MenstruAction

#不受月經所困是基本人權

自從越來越關注實體空間與來經者權益的關係，便形成了到哪裡都留意洗手間設計的習慣（笑）。洗手間有衛生地棄置即棄月經用品的地方嗎？廁格內有沒有置物架和掛物勾，方便使用不同月經用品的人士換洗用品？急需月經用品時，洗手間內或外有沒有月經用品販賣機？

六月尾到首爾旅行，就正值經期中（每次旅行都嚟M！）。雖然我帶備了足夠的月經用品，但在首爾歷史博物館參觀《漢陽女性走出閨門——工作的女性》展覽時，還是習慣性留意一下洗手間配備。誰知一進洗手間就有驚喜：大大的海報寫著Public Sanitary Pads/ 비상용 생리대 （應急衛生巾），旁邊還有一部衛生巾販賣機。

翻查資料，才知道首爾市政府在2017年7月開始於地鐵1-8號線設置醫藥箱擺放應急醫藥用品和月經用品，到2018年10月更在10個公共設施放置應急衛生巾販賣機，並於2019年增至160處。當局將設有應急衛生巾販賣機的地點標註在首爾智慧地圖，讓有需要人士一click就知道最近的販賣機所在。到今天，地圖上標示的販賣機已經有314處，包括不同的政府機關和公共設施。

販賣機分為免費型（直接扭動把手就可以取得衛生巾）和投幣型（要到服務台取硬幣，投幣後扭動把手才可以拿到衛生巾）。首爾歷史博物館的就是投幣型販賣機。投幣型設計當然是為避免濫用，而事實上數據亦顯示投幣型（日均1.9次）使用率較免費型（日均6.8次）稍低。但無可否認，投幣型販賣機對急需月經用品、行動不便、或對表達需求感到不舒服的人士帶來一定不便。

而政策的制訂和推行從來都是社會問題的倒影。2016年5月底，在南韓衛生巾市場市占率達百分之50的柳韓金百利（Yuhan-Kimberly）宣布當年6月起將衛生巾價格上調百分之20。雖然政府於2004年豁免月經用品消費稅（甚至在2021年通過國產月經用品零稅率），南韓衛生巾價格卻一直高企。在2019年，韓國的衛生巾價格高踞36個OECD國家之首（韓國每塊衛生巾價格為331韓圓；其他國家價格為：丹麥156韓圓；日本181韓圓；美國181韓圓；加拿大202韓圓）。到了2023年的今天，韓國婦女環境網（Korean Women's Environmental Network，KWEN）的調查依然顯示韓國衛生巾價格較另外11個國家高出39%。

柳韓金百利加價無疑讓來經者的處境雪上加霜，也引發了韓國網民在社交媒體上對月經貧窮議題的討論。其中迴響最大的莫過於「鞋墊女孩」事件—— 因為家境困難，有少女迫不得已用紙巾和鞋墊代替衛生巾。「鞋墊女孩」事件影響之大，令不少韓國NGO組織月經用品捐贈活動，甚至讓韓國國會在2017年通過了青少年福利支援法修正案，為11至18歲貧困青少女提供購買月經用品的電子代金券。首爾市政府也著手推行應急月經用品販賣機政策，並於2018年於10個試點推出。

2022年，南韓政府負責促進性別平等的行政機關女性家族部將月經用品支援推廣至9至24歲的生理女性，並將金額上調至每月12000韓圓（約70港幣；2023年金額已上調至13000韓圓）。然而，在有資格獲得資助的24.3萬名低收入青年中，實際申請的只有17.3萬人。而且在職低收入青年也非常容易跌出支援網。更重要的是，當衛生巾價格在2020至2022年上漲了達15%，政府的代金券金額卻只上升不到10%。加上19至24歲合資格人士可得的資助只有全額（12000韓元）的8成（9600韓元），對於剛就讀大學或剛就職的年輕女性來說，政策的幫助顯然有限。

