Period. End of sentence. : a new chapter in the fight for menstrual justice

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Title:

Period. End of sentence. : a new chapter in the fight for menstrual justice

Author:

Diamant, Anita, author.

ISBN:

9781982144289

9781982144296

Edition:

First Scribner trade paperback edition.

Physical Description:

xviii, 158 pages ; 22 cm.

General Note:

Includes reading group guide.

Contents:

Part one. The curse -- Shame -- Shamelessness: the changing of the guard -- Part two. R.E.S.P.E.C.T. -- Indigenous wisdoms -- New traditions -- Part three. The struggle -- Period poverty and the tampon tax -- Menstruating at work -- Dignity -- Part four. Menstruation goes public -- Men-struation -- The menstruation business -- Period.org -- Part five. Seeing red -- The takeaway.

Subject Term:

Menstruation -- Political aspects.

Menstruation -- Social aspects.

Menstrual cycle -- Political aspects.

Menstrual cycle -- Social aspects.

Human body -- Political aspects.

Feminism -- 21st century.

Social movements.

Women's rights.

Added Author:

Berton, Melissa,

Summary:

"Explores the subject of menstruation, from toxic historic and religious roots to how young activists are challenging the silence and shame that can erode self-esteem and even threaten lives." --

Holds:

Available:*

Library	Call Number	Status
Searching... R.H. Stafford Library (Woodbury)	612.662 DIA	Searching... Unknown
Searching... Stillwater Public Library	612.662 DIA	Searching... Unknown
Searching... Wildwood Library (Mahtomedi)	612.662 DIA	Searching... Unknown

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Summary

From beloved New York Times bestselling author and award-winning journalist Anita Diamant comes a timely collection of essays to help inspire period positive activism around the globe.

When Period. End of Sentence. won an Oscar in 2019, the film's co-producer and Executive Director of The Pad Project, Melissa Berton, told the audience: "A period should end a sentence, not a girl's education." Continuing in that revolutionary spirit and building on the momentum of the acclaimed documentary, this book outlines the challenges facing those who menstruate worldwide and the solutions championed by a new generation of body positive activists, innovators and public figures.

Including interviews from people on the frontlines--parents, teachers, medical professionals, and social-justice warriors-- Period. End of Sentence. illuminates the many ways that menstrual injustice can limit opportunities, erode self-esteem, and even threaten lives. This powerful examination of the far-ranging and quickly evolving movement for menstrual justice introduces today's leaders and shows us how we can be part of the change.

Fearless, revolutionary, and fascinating, Period. End of Sentence. is an essential read for anyone interested in empowering women, girls, and others around the world.

To learn more about The Pad Project, go to ThePadProject.org.

Author Notes

Anita Diamant is the author of Saying Kaddish, Choosing a Jewish Life, The New Jewish Wedding, Living a Jewish Life, The New Jewish Baby Book, Bible Baby Names, and the bestselling novel, The Red Tent. She lives in Newton, Massachusetts.

Reviews (2)

Publisher's Weekly Review

Novelist Diamant (The Red Tent) examines all things menstrual in this expansive collection of anecdote, history, and pop culture criticism. Spurred by the documentary of the same title (a producer of which asked Diamant to write "a book about menstruation"), Diamant traces the development of "period-positive" movements that aim to recognize the "full humanity of women and girls and everyone who menstruates." In "Shame," she details harrowing stories of period-related embarrassment around the world (in New Zealand and Australia, for instance, more than half of the teenage girls interviewed said they'd rather "fail a school test than have their classmates know they're on their period"). "Period Poverty and the Tampon Tax" covers the economic toll of menstruation ("menstruators spend $17,000 during their lifetime" on period products), and "Indigenous Wisdoms" offers examples of cultures in which periods aren't shrouded in secrecy, such as the Hupa's celebratory Flower Dance. The wealth of information and anecdote can feel disjointed at times, but the effect is powerful nonetheless, and lands as a repository of information rarely in the spotlight. For young women, especially, this will provide a fascinating look back and powerful impetus to work for a shame-free future. Agent: Amanda Urban, ICM Partners. (May)

Booklist Review

Diamant, author of the bestselling novels The Red Tent (2007) and The Boston Girl (2014), sustains the impact of the Oscar-winning documentary Period. End of Sentence in this scorching and utterly unforgettable read. After a foreword by producer Melissa Berton detailing the film's development, Diamant swiftly unleashes a narrative of the history, politics, and economics detailing how societies around the world have long treated the normal, natural human function of menstruation as a source of shame. Brandishing a stunning array of statistics and sharing stories from around the world of girls and women in every social circumstance, Diamant delivers a withering account of how menstruation has led to humiliation, threats, and on more than one grim occasion, even death. Here, too, are rousing stories of success, including the middle-school girls in America who rose up against a male school principal who claimed students would "abuse the privilege" if free tampons were made available in restrooms and the Indian inventor who became committed to bringing not only menstruation products to poor women but also the means of their production. This is a barn burner of cultural analysis that never strays from the preventable suffering at its core. A life-improving title that should be made as widely available as possible.

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Summary

Summary

Author Notes

Reviews (2)

Publisher's Weekly Review

Booklist Review

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