When I see a confident little girl, it always bums me out to realize that she’s got only a few years before her hormones hijack her insecurities indefinitely. This special innocent time in every girls’ life didn’t last nearly long enough for me, and I didn’t have a doll taunting me with the cellulite and adult acne I would inevitably get.
But that’s exactly what the Lammily Doll is, a well-intended but misguided toy that teaches young girls that being a woman is a fucking nightmare. Now they’re taking it a step further with Period Party, a kit that includes 18 reusable pads and liners, underwear and an instructional pamphlet for $10. The only good news is that the Lammily doll does not bleed from a tiny hole in her doll vagina.
I’d describe the process of getting my period as more ceremonial that celebratory. It’s a delicate process of canceling plans, buying snacks and surrounding yourself with the soothing sounds of reality TV. It’s anything but a party and framing it as one might make a lot of girls way weirder about something awkward to begin with.
I’m all for having a more updated version of Barbie and exploring new ways to talk about growing up, but shoehorning all this into a doll that no little girl wants to play with is not the way to do it. Plus, periods really aren’t that complicated. Though they shouldn’t be stigmatized, the particulars can be covered pretty easily in a conversation as it comes up. Kids don’t need to spend that much time playing with pads and pamphlets to mentally prepare for it. It’s all pretty straightforward when you break it down.
And really, the only people who should be celebrating periods are grown women who are just that psyched to not be pregnant. [Period Party]
Original by Lauren Vinopal @LaurenVino