有鑑於政策的不足和日益高企的月經用品價格，要求政府全面提供免費月經用品的訴求亦開始出現。今年世界月經日之際，便有韓國議員宣布將提出無條件向青年提供充足並多樣化的月經用品的福利支援法修正案。我們密切留意政策發展之際，下次到首爾旅行時，可以跟著智慧地圖看看（但真的有需要才使用啊）。

參考資料：

首爾智慧地圖 https://map.seoul.go.kr/smgis2/short/6N8iE
Period Poverty Around The World https://www.borgenmagazine.com/period-poverty-2/
South Koreans Are Calling For Universal Access to Menstrual Products https://womensmediacenter.com/fbomb/south-koreans-are-calling-for-universal-access-to-menstrual-products
'비상용 생리대' 자판기…스마트서울맵으로 검색! （應急用衛生巾販賣機... 使用首爾智慧地圖搜尋！）https://mediahub.seoul.go.kr/archives/2001185
생리용품 보편지급, 법적 근거 있는데 왜 안되나?（普遍提供月經用品有法律依據，為何不行呢？）https://www.ekoreanews.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=62418
장혜영 "7만명 '월경빈곤'... 여성청소년 생리용품 전면 지원해야" 張惠英「7萬人遭受月經貧窮... 我們需要青少年女性月經用品全面支援」https://www.ohmynews.com/NWS_Web/View/at_pg.aspx?CNTN_CD=A0002931081&fbclid=IwAR0rxXlZfxTSV0MgeX5Scj1Kb3p9IPKQMEdPD9i-NbI70U_cegV_zgPV09s

#免費月經用品 #首爾 #首爾歷史博物館 #서울역사박물관 #月經權益

請教職員跟上兒童健康發展
#讓小學以上的孩子可以請生理假！

我女兒隔壁班，有孩子九歲開始有月經
現在她十歲，班上14個女孩有5個有月經

婦產科 王文中 科主任醫師曾經發表文說
原發性經痛的女性大約佔所有有月經女性的40-50﹪， #其中會痛到沒辦法工作或上學的約15﹪，症狀輕到不需止痛藥的約佔三分之一，而有一半的婦女經痛時活動會受到影響。

也就是才十歲的孩子中，一個班上的孩子有至少有兩個會經痛，一個孩子會因為經痛無法正常生活。而月經假却沒有普及到小學也能平等使用？況且在他們學校中高年級體育課，還是必修游泳！對於剛開始有月經還在適應青春期的孩子，能否給與更多面對青春期的溫柔？

別忘了我們的小學性教育教材裡面，甚至連棉條都沒有談到，連性器官都沒有能力正名。為什麼要讓小學生獨自面對青春期的壓力，就連月經來了還只能請病假，無法使用不扣成績表現的月經假？

#啾啾老師 #兒童性教育
#小學生也要月經假

原發性經痛除了靠伸展可緩解疼痛，也可以可以多補充鎂跟鈣，緩解前列腺分泌導致的子宮血管及肌肉劇烈收縮。真的還是很痛可以經醫師指示後吃止痛藥，吃了沒有緩解務必要再去看醫生！

Come join us this Menstrual Hygiene Day !
今個世界月經衛生日有一連串男女老幼所有人都啱嘅活動！一齊講經 🩸

#世界月經衛生日
#月經神隊友
#約定你

FREE PERIODS HK Everyone deserves a free period.

月經係你同我同大家嘅事！無論生理上你有冇月經，你身邊總有有月經嘅親人、朋友、同事 🩸

5月25-28日嚟到深水埗合舍，同我哋一齊討論點樣建設一個更月經友善嘅社會，令所有人都可以無障礙咁活出美好人生 ❤️😌

#月經神隊友 #我的女子月月友 #唔同角色嘅朋友可以點樣更加月經友善 #不同月經產品同身體自主選擇 #月經平等係建設平等社會嘅重要一環 #呢個世界月經衛生日約定你啦

