ebb and flow that many women often have, there are some people who generally don't suffer too much, and could be persuaded that periods are kinda fun, and even funny. So...the Always campaign agrees with me - on the surface. This didn't sit too well with me, so I looked at their website and tried to work out what they were getting at.<br /><br />The e-cards (did they read Adventures in Menstruating #3?) give the game away - apparently, having a happy period means excusing away sexist, stereotypical behaviours (eating chocolate, shopping, and acting bitchy) in a spectacular body image/capitalist/alpha female triple whammy.<br /><br />This is a campaign that initially appears to be pro-menstrual normalisation and celebration but could do a lot of harm either way you look at it:<br /><ul><li>Some women think it's cute and positive, and use the website and the e-cards and it's a barrel of monkeys. Many of these women then go on to buy the product they've developed an affinity for and get sucked further into the disposable pad market.</li><li>Other women become uproariously irritated, rail against the notion that periods are in any way a ray of sunshine, and back this up with a litany of all the things that are shit about periods. They boycott the pads but propogate the notion that women are <span style="font-style: italic;">victims </span>who <span style="font-style: italic;">suffer</span> from periods and unwittingly support other women to seek out the allegedly panacea-like pads.</li></ul>So it seems the tagline itself is the only redeemable notion.<br /><br />Except...<br /><br />The problem with saying 'Have a Happy Period' is that when Always says it, it's about as sincere as when any other multi-national corporation says anything. Their next question may as well be, 'Do you want wings with that?'<br /><br />We have plenty of nice days, but we, as a people, don't like to be <span style="font-style: italic;">told</span> to have a nice day. Always <span style="font-style: italic;">could </span>be promoting the notion that for some people, periods don't need to be a negative experience EVERY month, but instead they are taking ownership of the good times we have with our periods.<br /><br />It's my birthday tomorrow, so I'm anticipating that the happy period times will continue.<br /><br />The video ads are mesmerising though, and I quite like the graphic design version of the improv game of props going on with the pads as shoes and boats and things, but <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEj31njaeX0">Red Dwarf</a> did it first and best.<br /><br />Still curious about the hiccups.<br /><br />ChellaChella Quinthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05761526560194444488noreply@blogger.com1