First published 2009
Rachel Kauder-Nalebuff gathers first period experiences from women across generations and continents. The collection spans from amusing moments like getting your period while water skiing in a bright yellow swimsuit to terrifying situations such as discovering it just before a Nazi strip search. Contributors include celebrated authors Meg Cabot, Erica Jong, Gloria Steinem, and Cecily von Ziegesar alongside contemporary teenagers. Each woman tells her story in her own voice, revealing the raw emotions and circumstances surrounding this universal yet deeply personal milestone. The anthology moves beyond mere storytelling to advocate for changing how society discusses menstruation. Kauder-Nalebuff creates space for honest conversation about an experience that connects women worldwide yet remains shrouded in shame and silence. The book serves as both entertainment and support system, offering mothers and daughters a foundation for open dialogue about growing up female.
Genres: anthologies, gender-studies, feminism, non-fiction, biography-memoir
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, raw-emotions
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
225 pages · Hardcover · Twelve
Content warnings: sexual-content