如何成為自己或別人的月經神隊友？嚟「Be My Buddy Buddy」月經平等展覽睇下自己認識幾多月經相關知識！

得到了 Hactl 的全力支持，由 Free Periods HK 所主辦的展覽將於5月25-28日在深水埗合舍舉行，將帶來生動有趣的月經知識和多角度的了解方式，讓大家不再感到尷尬和負擔。除了展示各式各樣的月經用品和相關產品外，還將有多場與月經相關的講座和活動，讓大家可以更深入地了解月經。快來和我們一起成為女子月月友，一起為月經平等努力吧！

How to become your own or someone else's period superhero? Come to the "Be My Buddy Buddy" Menstrual Equality Exhibition and test your knowledge of menstrual-related topics!

Supported by Hactl, the exhibition organized by Free Periods Hong Kong will take place at Form Society in Sham Shui Po from May 25-28. We will provide lively and interesting menstrual knowledge and multiple perspectives for you to understand menstruation, so you no longer have to feel embarrassed or burdened. In addition to showcasing various menstrual products, there will also be multiple talks and activities related to menstruation, allowing everyone to gain a deeper understanding of menstruation. Come and join us as a period pal and work together for menstrual equality!

#香港空運貨站 #月經 #成為我的女子月月友 #成為我的女子月月友 #女子月月友 One Bite Design Studio One Bite Social

Be My Buddy Buddy! 🩸
今個528世界月經日，Free Periods HK籌備咗一系列活動喺社區推動月經友善嘅討論 ❤️ stay tuned!

Stay tuned to our Buddy Buddy series events this May in celebration of the Menstrual Hygiene Day! 🩸

📢在今年國際月經月慶祝令人振奮的消息！我們非常榮幸地宣布 Hactl 將支持Free Periods HK 的月事教育計劃 "Hactl x Free Periods Hong Kong - Be My Buddy Buddy"！🩸

我們致力於共同建立一個月事友善的社會，期望每個人都更易獲得適切的月事教育和月事產品。今次的合作將令更多青少年和大眾能夠了解月經，打破月經的污名和禁忌。

我們相信每個人都應該有月事教育機會，讓我們一起為社區帶來正面的改變！一系列活動即將推出，請密切期待更多消息！💪🌟

📢 Exciting news for this International Menstruation Month!! We are thrilled to announce that Hactl is now supporting Free Periods HK’s menstrual education program, “Hactl x Free Periods Hong Kong - Be My Buddy Buddy”! 🩸

Together, we are committed to co-creating a period-friendly society where menstrual education and access to menstrual products are readily available and normalised. This partnership will empower everyone to understand and embrace menstruation, breaking the stigma and taboo surrounding the topic.

We believe that everyone deserves access to menstrual education and products, and we are proud to be part of this initiative. Let's work together to make a positive change in our community! Stay tuned for more exciting news! 💪🌟

#香港空運貨站 #月經 #成為我的女子月月友 #成為我的女子月月友 #女子月月友 One Bite Design Studio
One Bite Social

[IWD 2023 💜 Embrace Equity]

I once believed that the best of world is a world with no labels.

Male, female, masculine, feminine, gay, straight… these labels made me believe that there was only one correct way of living. The study of gender liberated me from societal expectations, made me understand how social norms and power relations work and opened me up to the world of diversity. I felt that the world would be much better without these limiting labels, so that no one would be cast out because of how they express genders, or discriminated against for whom they love.

This explains my obsessiveness of removing labels. Whenever I saw gender-specific terms like sisters and ladies, I would try to have them replaced. I was determined to stop the perpetuation of gender dichotomy by stopping the use of these terms, and whenever I talk about periods, I use terms like “menstruators” or “people with menstruation,” which in fact don’t make a lot of sense to most audiences.

Understandably, the word “menstruator” is quite hard to understand for the public. Usage of the word is also accused of dehumanising and reducing women to the phenomenon of menstruation. In 2021, a controversy arose when Lancet used the phrase “bodies with vagina” on their cover. Many argued that it was dehumanising and erasing women, and others questioned why the editorial team has never used “bodies with prostates” to refer to the male body, although it is clear that Lancet’s only intention was to respect trans men and inters*x people who menstruate but do not identify as women.

