I am an avid reader and have been into various genres of books for the past 12 years. In my vivid memory, I have never come across a fiction book that has described menstruation in any form. It made me wonder why menstruation is seldom described in books.
There are some plots in books where authors do refer to periods. Mostly the story hints at pregnancy by the protagonist missing their periods. Even then, authors are ready to birth a new life but do not acknowledge the periods.
A Penny For Your Thoughts
Haven’t you ever wondered about scenes where our lead with her group plans a journey? They don’t have an ounce of worry about uninvited periods.
Is it that menstruation does not exist in these alternate worlds? Hermione never mentions her periods in either of seven books. None of the protagonists in ‘The Sisterhood Of Travelling Pants’ seems to bleed.
Menstruation In Fiction
There are some fictional books where authors have used menstruation as either a primary or side plot.
- Go with the Flow by Karen Schneemann and Lily Williams: The plot revolves around a newly joined adolescent who gets her periods on her first day of the school. To help her, a group of girls hunts for sanitary pads which are not available in dispenser machines. To take matters into their hands, the group comes together as a community to solve issues around menstruation.
- Revenge of Red Club by Kim Harrington: There is a mention of a student-run club dedicated to periods with the name “red club” at Riley Dunne’s middle school. The club provides a safe place for girls to ask questions on periods without judgment and stigma. It is one of the books where the author has put period talk at the centre.
- Real Mermaids Don’t Wear Toe Rings by Helen Boudreau: A light, adventurous, and imaginative read giving the reader a little peak in Jane’s period story. It was just another ordinary day when Jane is out in the mall to buy a bathing suit. Unfortunately, it turns out to be a disaster when she gets her periods for the first time.
- The Moon Within by Aida Salazar: Eleven-year-old Celi, mixed black–Puerto Rican–Mexican, dreads the arrival of her first period. The story narrates the celebration and rituals performed in her particular community to celebrate her coming-of-age.
- Carrie by Stephen King: Carrie, a 16-year-old who was unaware of periods, experiences it first in the school’s locker room. The plot proceeds with her mother being a person who believes menstruation is a sin and how Carrie deals with various assumptions.
- Period Pieces: Stories for Girls by Erzsi Deak: A collection where different authors share short stories of adolescent girls experiencing menarche. These give us a glimpse into their emotions, thoughts, fear and assumptions along with rituals followed in different castes and cultures.
- Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee: A small narration is dedicated to menstruation. The main lead thinks that periods are a curse in her life. She is not happy about the thought of not being able to play sports during menstruation.
The author is a part of the current batch of the #PeriodParGyan Writer’s Training Program