Last Thursday, May 28th, was Menstrual Hygiene Day. I discovered it on LinkedIn (thank you, Aunt Flow for that). Initially, it surprised me, but then I felt it: things are changing. Even when the backsliding and brutality feels like that is all there is: things are changing, always changing.

What could be more normal than to celebrate the proper, equitable, and fun care and maintenance that supports about half of humanity’s day-to-day experiences for a good portion of our lives?

It’s not like we can separate our bodies from our work lives or our work minds. Though, we do try. We push past complaints, ignore signals, and relegate our body to tool status, one rung lower than a large language model. It’s been the cultural norm as far back as I can remember, or read about it: mind over matter. Bodies, landscapes, animals, insects, rivers, trees. We are meant to be their masters. Or, so I’ve been told. In so many ways.

Though, I challenge anyone to tell me that they’ve ever actually succeeded in ruling their bodies. The drivers making their way in the usual, city traffic last night, rage-honking as if in a life-and-death battle, remind me that even men can’t do it.

Though, why should they?

Our bodies are the source of our relationship to the world, to each other, to ourselves. They hold histories and memories and the capacities that enable us to make plans, play, experience the present, and imagine the future. They make the lives we live, and the ones we dream of, possible.

So, what are we thinking?

I don’t believe in mind over matter. It is a battle you can never win: you can’t stop yourself from feeling things, and I would argue that this is a good thing because it means you’re alive. The feelings come first (bodily sensations and emotions), and then the interpretations and the opportunity to choose what you’ll do.

The body comes first. This is how it is. And yet, so much goes into maintaining this idea that bodies are to be ruled.

Especially, women’s bodies. Girl’s bodies. Nonbinary bodies.

Deem our interests as niche. Keep us separate, covered, hidden. Legislate our autonomy. Don’t provide us with basic healthcare. Deny our truths.

And definitely don’t celebrate Menstrual Hygiene Day.

But — I want to. And I just love that I was invited to celebrate in a LinkedIn post! Things are changing. It’s still brutal out here. I have no urge to deny it, or avoid feeling it, or grieving it. I want to talk about it. I want to celebrate our normal, bodylife experiences because that will activate more change. More awareness, more education, more connection, more exhales, more change. And more joy.

This year, to celebrate Menstrual Hygiene Day, I attended Aunt Flow’s Period Party at Xanadu Roller Rink in Brooklyn, NY.

Aunt Flow turned the personal (and commonly experienced) frustration of suddenly getting your period in public into a revolutionary business. Aunt Flow enables schools and businesses to provide free period products in their bathrooms – just like toilet paper! You can find Aunt Flow period products in places like Google’s NYC headquarters and several clubs in Major League Baseball (MLB) including the Tampa Bay Rays, and the Chicago White Sox.

Some skated and others helped pack 200 one-month period supply kits (20 Aunt Flow pads and two Stall Mates flushable wipes) to donate to Her Village Inc. Some did both 🙂

I received my period product packing training from a young girl (girl bosses are the best!), and chatted with a rotating crew of friends, partners, and team Aunt Flow, while joyful skaters zipped by around us.

Maybe all pick-pack-ship operations should play fun music and surround their people in pink lighting? Certainly changing the world should be this fun and full of love. So many things we can learn from Aunt Flow.

The joy-energy was palpable. I still feel it.

Happy Menstrual Hygiene Day, everyone 🩸✨

How shall we celebrate next year?