Our Monthly Cycles: The Only Way to World Peace

Our monthly cycles, our menstrual cycles are often called by many derogatory names such as the curse, as well as more neutral names such as our periods. They are dreaded by many women, and very vocally so. I have yet to hear a woman call them a blessing...but now here I go...hear me out please when I say that they are a blessing.
Sexism and misogyny have been rampant in practically every known culture on earth for many centuries now. We do not have a literal recording of any culture where men and women are equal or of any where females dominated. What we do have, however, is rich archaeological evidence of Goddesses and related things that point to societies where women many have occupied far more prominent positions than they do in the modern world of recorded history.
And since women have been considered inferior to men, all things delegated as "feminine" have also been thought inferior. To me, people who question such things are numb!! But just to expand on this further, think of how many men have to worry about being raped and molested. Yes, it does happen but how more commonly to women. Rape is all about power and control and men think they have that as a given from the day they were born men. And so therefore, everything designated, "male" such as men's sports, automobiles, governments, politics, war, etc etc has always been not only condoned as "sacred" but that it is a given, an indicator, a definer of our very culture. All the power, all the money and all the importance is given to these kinds of things, these male designated things. And in the same way of thinking, all things designated female are defined as lesser, as after thoughts, and at times even as evil. Being a housewife and all the domestic arts, housework, cooking, gardening, decorating, etc. etc. all being considered as less important than the main work, "man's work."
And when it comes to our very bodies, and their unique functions (those functions different from male functions) is where the "evil" designation has come in. For centuries now, women have been blamed for "wooing men" simply based on their physical appearance. This is why women have been told to cover their hair by St. Paul and wear birkas, etc. To cover our so called "evil" bodies that make men react to them. And so it follows our monthly blood, our menstrual cycles and everything that goes with them have been designated as evil as well. It is no wonder why we women even today regard it as the curse, have pains, have cramps, and feel bad and evil our very selves. Would it be so, however, if we had a society that regarded women as fully equal to men. In my opinion, no.
The menstrual cycle is the time of the release. It is a release of all the negativity we have experienced throughout the month. It is a Sacred time. In the future, during this time, women will go off to special places designated for giving them this regular release. Similar to today's Spa, these places will allow women space to be alone while being pampered from time to time by things as massages. Or women will remain at home for these days, perhaps 3 to 7 days per month, so they can release, rejuvenate and renew. Since this is a necessary part of Nature, it will be regarded as Sacred and necessary...like going to "Church" is today. It will be a time to commune with the Goddess. Eventually, women will train men to learn to do this as well. That is how violence and war will be eliminated...
And so you see, menstruating women are not evil angry people who would "push the button" if they were in power...that is what men do! Allowed to be our true selves, women would teach men how to release their negativity rather than enforce them upon others, how to cooperate instead of compete. In short, women allowed to be true women would teach Peace and Love!

The Beginning

In 1968, I was a young mother, a single parent trying to find a job supporting myself and my two babies. My husband was a lazy s&*head who would not hold a job for more than a few weeks or month or two at a time. The rest of the time, he would be gone during the day and refused to babysit or do any work around the house when he was not working, saying "that's women's work." It didn't take me long to kick him out. I tried to find a job that would support a family so I thought I needed to apply for the "men's jobs." The men that interviewed me were shocked that a woman would apply. They would tell me the work was too hard for a woman, and I would tell them I was young, healthy, strong and able to handle it. When I told them I had a family to support with an ex husband who has always refused to support us, they would say things like, "He should be hanged! But we can't give a job like this to a woman."
I was devastated, thinking we would be resigned to life of poverty until I got an education. Eventually I started taking night classes to begin working on my college degree. Sometime during this time I discovered that women with a college degreee even earned less than men with only a high school education. Again, numbing depression overwhelmed me and I wondered how I would make it with my wonderful sons.
Sometime during this time, I began to read about a new movement, the women's movement, going on in California, I think and New York. I talked with others regarding this and was referred to some women associated with the YWCA in town. It was through the support of the YWCA who allowed us an office, that the New Women's Coalition came into being. It was started just prior to the first local chapter of N.O.W. and did basicly the same kinds of things. These things included educating the community through our speakers bureau, press and media releases, going into the schools, providing support for women suffering from sexism in places such as on the job, and providing a conscious raising group.
We all dreamed of a time when all these inequalities, these injustices would be gone. It was hard to think when and exactly how that would happen, but we were optimistic. Never would any of us think sexism would still be as rampant as it is today, now, nearly 40 years later!
I continue to be amazed by the ignorance of the masses, the over reacton people have to the very word "feminist," our pay still laging behind, professsors and employer still giving women a harder time than men, expecting far more from women for lesser rewards, and many many other things.
One thing I find particularly offensive is when educated women not only do not ID as feminists, but also dislike or even hate feminists. I intend to write further on this subject.