The Sydney Feminists

What is Pre-Menstrual Dysphoric Disorder? (Trigger warning: Suicide section) What is PMDD? Pre-Menstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD), is a hormonal mood disorder which causes disabling psychological and physical symptoms. It is a cyclic condition which onsets between the ovulation and menstrual period (1-2 weeks) before each period. It effects about 3-8% of menstruating women and is often self-diagnosed. It is found to disrupt women’s social, personal and work lives. There is no cure but there are treatment options.   [Image 1] History and Classification of PMDD PMDD was identified relatively recently (1994), and was only added to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders in 2013, and to WHO’s International Classification of Disease index in 2010 [1]. The AIFC summarised PMDD from the 2007 UNS Health Care Newsroom as [2]: “Women who have PMDD were found to have variants in the oestrogen receptor alpha gene catechol-O-methyl transfera...

W hen I was asked that exact question, I laughed. I truly laughed out loud. A man posed the question and I laughed because he just seemed so bloody confused about the whole thing, about the constant vocal discussion from people about having periods. Not to take anything away from him, I mean, it’s true: a lot of feminists want to talk about menstruation. So, why is that? I can only answer for me. Feminism means different things to different people, and everyone’s focus for their feminism can be different, made up of a multitude of beliefs. So, the reason I talk about periods is because people don’t want me to talk about them. Though I suspect others feel the same.   It’s the shame, you see, it’s the shame that’s attached (as if with sticky wings) to the forced silence about the topic. The shame is multi-layered and strangling and it comes from a variety of reinforcing sources. It’s definitely getting better, but when I was going through puberty menstruation was seen as...