HALLELUJAH!

[veronica_rich]

apiphile has given me permission to link to her short, but well-explained, treatise on the portrayal/writing of female characters in fanfic (to which I was originally linked by venusinchains a few days ago).

Especially: At no point am I to mention PMS because that's stereotyping but women's moods and strengths do shit with the menstrual cycle but if I write that she's in touch with her inner moon phases I will want to stab myself in the eyes.

AMEN. I'm sorry - I don't regard my monthly bleed with very much affection at all (sorry, men). WHY would I want to wax poetic on a continuing source of pain for 40 years of life, that I just wish would go away, already? LOL

ETA: Sorry, guys. The mods at metawank metafandom, in their continuing infinite wisdom of regarding all private journal public posts as public domain, linked to her post and turned it into flamebait - their usual M.O. So, she locked the entry. Can't say I blame her, but it still frustrates me. It was a good POV, and I'm frankly sick of women who don't like the literary equivalent of constantly gazing into a mirror at their own pussies being bullied by fellow women.

Comments

[xzombiexkittenx.livejournal.com]

Yes. All that is trufax.

[veronica-rich.livejournal.com]

I just picked on the menstrual thing, but really, the overarching thing that got my attention is that this is one of the very few females I've seen on LJ willing to stick her neck out and say this. It seems akin to admitting you're a Nazi, to say you don't think women should be the master rulers of the Earth and sky, any more than men should. I would've thought that in 2008, that should be bloody OBVIOUS, geez.

[sirriamnis.livejournal.com]

A-fucking-men.

Every time some fucking hippie goes off on their big screed about how women need to embrace their periods, I want to beat the crap out of her. I'll embrace my uterus when it quits trying to kill or drive me insane. Gods save me from the sanctimonious, "You only hate your period because men tell you to" rants that show up in the comments at Feministing from time to time.

It's right up there with the women who wax enthusiastic about Luna cups and excoriate all of us who refuse to deal with our "moonblood" any more than we actually have to.

Sorry... button.

[veronica-rich.livejournal.com]

I understand trying to view That Time of the Month with something approaching positivity if for no other reason than to get through it - after all, you have to put up with it for several decades, 13 times a year (at least - some poor women go more often). But songs and poems and odes are really not necessary, LOL.

Seriously, I understand that there was a time women were feared and scorned by men because of this. But that's not a problem right now in our society or many others (I hesitate to say "at all" because I'm hardly an anthropologist, am I?). We don't need to "celebrate" it to make men feel good about it - I have the vote, I have an income, and I have a mouth. I don't really care how men feel about my period, to be honest.

[mamazano.livejournal.com]

Any woman who wants to get in touch with their inner moon phases can come spend a weekend with my two PMS-ing daughters.

They'll be more than "in touch," believe me.

[veronica-rich.livejournal.com]

Any woman who has time to sit around and write odes to her menstrual blood obviously doesn't have a job. Or at least not one worth calling a job. I don't have a husband or children to run after and hell, *I* don't have time to sit around doing THAT. (Or, I do - but I have hobbies instead. LOL)

[yoiebear.livejournal.com]

Right on! The day my period goes away for good is a day I will celebrate. It's anything but positive.

[immortal-jedi.livejournal.com]

There are women who actually LIKE having their period? Um... what drugs are they on? And I don't mean painkillers.

[hippediva.livejournal.com]

Amen! Wank is wank, no matter WHAT the eejits call it. And I'll take the damned hot flashes and sweats over 7 days of messy, nasty bleeding anytime! At least I can wear white without being in a chronic state of dread!

[venusinchains.livejournal.com]

Re: ETA...

Aw, that's a shame. I missed the whole mess. What happened? An undercover pile-on? I don't see a post relating to it at metafandom. Would they just delete it if a poster they'd linked to moved to protect themselves? (Covering up any evidence of their harassment. Talk about wank. *rolls eyes*)