The Lammily doll, affectionately dubbed "Normal Barbie" for her realistic proportions and ability to develop pimples, just took another big, doll-sized step toward normalizing the female experience: She got her period. And — bonus! — the company created a clever, comedic video to inform the world of Lammily's milestone moment. It normalizes periods in the same way that the Period Party expansion pack does while also taking it a step further: The Lammily "Da Period Talk" video definitely proves that there are weirder things out there in the world than menstruation.
Explained the doll's creator, Nickolay Lamm, "It's just what happens in real life. We wanted to put it on the doll so it's not a scary thing." Kudos for that, right? I got my period whilst getting my teeth cleaned at the dentist's office. Reclining uncomfortably beneath the ultrabright periscoping light, I started cramping. By the time I had been de-plaqued and made it to the bathroom, there was already a small red stain on my white denim shorts. Did I mention I was still wearing that dental bib that give you when this revelation occurred? It was horrifying.
But, thanks to Lammily, the experience won't have to be so jarring for young girls now coming into their own. It's all part of Lamm's multi-pronged plan to further the incredibly relevant dialogue about de-stigmafying periods. As such, parents can now purchase Period Party extension kits for their little girl's Lammily doll, which they can use as an aid in explaining what happens to the body during a period. Luckily for Lammily, cramping and fatigue are not included in the kit.
Of course, the progressive doll's latest development wasn't universally well-received — a cursory glance at the comment thread for the coordinating video proves we still have a long way to go in the fight to help normalize this utterly normal physiological occurrence. In fact, to prove how chill people should be about this latest Lammily innovation, I pulled points from the video that prove there are so many things far weirder than periods. Like so:
1. Ever, in any capacity, having your parents refer to themselves as DJ Mom and MC Dad.
Did I mention they prefaced those monikers with the phrases "dope beat" and "fresh rhymes"? Facepalm.
2. See also: Your parents saying "atcha," you know, atcha.
As in, "DJ Mom and Dad, comin' atcha," which roughly translates to, "Severe secondhand embarrassment, comin' atcha!"
3. Hearing someone trying to rhyme "period" and "myriad."
Unless they borrowed this lyric from an as-of-yet unpublished Dr. Seuss book I've certainly never heard of. That is the only plausible explanation for anyone ever attempting to make these two words flow (no pun intended).
4. Being forever unable to mentally unlink your cervical lining and the Easter bunny.
As far as analogies go, this isn't the greatest. I mean, the last I heard, my uterus looked nothing like a sparkly blue basket. And it definitely doesn't have a bow.
5. Learning your mom's secret rap name is Nicki Minaj-a-Mom.
Nope. Just nope. Nope, nope, nope, nope, nope.
See? Periods are far from the weirdest thing out there — and normalizing them is the best thing we can do for them. Check out the full video below
