New Blood: Third Wave Feminism and the Politics of Menstruation

New Blood offers a fresh interdisciplinary look at feminism-in-flux. For over three decades, menstrual activists have questioned the safety and necessity of feminine care products while contesting menstruation as a deeply entrenched taboo. Chris Bobel shows how a little-known yet enduring force in the feminist health, environmental, and consumer rights movements lays bare tensions between second- and third-wave feminisms and reveals a complicated story of continuity and change within the women's movement.Through her critical ethnographic lens, Bobel focuses on debates central to feminist thought (including the utility of the category "gender") and challenges to building an inclusive feminist movement. Filled with personal narratives, playful visuals, and original humor, New Blood reveals middle-aged progressives communing in Red Tents, urban punks and artists "culture jamming" commercial menstrual products in their zines and sketch comedy, queer anarchists practicing DIY health care, African American health educators espousing "holistic womb health," and hopeful mothers refusing to pass on the shame to their pubescent daughters. With verve and conviction, Bobel illuminates today's feminism-on-the-ground--indisputably vibrant, contentious, and ever-dynamic. (20110301) Chris Bobel Is A Careful Ethnographer, Respectful Of Research Participants, And While She Clearly Takes A Stand On Menstrual Activism, She Handily Defends Her Proposition That Feminism Is F̀inding Its Balance Between Reliving Its Past And Creating Its Future.' Bobel's Work, Which Includes Incisive Analysis Of How Third-wave, Activists Incorporate And Update Tactics And Strategies Of The Second Wave, Will Be A Welcome Addition To The Scholarship Of Feminism. Elizabeth Kissling, Author Of Capitalizing On The Curse: The Business Of Menstruation New Blood Offers A Fresh Interdisciplinary Look At Feminism-in-flux. For Over Three Decades, Menstrual Activists Have Questioned The Safety And Necessity Of Feminine Care Products While Contesting Menstruation As A Deeply Entrenched Taboo. Chris Bobel Shows How A Little-known Yet Enduring Force In The Feminist Health, Environmental, And Consumer Rights Movements Lays Bare Tensions Between Second And Third-wave Feminisms And Reveals A Complicated Story Of Continuity And Change Within The Women's Movement. Bobel Focuses On Debates Central To Feminist Thought (including The Utility Of The Category Gender) And The Challenges To Building An Inclusive Feminist Movement. Filled With Personal Narratives, Playful Visuals, And Original Humor, New Blood Reveals Middle-aged Progressives Communing In Red Tents, Urban Punks And Artists Culture Jamming Commercial Menstrual Products In Their Zines And Sketch Comedy, Queer Anarchists Practicing Diy Health Care, African American Health Educators Espousing Holistic Womb Health, And Hopeful Mothers Refusing To Pass On The Shame To Their Pubescent Daughters. With Verve And Conviction, Bobel Illuminates Today's Feminism-on-the-ground--indisputably Vibrant, Contentious, And Ever-dynamic.--jacket. Encountering Third-wave Feminism -- Feminist Engagements With Menstruation -- The Emergence Of Menstrual Activism -- Feminist-spiritualist Menstrual Activism -- Radical Menstruation -- Making Sense Of Movement Participation -- When Women Becomes Menstruators. Chris Bobel. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 193-224) And Index. New Blood offers a fresh interdisciplinary look at feminism-in-flux. For over three decades, menstrual activists have questioned the safety and necessity of feminine care products while contesting menstruation as a deeply entrenched taboo. Chris Bobel shows how a little-known yet enduring force in the feminist health, environmental, and consumer rights movements lays bare tensions between second- and third-wave feminisms and reveals a complicated story of continuity and change within the women's movement. Through her critical ethnographic lens, Bobel focuses on debates central to feminist thought (including the utility of the category'gender') and challenges to building an inclusive feminist movement. Filled with personal narratives, playful visuals, and original humor, New Blood reveals middle-aged progressives communing in Red Tents, urban punks and artists'culture jamming'commercial menstrual products in their zines and sketch comedy, queer anarchists practicing DIY health care, African American health educators espousing'holistic womb health,'and hopeful mothers refusing to pass on the shame to their pubescent daughters. With verve and conviction, Bobel illuminates today's feminism-on-the-ground--indisputably vibrant, contentious, and ever-dynamic. Contents......Page 8 Illustrations ......Page 10 Foreword by Judith Lorber ......Page 12 Acknowledgments ......Page 16 Introduction......Page 22 1. Encountering Third-Wave Feminism ......Page 35 2. Feminist Engagements with Menstruation ......Page 49 3. The Emergence of Menstrual Activism ......Page 63 4. Feminist-Spiritualist Menstrual Activism ......Page 86 5. Radical Menstruation ......Page 118 6. Making Sense of Movement Participation ......Page 156 6. When "Women" Become "Menstruators" ......Page 175 Conclusion......Page 192 Appendix A. Methods ......Page 202 Appendix B. Interview Protocol ......Page 208 Appendix C. Demographics of Interviewees ......Page 210 Appendix D. Selected Menstrual Activist Resources ......Page 212 Notes......Page 214 Index......Page 246 Encountering third-wave feminism : a critical introduction Listening to her bloody speech : feminist engagement with menstruation The emergence of menstrual activism, 1971-1992 Feminist-spiritualists : enduring on the margins Radical menstruation : taking it back from the corporate creeps Making sense of movement participation : the politics of respectability meets the politics of transgression When women become menstruators : transinclusion, queering menstruation, and the frontier of feminist politics.