Written by: Kristýna Vondrová
What do you think is the biggest difference between men and women? Is it about biology and physical predispositions, social roles or psychological differences? In the flood of conflicting opinions, we believe in one unquestionable answer. Cyclicality that accompanies and controls women. The key to empathy, the most valuable skills (not only) in a partner relationship.
When cycleis said, your brain automatically spits out the adjective menstrual (at least for the Whoop·de·doo blog). But we will focus on a more generous time period than one lunar month. For the whole life of a woman and milestones that clearly demarcate individual stages.
First stage
First menstruation as a dot after childhood. We shyly confide in our mother. We try menstrual pads, tampons, panties and cupsto try out what (doesn't) suit us. We keep our secrets from boys (often until the age before a period becomes the norm, a confirmation of reproductive health).
Tour de Femmes to a more mature self
Pregnancy and childbirth rob us of the last shred of innocence. We watch with both love and fear the rapid metamorphosis of our bodies, priorities and lifestyles. With the last contraction, we bring into the world - in addition to the offspring and the placenta - also a more mature version of ourselves.
And then our fertile period closes with climacteric and menopause. A signal that (after years of caring for others and chasing success) we have to put ourselves first again. The body's call to slow down (which we often don't want to hear yet). While Fr menstruation and birth is being discussed more and more openly on the air, transition and the sexuality of older women is still taboo.
What about men?
The three big events based on our physicality function as rites of passage (although society has rather abandoned their collective celebrations alongside more experienced women). They help us grasp and close each chapter. It teaches us to accept: the passage of time and its signatures on our skin, tissue, skeleton.
Men have it harder in that their development is linear, not framed by similar turning points. Among natural peoples, the transformation of a boy into a man was crowned by a ritual coming-of-age test (such as dancing on coals or leaping a bull). Western civilization lacks such a tradition, the process of transformation is nameless, in all its stages. We have no idea when a boy will become a man and a father a peasant.
The absence of own experience with cyclicality then logically complicates the understanding of women's. That's why we want to at least bring it closer to you through our themes.
Putting that understanding into practice
Are you thinking about how to put into practice the fact that you are aware of the female cycle and its changes, that you try to understand and respect it? We have some tips!
- Talk about the body and its manifestations with respect. Although we also fail fatally in this, when we call menstruation in front of a friend shops or describe unprotected sex with the connection bark in the shed. Words have more power over our subconscious than we admit. There is nothing funny or sexy about rudeness.
- Don't deny our body changes, but support us in their conscious acceptance. We know very well that after two children, we don't have a body like the twenty-five-year-old that you strummed back then. We don't need to hear merciful lies, but reassurance that we're still attracted to you. Even with a varicose vein or a scar that you don't perceive as a beauty flaw, but as a souvenir from a shared journey through life.
- Keep us in the crisis associated with transformation. Changes associated with menstruation, childbirth or transition hurt, more to the soul than to the body. We are crying. And we forget that we can make every situation pleasant. Are we troubled by the allowed muscles pelvic floor area, due to which the intensity of our orgasms has decreased? Remind us that Venus balls can turn the rudder. Do we complain about vaginal dryness (which accompanies not only menopause, but also pregnancy and breastfeeding)? Bring us instead of chocolate lubricating gel. Every situation has a solution, it's just that we can't see it through tears.
And what about the four faces we show you in one month? We will look at that next time in the article Synchronization of pleasure.