I read a piece today in my English class that I found rather interesting. It is called "If men could menstruate". The title itself made me laugh and I was very curious as to what it was going to say in the article. In the article it says "Clearly, menstruation would become an enviable, worthy, masculine event" and "Young boys would talk about it as the envied beginning of manhood. Gifts, religious cereomonies, family diner, and stag parties would mark the day."(Steinem). I agree with this article and find it rather amusing. Although, I think it's kind of ironic. Whenever girls bring up their period around guys, they always get the same expression on their face, the "can we please change the topic" face. Yet, according to the article if it were to happen to them it would be a non-stop conversation starter and girls would be the ones with the "please change the topic" faces. Except for our looks wouldn't be in disgust rather just pure boredom and wish that they would hit puberty a few years later and delay the "gift" of menstruation. I find it interesting that something so natural and just part of being a human being would be completely altered in point of view just because of the gender it happens to. This is most definitely a very opinionated topic and many people will agree with the article and many people will think it is complete nonsense and a little over dramatic. I think it exaggerates a tad, but in the end if men were the ones to menstruate I think I would definitely be viewed differently between the common person and wouldn't be as awkward of a topic as many people find it today.
I asked some of guys in my family what they would do if they were the ones to get their periods instead of girls and got quite the interesting answers. My cousin Shawn said "I would find the closest magnum and gently put it up to my chin and pull the trigger". Anthony said "It wouldn't be that big of a deal. I mean it would suck but I think it would be more laid back and not so taboo. I'm not that sure about the stag party and family events because we get it. That's just a little weird". And last my Uncle said "It would be so much better that way. Guys don't get to make a big deal out of little things as much as girls, so we wouldn't have to deal with the complaining as much", and my step dad said "It wouldn't be that big of deal anymore, you could talk about it in public without getting weird stares from strangers. I don't think people would think twice about it".
Obviously it is a matter of opinion, Shawn saying he would kill himself, Anthony and my step dad saying it wouldn't make a difference, and my uncle saying that it would be better that way.
Although, the answers would be different it society was brought up with men being the "lucky" ones rather than girls their opinion would change very much and girls might be the ones saying that it would be better if we had it so we didn't have to listen to the men complain, or we would rather kill ourselves like my cousin Shawn.