Perhaps inclusion and exclusion are always two sides of the same coin: the very decision to include something always entails exclusion of the others. The long and clumsy phrase “women and people with periods/ cycles” adopted by period tracker app Clue might be the best option for now.

I have now come to terms with the fact that language is an honest reflection of social facts, just like how “feminism” reminds us of the oppression and discrimination faced by many who identify as women. Wishing everyone who supports human rights, equity and justice a happy International Women’s Day, may our words be kind and tender always.

［國際婦女節2023 💜 擁抱平權］

曾經的我堅信撕走了所有標籤的世界是最最美好的世界。

男、女、陽剛、陰柔、同性戀、異性戀、這許多許多的標籤曾經讓我以為世界只容得下活出特定模樣的人。讀性別對我來說是自我的解放，讓我了解到社會規範和權力關係的形成與運作，讓我了解多元的可能。在我腦海裏，褪去一切標籤的世界是美好的，沒有人因性別氣質受責難、沒有人因性傾向被歧視。

有好一段日子，我都對stripping labels off有強大的執念。看到任何gender-specific的字眼，包括婦女、姊妹、ladies、我都會打個冷震再想辦法取代它。帶頭停止這些用字延續性別二元論是我的信念。所以每當談論月經，我都刻意棄用「女性」，選擇”menstruator” （來經者）、”people with menstruation” （有月經的人）等等gender-neutral，可是在中文語境其實很奇怪又沒有人明白的字。

誠然menstruator這個字普遍對大眾來說很難理解（也就是說對SEO和宣傳十分不利 😂），最近甚至聽到有人質疑「用呢個字咪姐係exclude啲女人」。近年這個字也陷入去人化的爭議（將人reduce到只剩月經這個生理現象）。2021年，Lancet便因為在封面上使用”bodies with vagina”（取自當期Lancet一篇關於月經污名和月經貧窮的文章）這個phrase引起巨大爭議。很多人認為這是貶抑女性的行為，也有人質疑為什麼Lancet從未使用”bodies with prostates”講述男性身體。至於Lancet的意圖，從總編輯Richard Horton回應聲明可以看到絕對是出於尊重多元，特別是希望包括會經歷月經但性別認同並非為女的跨性別人士。

所以或許inclusion和 exclusion，往往都在於意圖，也往往只有一線之差。因為每個include的選擇，都意味有他者被排除。有沒有什麼折衷的辦法呢？經期追蹤app Clue便在文章中使用women and people with periods/ cycles的說法。很長氣，但或許是最政治正確又尊重多元的說法。

現在的我已經不是gender-neutral language魔人了，因為語言是社會實況的反映，也是權力關係的展現。就如女性主義一詞中飽受詬病的女性一詞時刻提醒我們身處父權社會的脈絡，提醒我們有許多人從過去到現在都因女性身分受壓迫和剝削。但我也是不會放棄gender-neutral語言的，畢竟有很多生理女性也因各種原因沒有來經，也有跨仔朋友依然有來經的啊。綑綁女性身分和月經的話，不也是對這些朋友的一種不尊重嗎？

祝所有支持人權、平等和公義的人38婦女節快樂，願人人口中的話語都更溫柔。

#國際婦女節 #擁抱平權

大家好！2022年下半年小編開始了新的全職工作，而且跟另外2位月經教育友好 一同創辦的NGO .hk 正式註冊成為慈善團體，所以MenstruAction這邊就暫時放下了。很感激依然沒有unfollow的大家，未來請繼續支持MenstruAction和Free Periods的工作。MenstruAction會繼續製作不同有關月經的社交媒體content，Free Periods則會更廣泛地提供全面、正向的月經教育。歡迎不同團體，例如NGO和學校的友好交流合作啊❤️

新一年祝大家月事順利。新年未買揮春的話，有我們製作的月事揮春，所得將全部撥捐Free Periods Hong Kong （購買連結在bio）❤️

Hi everyone! It’s been a very busy period since the second half of 2022, because I’ve started a new full-time job and because Free Periods Hong Kong, an NGO I co-founded with Happeriod and Mcupmstuff has been officially registered as a charity (woohoo!). I’ve taken a break here so I’d really want to thank everyone who hasn’t unfollowed (no please don’t 😂🫣).

