New Blood: Third Wave Feminism and the Politics of Menstruation

261 Pages·2010·1.52 MB·English

by  Chris Bobel

New Blood
R

New Blood
R
Third-Wave Feminism and
the Politics of Menstruation
Chris Bobel
rutgers university press
new brunswick, new jersey, and london
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Bobel, Chris, 1963–
New blood : third-wave feminism and the politics of menstruation / Chris Bobel.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978–0–8135–4753–4(hardcover : alk. paper) — ISBN 978–0–8135–4754–1
(pbk. : alk. paper)
1. Third-wave feminism. 2. Menstruation—Social aspects. I. Title.
HQ1155.B63 2010
305.4209'049—dc22
2009036234
A British Cataloging-in-Publication record for this book is available from the British Library.
Copyright © 2010by Chris Bobel
All rights reserved
No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic
or mechanical, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permis-
sion from the publisher. Please contact Rutgers University Press, 100Joyce Kilmer Avenue,
Piscataway, NJ 08854–8099. The only exception to this prohibition is “fair use” as defined by
U.S. copyright law.
Visit our Web site: http://rutgerspress.rutgers.edu
Manufactured in the United States of America
For Thomas, who never flinched,
and for Hedda, his teacher

Contents
List of Illustrations ix
Foreword by Judith Lorber xi
Acknowledgments xv
Introduction 1
1 Encountering Third-Wave Feminism 14
2 Feminist Engagements with Menstruation 28
3 The Emergence of Menstrual Activism 42
4 Feminist-Spiritualist Menstrual Activism 65
5 Radical Menstruation 97
6 Making Sense of Movement Participation 135
7 When “Women” Becomes “Menstruators” 154
Conclusion 171
Appendix A. Methods 181
Appendix B. Interview Protocol 187
Appendix C. Demographics of Interviewees 189
Appendix D. Selected Menstrual Activist Resources 191
Notes 193
Index 225
vii

Illustrations
1 The Red Brigade, Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival, 2001 3
2 Judy Chicago, Red Flag, photolithograph, 1971 47
3 Lunapads print-ad campaign, 2008 60
4 Erica Sodos, “Courageous Cunt,” Moonflowmagazine, 2005 85
5 Miki Tapio Walsh and Julia D. Stewart, “Rosie the Riveter
on the Rag,” 2000 120
6 Chella Quint, “Skids: Masculine Hygiene,” 2007 121
7 Karolina Bång, “A Tribute to the Girl Who Actually Did It,” 2005 126
8 Bella Abzug modeling Critchley tampon applicator hat, circa 1992 129
9 Jay Critchley, “Miss Tampon Liberty,” 1989 130
10 Chella Quint, Adventures in Menstruatingcover, 2009 151
11 adee and Danielle, The Bloodsisters Project, “Urban Angel,” 1996 169
12 Ann Telnaes, “Life Begins at Menstruation,” 2007 177
ix