A Love Letter to My Menstrual Cup
Menstrual cups are cute. They’re in this season. And for the rest of our lives! Using a menstrual cup has radically transformed my experience with menstruation. I feel more confident and connected with my body. Effortless to use, a cup feels more like an afterthought than an inconvenience. Yet, no one told me about menstrual cups! They weren’t included in the Tampons, Pads, and Panty Liners briefing. So this is me, doing us both a favor, and telling you to buy a fucking menstrual cup!
Information on women’s health has always been packaged in covert forms: The Care and Keeping of You book by American Girl, a sudden box of tampons stocked under a bathroom sink, a parent’s rushed explanation. As a 15-year-old girl, buying tampons at Walgreens was excruciating, the whole time praying that nobody I knew would walk by to see my clandestine purchase. For a long time, I thought that talking about periods was weird and embarrassing, but then I realized I was conditioned by the patriarchy to see my natural bodily functions as repulsive and stopped that shit real quick.
The stigma surrounding periods has prevented women from making informed decisions on what is best for their bodies. Meanwhile, men continue to design products for women with no regard for our health or comfort. Feminine products are a BILLION dollar industry!
BY THE NUMBERS…
Women will menstruate for approximately 10 years (3,500 days) of their life.
Though it varies from woman to woman, 3-4 tablespoons of blood is lost per cycle.
On average, women will use 13,000 tampons in their lifetime.
In their lifetime, women will spend an average of $4,752 on tampons or pads.
And as a woman, I can say the number of times you have to frantically ask any female in your vicinity for a tampon because you came unprepared is too many.
10 THINGS I LOVE ABOUT MY CUP…
It’s easy to clean and reuse, making it a sustainable alternative.
I have a pretty light flow, so I only change my cup 1-2 times a day. If you’re worried about where to change your cup, look for a private restroom! If not, you can always wipe out the cup with some tp and get the show on the road.
It is recommended that you boil your cup in water before and after each cycle for a deep clean.
More affordable
My Ruby Cup was $25 and I can use it for up to 10 years. Pro tip: use the money saved to donate to a female-led grassroots organization in your town. (ATX- Flo Code is a nonprofit that provides menstrual products to people in need).
The shape and design is intuitive to your body.
Yes, it will fit! Cups are made from medical-grade silicone that is safe and flexible. The cup suctions into place, so you can feel when it isn’t in correctly. Just take it out and try again!
Don’t have to worry about leaking or that soggy feeling.
No more, “Can you check?” to your friends. Let your period anxieties wash away.
No string to be self-conscious about in your swimsuit!
Easy to pack
No mathematical equations to calculate how many tampons to bring. Typically they come with a cute little bag to hold it!
You can poop with it in. ‘nuff said.
Different sizes for different flows.
The bigger size isn’t intimidating, either.
No risk of toxic shock
Perfect for long days of travel when you’re not sure when or where the next bathroom will be.
No random chemicals leaking in from the cotton on my tampon
If you didn’t already know, tampons are made with conventional cotton, which can have pesticides, dyes, and artificial fragrances. These are all things being absorbed by your body. Also, tampon manufacturers are not required by the FDA to disclose what is in their tampons, so your guess is as good as mine.
There you have it, folks! I’m just a regular lady who loves her menstrual cup. I bought mine from Ruby Cup, and bought a two pack to split with a friend. Ruby Cup has a ‘buy one, give one’ program, so for every cup purchased they donate one to females without access to menstrual products. They also have an educational program where they teach young girls about consent, sexual health, and how to use their Ruby Cups. Luckily, more and more brands are committed to innovating the female experience, so there are plenty of options available when you are ready to make the switch!
