Little Miss Period: a puppet to fight cycle taboos
There is a new puppet in town. It's called Little Miss Period: it's all pink and hairy, with a pair of fiery red lips and it's off to conquer Japan. Its goal is only one: to clear the taboos that hover around the theme of menstruation. For too long the cycle debate has been dominated by “embarrassment, as if, by just naming them, we women could be considered“ dirty. ”But the time has come for this social pillory to end.
The idea of creating this character started, against all expectations, by a man, the illustrator Ken Koyam, who, in 2017, drew a manga from which a book was made and, now, also a film that will debut. in Hong Kong. In the manga series, "Seiri-chan" in Japanese, the doll punches the intestines of women to stretch them and draw their blood with a syringe. When the husband or possible partner of the woman in question does not show empathy with her pain, she also receives a “menstrual” punch, a drastic but effective lesson to make them understand what women feel once a month. The author's goal is to pave the way for a growing openness and knowledge on the subject, still today the subject of false myths and unfounded legends. Or rather, based on ignorance.
The story has as its starting point the story, set in feudal times, of a young Japanese girl who, during the days of her cycle, is confined in a hut as it is considered impure. The film, in the same way, but in an updated version, follows the story of Aoko, a girl who works at a publishing house where she is forced to interface with a boss who shows little understanding for her monthly suffering. "If only men had periods, even just once a year, they would understand", this is the reflection of Aoko, haunted daily by the pink puppet, tender and, at the same time, disturbing personification of the menstrual cycle.
The cycle badge: the media case breaks out in Japan
We are still talking about Japan and menstruation when we talk about "cycle badges", a case that has ignited public opinion. It happened in Daimaru, a department store in Osaka, where a distinctive badge was introduced that salespeople can voluntarily wear on cycle days. The project was born on the proposal of the women themselves, a majority share within the staff, who aimed to raise awareness among male colleagues on the subject, making them more understanding and willing to give moments of rest to colleagues exhausted by the cycle. Not everyone liked the idea and it wasn't long before the criticisms started pouring in. The initiative was seen by many as yet another episode of sexism and discrimination in which the victims are always women. The department store has shown itself available for comparison and has stated that the program will not be canceled, but modified. For this reason, a few days after the inauguration of a new department dedicated to feminine hygiene, the employees have faced the topic of menstruation in an incredibly open and spontaneous way, sharing their experience and working together on solutions that can make the environment of work as cycle-friendly as possible.
We at alfemminile hope that Italy can draw inspiration from our colleagues from the Rising Sun.