MenstruAction will continue producing quality educational content about all things period, while Free Periods will focus on providing comprehensive menstrual education for different underprivileged groups. Please continue to shower us with your love and support!!! ❤️

I wish you a very happy and period-pain-free new year. If you haven’t got fai chun for Lunar New Year, time to get it from us (all proceeds will go to Free Period Hong Kong; link in bio).

#揮春

多謝明報副刊記者，出成版專題講月經係好有心嘅事 ❤️

大家冇買尋日報紙都可以上網睇返啊！

#月經貧窮 #月經 #解放月事

多謝明報副刊記者，出成版專題講月經係好有心嘅事 ❤️

大家冇買尋日報紙都可以上網睇返啊！

No one has ever taught me how to deal with menopause.

I learnt a great deal about puberty, though. The school, the student health service, everyone was trying to make sure I know what secondary s*xual characteristics are, how I would start finding the opposite s*x attractive (for real?) etc. I also went through that notorious “girls-only” menstruation talk conducted by a menstrual pad manufacturer. Maybe it was Kotex? I might be a creature of habit, because I have used Kotex for so many years before switching to cloth pads.

Everyone was making a fuss about puberty. Of course. The youth are our future. Raise them well, make them work, make them marry, make them make babies. It goes on and on.

I have seen my family went through menopause. Every time she thought it would be her last period, it made a comeback. “I just hope it stops forever sooner”. I had never heard people saying this. Most of my friends say it when they have cramps, but they don’t mean it (and when it doesn’t come they pray for it to come). I was then reminded of a seminar I held at HKU a couple of years ago. One of the speakers shared how her life was changed for good after hysterectomy. Only then I was reminded that “yea, one day, I will live without periods, too”. And it didn’t sound bad at all.

But I know so little about menopause. I know how the cycle is going to be more unstable until it stops forever. I know about hot flash (but just the name, actually). I know how it affects your mood and how your bones become weak. I also know there are hormone tests that helps you identify the onset of menopause? But if so many things happen during the period, why am I so ignorant and unprepared?

To quote Simone de Beauvoir’s The Coming of Age because I’ve just started reading it, “Nothing should be more expected than old age: nothing is more unforeseen”. Exactly how I feel.

Today is Menstrual Hygiene Day. If we say menstruation is an experience common for menstruators, isn’t menopause almost the same? If we care about menstruation, shall we not care about the departure of it too?

學校從來沒教我怎樣面對更年期。

記得小學常識科和學童保健（姑娘全部都好惡，童年陰影）花了很多篇幅講青春期：講青春期身體的變化、第二性徵的發展、我會開始受異性吸引（呃）等等。小六的時候也經歷了”girls-only”的月經講座，獲得舉辦的衛生巾公司（好像是Kotex? 習慣很可怕，之後好多年我都是Kotex用家）送贈衛生巾兩塊。

大家都對青春期嚴陣以待。因為年輕人就是社會的未來，是勞動力的泉源。讓他們好好成長，讓他們好好工作，讓他們好好結婚，讓他們好好生子，讓循環不斷，直到永遠。

近年家人開始踏入更年期。月經反反覆覆，要來不來。以為終於要停經了，大姨媽卻又出來嚇你一跳。家人非常煩躁，「快啲停咪好囉」，那是我第一次聽到有人真的希望月經消失（很多人每次黎M都這麼說，但唔黎又驚青）。又想起數年前在港大舉辦的seminar，有講者分享經歷子宮切除手術之後沒有月經，生活變得非常美好。我才發現月經對我來說已經變成了一種理所當然，以至於當時年輕的我甚至忘記了這並不是理所當然。

關於更年期，我知道的很少。月經會越來越少，最後停經、會有潮熱、可能會脾氣暴躁？會骨質疏鬆？好像有荷爾蒙測試可以知道更年期是不是已經到？可能你會覺得when the time comes就會知道了，但如果它是人生中這麼重大的變化，why am I so unprepared?

