Question again!

[weirdo110.livejournal.com]

Judging from all the help I got from this community last time, I thought some of you here might be able to help me on this subject!

I am a "Representative for Council" which means I look after the needs and wants of about 200 girls my age (16-17) in my school in Perth, Australia. I really have started thinking about a forum/discussion/information assembly that I could present to them in the general topic of "Positive Attitudes towards Menstruation." I often talk about it openly and I don't always get the responses I am after! (I attend an all girls school)

I really believe that it should be embraced to every last point as its completely natural and I get disturbed by how yucky and gross my peers think the whole idea is. But what mostly upsets me is the secretiveness and how personal it is kept by everyone. I have discussed this forum idea with my friends and they think I am completely crazy.

So I guess after going through my little journey of period knowledge and acceptance, I really, really want to make a difference in the 200 or so girls that I can have sit in a room and listen to me.

I have thought about ideas such as making optional to attend and maybe having a luncheon-type-do afterwards but no seems to think its a good idea and I have no support really from any other students.

I want to know what the girls here think of this idea and any other advice that you could give me?

Oh and I need a way of winning over my (MALE) Year Group Teacher for a budget/room/time...any ideas??

I am getting all determined now!!

Thank you all so much in advance
Amethyst

Comments

[ladieophilia.livejournal.com]

I went to an all girls school to and I was the unofficial psych. I found that letting people know that you are willing to talk about sex, menstration, and (as most with my case) dificulties with the body (I led a couple of support groups for eating disorders). You can open up the forum by making it fun and having a Red Party where everyone wears read, drink red juice, and celebrate being a woman. Ask everyone that wants to attend to bring a peice of paper with one thing that they love about being a girl and use that as a conversation starter (drawing them out of a hat and reading it out and finding out haw many feel that way, but keep in Anonymous unless the girl decides to come forward herself).
Instead of making it about menstration, try to make it about being a girl. The whole period thing will come up, beleive me, but most likely in small groups. I find, for the most part, that women really start talking about menstration in thier college years because it is no longer something of concern (like getting the whole leaking thing under control, knowing when it is coming, if it isn't coming...).
Highschool girls are just starting to comprehend the whole skin thing and living in skin, it is hard to get them to talk about what is physically going on with that skin. If you make it non-serious, fun party to get the word out (like women's day if you have it) and let them all know that you are open there after, the girls will come.
Biggest advice: let them ease into it. Some like to wade into water and some like to jump in, but NEVER push.