Frank Female Writers Put New Spin on 'Period Piece'

Have a gross-out story? Turns out America wants to hear it

By Wesley Oliver, Newser Staff

Posted Feb 5, 2009 3:58 PM CST

(Newser) – Warning: Reading this may cause queasiness and catharsis. Women are firing up their best (or worst) lodged-tampons stories, yeast-infection remedies, and bloody-period sex tales for America’s commiserating pleasure. “Oversharing is in,” Rebecca Traister declares in Salon. “It’s not so much ‘too much information’ as it is the next, necessary step in personal-is-political, enlightened honesty about the female body.”

Blogs like Jezebel are leading the movement of frank talk, which can be “self-promotional, potty-mouthed and kind of sweet,” Traister says. This “new graphic femininity” is “about breaking certain silences,” “letting loose with long pent-up questions and anecdotes and curiosities and fears. It can be liberating, and poignant. It can also be irritating and crass. All at the same time!”

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On blogs and in books and magazines, women have begun talking frankly about their bodies. (©cheukiecfu)

On blogs and in books and magazines, women have begun talking frankly about their bodies. (©mararie)

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If somebody goes out there and humiliates themselves and says 'This is what happened to me,' then other people can talk about it happening to them.
- Moe Tkacik, writer

I am a big believer in women not being ashamed about the intricacies of how their bodies work. Yeah, it can be 'gross,' but I don't find it gross. Personally, I find it fascinating, and there's something cathartic about it.
- Anna Holmes, editor, Jezebel

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Frank Female Writers Put New Spin on 'Period Piece'