最近開始讀西蒙波娃的《論老年》，裏面有這麼一句：「沒有甚麼比老年更確定會到來，也沒有甚麼比老年更讓我們沒準備」。對，就是這種感覺。

今天是528世界月經日。如果說月經是每個來經者共同的經歷，就幾乎可以肯定更年期也是一樣。如果我們關注月經的到來，我們不也有責任關心月經的離去嗎？

#世界月經日 #世界月經衛生日 #月經 #更年期 #月經禁忌

2022年少有嘅好消息 🎉 Free Periods HK正式成為香港慈善團體啦！未來我哋會繼續努力，敬請期待！

Free Periods HK is now officially a charitable institution in Hong Kong! Stay tuned for our upcoming projects and new initiatives!

無論經期有幾準，無論係唔係想受孕，追蹤經期都係咁重要㗎！以下呢4個原因，你最認同邊一個呢？

🩸 月經週期反應你身體嘅整體健康狀況
週期不規律、血量過多、經痛等症狀可以反映到我地嘅身體狀況。例如週期不規律就可能係壓力大、飲食失調、卵巢多囊症甚至卵巢癌嘅警號。定期追蹤同紀錄經期可以幫你發現問題，及早求醫。即使你平時經期比較穩定，都可以問題一出現就及時發現。

🩸 你可以嘗試接納自己嘅情緒同唔同狀態
月經週期之中，因為荷爾蒙變化等原因，你可能會喺排卵期同經期嘅時候特別down、特別攰。了解自己嘅身體變化可以幫你接受自己嘅downtime，甚至更好咁編排時間。

🩸你可以幫助醫生診症
對自己嘅月經週期知得多啲，就可以幫醫生判斷病況同決定檢查/治療/用藥選擇。Track住自己個週期，就可以準確咁講畀醫生聽一啲自己未必記得嘅細節，例如成個週期幾長、血量多少、經血顏色、有冇伴隨其他症狀（例如經痛、肚瀉等）。

🩸 你可以更好咁預備經期來臨
呢度嘅「預備」唔係淨係講緊放定M巾同止痛藥喺袋；著唔著白色褲呢啲準備。如果你經期中要作出生活習慣嘅改變去幫自己，例如食多啲鐵質/蛋白質；食supplements；調整運動節奏或者做任何令自己開心啲嘅嘢，知道自己來經嘅pattern就幫到你啦！

Track your cycles even if your me**es are regular or if you aren't trying to get pregnant! Here are 4 reasons why:

🩸 Your cycle tells a lot about your body
Irregular periods, heavy bleeding, period cramps etc. are all important indicators of your general health. E.g. irregular cycles is linked to stress, eating disorders and even ovarian cancer. Tracking and logging your periods allow you to notice as soon something goes wrong.

🩸 It helps you understand and embrace your downtime
Throughout your cycle, hormonal changes cause mood swings so you might feel worse during ovulation, before, and during me**es. Understanding where you are at your cycle helps you make peace with downtime and better structure your life.

🩸 It helps doctors with diagnosis
Help your doctors know what they can (e.g. rule out certain tests/ drug prescription)/ need to do by describing your cycle as accurately as you can. Although you might know well how long your cycle is, you might be missing details like how heavy your flow is; what PMS symptoms you have; and/or what colour your discharge is.

