Sweet Secrets

O'Grady and Wansbrough, an English academic and Canadian youth worker, have compiled a unique collection of factual information and short stories/memoirs relating to menstruation. The opening chapters provide a detailed discussion of the menstrual process (including anatomical structures and physiological changes to the body), information about when to expect a first period, commentary about how relationships with other women may change after menstruation, colloquial terms for this event, what to do about cramps, whether to use pads or tampons, and accounts of cultures that publicly celebrate the advent of menses. Interspersed among these informational segments are comments from more than thirty contributors, women ranging in age from 13 to 93. Two small black and white diagrams are included, depicting the female reproductive organs and an exterior pubic view.

The second (and longer) portion of the book contains stories of menstruation — grouped thematically around waiting (for a first period), the arrival, reaching out (to other women), challenges, the passage (to womanhood), and putting it all together. Many of the stories are personal reminiscences; they range from funny and frank ("Blood" and "Blood and Chestnuts") to poignant ("Jennifer's Birthday") to empowering ("Passage to Womanhood" and "On My Own") to traumatic ("Turnings"). Most selections are short, interspersed with chatty sidebars offering helpful tips on bloating, PMS, menstrual odors, alternatives to disposable menstrual products, pelvic exams, yeast infections, cystitis, and "menstrual myths." The authors append a "period days" calendar, glossary, bibliography, index, and biographical notes on contributors, and recommend that readers skip around in the text choosing sections that intrigue them most.

Because much of this book is so personal in nature, it will probably be most appreciated by browsers, although health classes may find it useful as well. One of its strengths is that it offers a great deal of useful information that is not always readily accessible from other sources. The presentation is nonjudgmental, emphasizing the great variety in women and their cycles. Also, because the contributors represent such a wide range of ages, cultures, and nationalities, they are able to provide diverse viewpoints and offer unusual insights. (For example, menstruating Greek Orthodox women are not supposed to take communion.) The result is an accepting and reassuring volume that celebrates the joys (and minor inconveniences) of womanhood.

Recommended

We all remember when it happened — the first time we saw that spot of red in our underwear. At that moment, a million emotions may have surfaced, from fear and confusion to happiness and excitement. In Sweet Secrets, Kathleen O'Grady and Paula Wansbrough embrace all these feelings to help girls in this new stage of life accept change with open arms.

Unlike many books on the subject, Sweet Secrets not only explains the physical aspect of menstruation but also includes first-hand stories about women's experiences. For this reason, the book is a good read for any woman, even though it is geared towards those who have recently been inducted into Aunt Flow's fellowship. The most important thing about this book, however, is that it removes the stigma often equated with getting your period, teaching girls to embrace it. In a world where young girls are taught to be self-conscious about every aspect of their bodies, Sweet Secrets provides reasons to celebrate being a woman.