Menstrual blood has long been a topic that has been relegated to conversations behind closed doors. But the crimson tides are beginning to turn.This week guest host Omisade Burney-Scott, creator of the multimedia project The Black Girl’s Guide To Surviving Menopause, meets four people who are working to bring periods into the public discourse through scientific, cultural and political discussions.
Dr. Charis Chambers, a board-certified OB-GYN, dispels period misinformation through her social media platforms, where she goes by the handle “The Period Doctor.” Dr. Charis shares what different menstrual blood characteristics can reveal about the body and its reproductive health.
Omisade also sits down with two menstrual health advocates and researchers, Ashi Arora and Vianey Blades, to discuss the cultural impact of cyclic bleeding. Ashi discusses how menstruation liberation can be at the heart of community building, while Vianey shares how her period blood inspires her to create art.
Attorney and activist Jennifer Weiss-Wolf also joins the conversation. Jennifer details how menstruation and menopause policy shape our society and her hopes that period politics will take center stage in the upcoming presidential election. Jennifer is the author of “Periods Gone Public: Taking a Stand for Menstrual Equity.”
Special thanks to Nicole Tay, Jimalion, and Lina Lyte Plioplyte for sharing their stories with us.