🩸 It helps you better prepare for your cycle
It's not only about when you should start carrying pads and painkillers in your bag - it's also about what kinds of food to eat/ supplements to take; what kinds of workout to do; and whether or not you need some kind of personal psychotherapy

Will be speaking at this youth forum by on 12 March. Sign up now if you’re a secondary/ tertiary student and would like to meet 3 menstrual activists working on/in Asia in one event ❤️

📍Youth Forum - Period Positivity
🩸Women in Asia are still affected deeply by period poverty due to the lack of education of menstruation.
In this event, we invited 3 speakers who have been working hard to break the cycle of secrecy and misinformation. Join our Youth Forum to get to know their work and what you can do as an individual!😊
-
Details📝:
📅Date: 12 March 2022 (Sat)
🕒Time: 20:30-22:30 GMT+8
🏡Venue: Zoom
👥Target participants: 40 secondary and tertiary students, local preferred
💵Fee: Free of charge
💡Speakers, Valentina Thayer (Macau ), Joyce Fung (Hong Kong ), Navya Bhagat (India )

Sign up: https://forms.gle/uqHEFKKinfXfCndx7

———————————

#澳門 #澳門青年 #模聯 #模擬聯合國 l #澳門模聯 #聯合國

Do cis males have periods? Irritable Male Syndrome (IMS) and hormonal fluctuations

Throughout the menstrual cycle, hormonal levels fluctuate and affect menstruators both physiologically and psychologically. Towards the end of the cycle (21st to 28th day), estrogen and progesterone levels drop and reach their lowest during me**es. A low estrogen and progesterone level can cause mood swings, fatigue, oily skin and even insomnia.

Things are a little different for cisgender men, but not so different after all. Fluctuations in testosterone level caused by stress, lack of sleep and/or illness can lead to symptoms of hypersensitivity, low libido, fatigue and anxiety. There’s even a term for the symptom (coined as a parallel with PMS): author Jed Diamond popularised the usage of the term “Irritable Male Syndrome” (IMS). He describes IMS as the state of “hypersensitivity, anxiety, frustration, and anger” in males, which can be associated with factors including hormonal change, stress, changes in brain chemistry and changes in male roles and identity.

However, since IMS has no hormonal basis, it doesn’t occur regularly. And in fact, there is by far no medical evidence proving the existence of IMS. Jed Diamond’s book on IMS is also faced with criticisms of essentialising gender differences, over-emphasising the roles of s*x hormones in individuals’ physiology and psychology, as well as rationalising male irritability or even domestic violence.

Regardless of s*x and gender, it’s always important to embrace your emotions and vulnerabilities. Having a bad time? Take a good rest, be it IMS/PMS or not.

#月經 #暴躁男性綜合症 #經前症候群 #經前綜合症

生理男性都會嚟M？睪丸酮和「暴躁男性綜合症」(Irritable Male Syndrome)

月經週期中，生理女性體內嘅荷爾蒙濃度都會改變，並且影響佢地嘅生理同心理。喺週期嘅第四週（21-28日），體內嘅雌激素同黃體素水平都會開始下降，並喺來經時到達最低點。低水平雌激素同黃體素會引致情緒不穩、心情煩躁、嗜睡、油脂分泌增加甚至失眠等問題 （嚟緊M嘅小編表示 😔）。

但係你有冇諗過，cisgender男性都會有呢個問題？（我有！我有cis男性朋友耐唔耐就話自己嚟M！）

原來生理男性都會有因為睪丸酮水平波動而情緒不穩、體力不足嘅問題。隨咗睪丸酮水平喺朝早上升、晚上下降，並隨年齡下降之外，壓力、睡眠不足、疾病等因素都會引致睪丸酮下降。作者Jed Diamond就以好似男版月經咁嘅「暴躁男性綜合症」(Irritable Male Syndrome, IMS)命名因睪丸酮下降、長期壓力、男性社會角色改變等原因造成男性易怒、敏感同焦慮嘅狀態。同月經唔同嘅係，IMS唔會跟隨任何生理規律，所以唔會好似月經咁每隔幾耐黎一次。

