By now, most of you have probably heard of Lammily, the "realistic" answer to Barbie and all her unattainable attributes. In addition to cellulite, scars and acne, the Nickolay Lamm creation now has another characteristic that brings her one step closer to being incredibly relatable: Lammily just got her period. In an attempt to address a natural process and break down taboos surrounding menstruation, Lammily now has a Period Party extension kit. It's had me giggling and groaning for the past five minutes, but it's also both awesome and important.
You know how I learned about periods? Through Judy Blume's Are You There God, It's Me Margaret, which I read in third grade while thinking "period" was like, you know, that punctuation mark. Later on, my fifth grade Life Skills teacher made us yell "period" and "uterus" and "ovaries" aloud repeatedly to ensure we were comfortable saying those words. While there's something to be said for normalizing all those words and Judy Blume is definitely someone to have on your reading list, I won't lie: The experience itself was a little traumatic.
The whole Lammily situation, however, sounds a lot friendlier. Described as "the fun way to explain the menstrual cycle to kids," the Period Party kit includes a pair of doll underwear, 19 colored pads, an educational pamphlet describing what happens to the body during a period, and a calendar and stickers to track Lammily's cycle. The pack will ship in November in time for the winter holidays.
In an interview with TIME, Nickolay Lamm cited Donald Trump's controversial remarks about Megyn Kelly — you know, about how she had "blood coming out of her wherever" — as just one example of the stigma surrounding periods. “It’s just what happens in real life," Lamm said. "We wanted to put it on the doll so it’s not a scary thing.”
Well done, dude. Well done. This is how periods should be treated. With respect and a chill attitude.
In honor of Lammily and her menses, here are five more ways to make periods fun — or at least respected and full of humor. I don't know if mine if ever going to be "fun" fun, but I can at least laugh while sprawled out across two heating pads. It's just a period, after all, right?
1. Nature's Cycles Card Set
Created by Etsy store Amy's Rag Bag, this card set illustrates the relationship between lunar cycles, menstrual cycles, and the natural world. Get your periodand feel like a full-on witch (in a badass way, obviously).
Nature's Cycle Card Set, $11.95
2. Hello Flo
Ugh, this video is delightful. I will be this mom. But in earnest. Blood sisters!
3. "If Men Could Menstruate" by Gloria Steinem
This short essay envisions a world in which men got their periods, while exploring the intense misogyny behind period hate. "Menstruation would become an enviable, worthy, masculine event: Men would brag about how long and how much. Young boys would talk about it as the envied beginning of manhood." Gloria, how I love thee.
4. IUD Earrings
Dr. Virginia Smith, an Akron, OH-based OB-GYN runs an Etsy jewelry store called SHARLEN Creations where she sells, among other items, glittery IUD earrings. I'll take one in every single color please!
IUD earrings, $20
5. Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
The ultimate coming-of-age book, Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret just nails it. Sure, she talks about horrible-sounding period contraptions from the 1970s. Pads used to involve belts or something? Unclear. What is clear, and what remains clear, is the beauty of getting your period. It's not always nice or clean or pleasant, but it's part of life for many of us, and it should celebrated whole-heartedly.
Images: Giphy (2); WaterAid/YouTube; Day Donaldson/Flickr
