You have to admit, this is pretty bloody funny.
It’s a big month for period protests. Yesterday, Mamamia wrote about the women who were “free-bleeding” in white pants outside Parliament in the UK to protest taxes on tampons.
Now, a comedian is live-tweeting her menstrual cycle — and directing her commentary at the Irish Prime Minister.
Gráinne Maguire first took to Twitter on 3 November to share details of her period, also calling on women around the nation to tweet the Prime Minister the details of their own cycles.
In the hilarious series of tweets, Maguire called on Prime Minister (or “Taoiseach”) Enda Kenny to consult his male colleagues about what brand of tampon she should choose.
She also passed on details of her latest pap smear, and asked for his government’s advice on various gynaecological matters including cold sweats during menopause and how to tell whether her period had ended or not.
If the protests seem like a little TMI to you, rest assured that the Twitter-protest is for a very good cause.
Maguire’s tweets were in protest of the fact that it is illegal for a woman to get an abortion in Ireland except in extreme circumstances.
Top Comments
I am told by reliable sources that generally, the Irish pretty much forgo condoms and rely on the woman saying she is on contraception. They just barely bother with them, even from their first partner. While I totally feel Ireland should de-criminalise abortion, at the same time it should be rare. Some education and re-culturing is needed there. They're lovely people but the majority of their youth really enjoy a party with the lads or girls, some drink and a 'ride' and the casual hook-up culture. Moreso than Aussies. It seems like they could reduce the never of unplanned pregnancies by using more condoms in the first place, and less of hoping she's not pregnant.
I get it, but of all the issues to champion it just feels so trivial.
Trivial?: "Having an abortion or providing one can lead to a jail sentence of up to 14 years in Ireland." Good on them!
Tampon taxes
Possibly you need to read the article in full. This is not about tampon taxes, this is about the anti-abortion laws in Ireland.Only a few years ago a woman died after being denied an abortion. She was miscarrying, bleeding heavily but was refused an abortion. Three days later she died of septicaemia. This is a law which will cost women their lives. Absolutely NOT trivial.
When it comes to tampon taxes it's the principle of the thing. Tampons are clearly not a luxury item, and I'm sure whoever made this decision back in the day was probably a majority of male politicans who very rightly thought that the womenfolk would be too polite to call them out on it. And this has been the problem since time began, women going along with all stupid oppressives rules and oppressive religions that men invent, because 'nice girls' wouldn't speak out about it. But now young women are calling their bluff.
It is a pity though that these Irish girls aren't speaking out about the Catholic Church's control of Ireland, and why is it that a religion that actively oppresses women has so much power. It's not that long since Ireland allowed the contraceptive pill/condoms or divorce, but the Catholic Church still do not allow these things. The Catholic church doesn't allow women into leadership positions, the nuns are always below the priests, and certainly a woman can never become the Pope. And if it wasn't for the Catholic church's power in Ireland abortion wouldn't be illegal.