Periods on the Big Screen
America’s culture around periods is both shaped and mirrored by depictions that we see in the media. The societal idea of getting a period has quite literally been scripted. What we see on screen is filled with overwhelming disgust, avoidance, and shame around bleeding. From commercials to movies to educational films, let’s take a look at the narrative of menstruation in the media.
Until 1972, pads and tampons could not be advertised on TV screens due to Hollywood’s censorship laws. It wasn’t for another 13 years, in 1985, that the actual word “period” was used in a commercial. Even when periods did appear on screen, they were greatly misrepresented. Brands in the late 19th to early 20th century advertised that shoppers can put money in a tin and take pads from boxes without needing to address a salesperson, or purchase pads “disguised” in wrapped boxes. Most commercials use a mysterious blue liquid to depict period blood. It wasn’t until 2011, that a red spot was used on a televised Always commercial. The use of blue in period commercials all stems from the continuing taboos we hold around menstruation. As a society, we are uncomfortable with talking about periods. Menstruating people have long been regarded as unclean and ostracized. Despite that when menstrual blood comes out of the body it is entirely sterile, we still view the products of menstruation as dirty. At the end of the day, half of the population experiences periods, and we need to recognize that menstruation is not inherently dirty. Commercials must adapt to be more period-positive and accurate.
Movies and TV shows often use periods as a symbol of a character’s coming of age, accompanied by fear and disgust. This has developed a subconscious negative image that has guided our perception of menstruation. Carrie’s (1976) period scene was the first and arguably most iconic depiction of periods in film. Carrie believes she is bleeding to death as blood gushes down her leg, and classmates throw tampons at her and chant, “Plug it up!” The film demonstrates the enduring perception of periods as something gross and embarrassing. It also alienates Carrie, who soon seeks revenge on the period-shaming bullies. The more modern comedic classic of Superbad (2007) shows Seth dancing with a drunk girl at a party who bleeds onto his leg. His response of, “I’m going to f*cking throw up,” is reminiscent of the attitudes that many (usually non-menstruators) hold around periods.
Even educational media feeds our faulty perceptions of periods. A 1953 educational film “Molly Grows Up” that appeared in classrooms across the country features a young girl who asks, “Ginny, when do you think I will start having periods too?” Ginny’s response? “From the way you have been acting lately, it shouldn’t be long now.” The media we are fed constantly reinforces the trope that every time a feminine-presenting person disagrees with someone or shows even the slightest bit of emotion, you can dismiss that with a simple, “Looks like someone’s on her period!” Any person who has been told that statement ever can attest to how invalidating it is. The fact that 60% of US women still feel period shame is a very telling sign that menstruators feel less worthy because of quips like these. It is a form of gaslighting all too often perpetuated in the media. It assumes that those with periods are biologically engineered to be less capable and that they are essentially incapable of rational thought for a quarter of their reproductive lives. It serves as just another underhanded way to rationalize keeping them out of positions of power. Especially in political positions, where women are already underrepresented, periods are often pointed to as a reason why women are too hysterical to be strong leaders. Even in the 2008 elections, Fox News anchor Bill O’Reilly asked guest Marc Rudov about the downside of a woman (Hillary Clinton) in the Oval Office. His response was, “You mean besides the PMS and the mood swings?”
We have made great strides in the depiction of periods in the media, but there is still much improvement to be made. One progressive example is a 2010 Kotex commercial that pokes fun at the stigma and euphemisms surrounding periods. Several media outlets have replicated this ironic theme since, such as the 2022 “Pinx Period Underwear” Saturday Night Live skit. While television had long perpetuated period shame, it could very well be the solution to ending period stigma. Movies, commercials, and television shows send implicit and explicit messages about cultural values and norms. Producers must harness this power and promote menstruation as a normal bodily function. It is important that our depictions include menstruators of all backgrounds. The media must also take extra care to advance the script around depictions of menarche, or someone’s first period. Affirming period narratives on the screen can help to reshape our taboos around menstruation. To change ideas about periods, we must reach the people — and the people are watching TV.
Sources:
Periods in the media: A brief history
A Brief History of Onscreen Periods
This Is The Actual Reason Pad Commercials Use That Weird Blue Liquid
