Menstruation is a process that almost half of the population experiences for most of their lives. Unfortunately, it is still a source of stigmatization and exclusion. Women around the world experience not only menstrual poverty – not everyone can afford period hygiene – but also a sense of shame.
Menstruation in “The Last of Us”. The series normalizes the taboo topic
Menstruation continues to cause controversy and disgust. For years, sanitary napkin advertisements have replaced blood with a blue liquid, and hygiene products have been hidden in colorful packaging to ensure discretion. In some schools, only girls are taught about the menstrual cycle, and boys are “protected” from knowing about the use of tampons or sanitary napkins. The narrative intensifies the feeling of exclusion and shame, which makes the issue a taboo subject. According to the Kulczyk Foundation, 42% of the surveyed women admit that menstruation was not or was not mentioned in their family home.
The same is often the case in pop culture. The period in the movies used to be a pretext for making jokes and embarrassing the heroines of the stories, and even scaring men away from them. Girls whisper about menstruation in the corridors, and the vision of blood stains on clothes is terrifying. Fortunately, productions that normalize the subject have been appearing on the screens for years. It is gratifying that they include the hit series “”, which gathers such a wide audience in front of the screens.
The main character of the production is a teenage Ellie (). Usually, the first period occurs between the ages of 11 and 15, which means that in addition to all the problems of living in a post-apocalyptic world, the girl has one more – lack of access to hygiene products. In the third episode of the series Joe () and Ellie end up in an abandoned building, where a teenager finds a pack of Tampax Pearl tampons.
Ellie finds a menstrual cup in her layette. Creators break taboos
Her joy probably comes as no surprise to any of the viewers of the episode. This model of tampons appeared on sale in 2002, and the product became a hit thanks to the convenient applicator, similar packaging can be found on store shelves to this day. In the sixth episode of the series, the creators go a step further.
Tampons and sanitary napkins are the most popular hygiene products used during menstruation. Knowledge about other, often much more ecological, solutions is lacking not only for men, but often also for women. That’s why I’m glad that in the sixth episode of “The Last of Us” appeared … a menstrual cup.
When Ellie and Joel reached Jackson County, Maria (Rutina Wesley), the partner of the main character’s brother, Tommy (Gabriel Luna), is preparing a layette for the teenager. He has not only new clothes and shoes for her, but also a menstrual cup with detailed instructions for use, which has greatly interested the heroine of the series.
On the screen we see a product from DivaCup, which in the early 2000s was the only major manufacturer of menstrual cups. The series’ pandemic started in 2003, before this way of dealing with periods became popular, which only underlines what a precious gift Ellie received from Maria.
Menstrual cups, however, are not only about ecology, which the inhabitants of the post-apocalyptic world hardly have time to worry about. First of all, the solution is very practical and convenient. Tampon manufacturers recommend that tampons should not be left in the vagina for more than eight hours. In survival conditions, there may not be many opportunities to change a tampon in a timely manner. However, failure to follow the instructions can lead to many infections and even toxic shock. The use of the menstrual cup may be longer, it is recommended to empty it every 12 hours.
Source: Gazeta
Bruce is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment . He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