如果你身邊有男性朋友有一排心情低落又提唔起勁，Jed Diamon就會話佢係畀IMS影響。不過！雖然睪丸酮水平同男性身心健康的確好大關係，目前為止醫學上係冇證據證明IMS嘅存在㗎！而Jed Diamond講述IMS嘅著作亦受到一d批評。一來佢嘅論述加強性別嘅二元分立、過分強調同僵化荷爾蒙對「男女」身心嘅影響。二來書中強調男性受荷爾蒙、生長背景同社會環境影響，都被批評為幫家暴嘅男性開脫啊。

總之不論性別，只要有朋友係having a bad time，都要好好支持佢地呀！

#暴躁男性綜合症 #經前症候群 #經前綜合症 #月經

祝各位虎年安康 月事順利 🧧🩸
Wish you a wonder year of the Tiger! 🐯

【「上應太陰，下應海潮」，居然有這麼美的生理現象？】
沒錯！《本草綱目》中「上應太陰（月亮），下應海潮」的，正是我們所認知的 #月經 🩸

至於月經到底為什麼叫月經，李時珍叔叔也給了我們答案。「月」是指經血「一月一行」，與月盈月缺、潮汐漲退的規律相符。所以除了「月經」，還有「月水」、「月信」等名字。月信中的「信」和「經」一樣，都是有規律、定時而來的意思。白居易的《浪淘沙》中也有一句「相恨不如潮有信，相思始覺海非深」（好令人神傷啊🥲）。而「經」則是經常、有規律的意思。

《本草綱目》中也提到「天癸」和「紅鉛」等字眼。想知道這些是什麼東西？緣分到了，小編就會更新告訴大家了（為自己加油打氣）⋯⋯

#月經週期 #本草綱目 #月相 #月相盈虧 #為什麼月經叫月經 #佛系更新

「原來衛生巾上的紅這麼有震撼力」

【衛生巾「 #好看嗎」：那一夜，他們的公告欄變成了「 #民主牆」】https://bit.ly/32TbDTY

2021年10月26日，南京大學仙林校區有女生爆料兩週前在學校女廁遇到男性偷窺者，事發一個月校方仍未發布任何跟進或懲處偷窺人士的通報，引發學生不滿。11月5日，該校公告欄出現聯名信：「我們不要被偷窺！我們要嚴處變態！我們要學校公開回應！」

聯名信很快就被保安撕下，但當晚公告欄出現更多新標語，有人擺了鮮花，有人貼了一片衛生巾（衛生棉），上面用紅筆寫上三個字——「好看嗎」。

第二天一早，公告欄又被清空，唯獨那片衛生巾被留下。一名學生在微博評論「為什麼嘗試抹去所有痕跡卻不願碰這一片衞生巾？」之後被轉發數萬次，一名網友表示「原來衛生巾上的紅這麼有震撼力」，但發文很快被刪除。

在自由已成縫隙的今日，中國高校學生還能為什麼議題發聲？會遭遇什麼阻力？他們又能如何「花式抗議」？

★ 付費支持我們，撐起一片更廣闊的自由空間：http://bit.ly/2wVfM6g
★ 學生方案：https://bit.ly/3bUODnu

#端傳媒 #六週年 #新開端 #中國 #高校 #維權

日治時期台灣的月事用品！除了必須配搭月經帶使用，還非常貴…

/據了解，台灣日治時期1920年代，寄普通信是3錢，郵差日薪是5角（即50錢），一盒「月乃華」比郵差半天的薪水還要多一點。/

百年前衛生棉曝光！ 收藏家：放太久幾乎「忘了它的存在」 - 生活 - 自由時報電子報 南投縣文化資產學會創會理事長梁志忠，收藏許多台灣文物，最近在倉庫找到1盒名為「月乃華」的台灣日治時代文物，盒子正面下方印有台灣總督指令字號和價格，裡面有20球包裝好的白色棉球。梁志忠說，光看盒子正面的字樣...