This giveaway is now closed.
Back in February 2009, I was introduced to a book that broke rules and exposed secret lives. It was a book of acceptance and stripped away stigma constantly being enforced on girls and women today. It was a book all about first periods.
Have you ever noticed that all commercials for menstrual products focus on how discreet their product is and because their product is easier to hide than their competitor’s from onlookers and those you may be around who could possibly suspect that you have your period, is the reason why you need to purchase their brand instead of their competitor’s? It seems that whenever the topic of menstruation comes up in our society, we immediately are told that we must be discreet about it? It’s rather odd that something that happens within the bodies of (almost) every single woman in the world is still associated with something that needs to be shoved to the back of the closet and is still something that women are told by society is dirty or vulgar.
There is no shame in menstruation and when I had the opportunity to read and review My Little Red Book, an anthology of more than 90 short stories, essays and recollections from women and teens all over the world, I celebrated exactly that.
My Little Red Book has become a New York Times best seller, which is refreshing and exciting, knowing that there are enough people out there who are ready to give up the stigma surrounding menstruation and who are buying this book for themselves, for their daughters, granddaughters and friends; and now I want to spread the love. Thanks to Hachette Book Group, I have the opportunity to give away 10 copies of the new edition of My Little Red Book.
To win a copy of My Little Red Book, all you have to do is leave a comment telling us about your first period. [REQUIRED]
Don’t worry, I know that there are some people out there who don’t want to divulge that information or who feel out of their comfort zone in doing so, so feel free to provide as little or as much information as possible. You can say something like ‘I was 12 and I was skiing while on family vacation.’ See? Easy! Also, for those of you who want to enter to win a copy of My Little Red Book but have never experienced having a period (hello fabulous men out there!) just leave us a comment telling us who you want to give this book to if you win it, or of course, if you’re keeping it for yourself. There’s no shame in being a man and wanting to read this book, after all!
Because we are giving away 10 copies of this book to 10 different winners, there is only one method of entry into this giveaway.
This giveaway ends Wednesday, April 14th at 11:59PM EST. This giveaway is open to all US and Canada residents over the age of 18. The winner will be contacted by email and has 48 hours to respond with their necessary information. If no action is taken and I don’t hear back from you, another winner will be picked.
Oh the joys of being a woman! I got my first period on a school trip when I was 13. It was not fun having to ask a teacher to go buy me some pads!
I was 11 years old and was at my friend’s birthday party. My mom had not told me about periods yet, so I thought I was dying when I saw the blood.
I got this book for my tween. GREAT!!!!
I had just turned 13 and I was at a slumber party!
I definately remember that day! It was the day of my cousin’s wedding. It was an outdoor wedding on an icky, muddy, rainy day. I was m-i-s-e-r-ab-l-e to say the least!
Seventh grade right after I got home from the mall with a friend. Really was glad my mom had prepared me!
Ohh, I can never forget my first period! It happened when I was in the fifth grade, the first day after the summer break… When I saw ‘the surprise’ I didn’t want to tell my mom because I kind of hoped it didn’t happen haha… I cried because none of my friends had it before me.
I was 13 an was babysitting at a next door neighbors house.
I was at school, 7th grade and was horrified. I had carried a “hidden” pad around with me for a few months by that time, just in case I got “it.” When I did, I freaked and wound up trying to call my my mom from the nurse’s office. Mom wasn’t at her desk and her (male) colleague picked up and wanted me to leave a message. I wound up hanging up on him! I went home that day and remember asking my mom if I would have to wear the big, bulky (this was in the 1980’s) pads everyday for the rest of my life. From that point on, I always had a stash of the diaper-like pads with me in my purse – that is, until one day some guy from class stole one and started playing with it (pretending to wear it himself) in front of the class. I was humiliated and it took me a long time before I became unashamed of this new “event” that took place every month in my life.
I was 11, in 7th grade, and my twin sister had already gotten hers (and talked about it a lot) so I knew what it was. I even knew when I got it, as I was walking to 9th period (lol) math class. I felt that *feeling* and very suavely (as suavely as a dorky 11-year-old could) told my friends that I was going to the bathroom and would meet them in class. Of course, I saw what I saw and headed straight to the nurse’s office. I walked up to the nurse’s desk… and when I say “walked up to” I mean I was practically sitting on her desk and mumbled (literally, without opening my mouth) “…igtmprd”.
“What?”. The nurse couldn’t hear me. Crap, now I’ll have to say it again. “IGOTMYPERIOD”. “Oh! Here you go!” The nurse handed me a big generic pad and instructed me to use the “private nurse bathroom” that people use for period emergencies, stomachaches, and puking. I walked back to the math class with a pink pass that clearly said “nurse’s office” on it, after my math teacher had been informed that I was in the bathroom. If my guilty face hadn’t given me away, that hall pass did! Phew, glad that is over.
I was in 6th Grade, at school… I had just turned 12 and was at that awkward stage in my life where my body was an alien to me. I didn’t feel anything, but during a bathroom break I noticed the stains in my undies and without any pads or tampons on hand, I had to line my undies with toilet paper. I went back to class after that and progressed through the rest of my day without incident. My experience was relatively painless…
Aliya D.
aliyadaya(at)shaw(dot)ca
I was 11 and was spending the night at my best friend`s house. It was weird because we had played Barbies the night before and pretended that they got their periods. Then I woke up in the morning with mine. My friend was so jealous LOL.
This would be a great book to read with my daughter. She just got her period.
I was twelve. I got it on Sunday morning right before church, and ran around telling all my older womyn friends about it. They thought it was really cute and funny. Glad my mom taught me about these things early.
I was 13 and in junior high school. I knew it was starting and carried a pad with me. Didn’t feel too bad and was excited to get my first period! My Mom helped to celebrate it with me! 🙂
I was probably between the ages of 11 and 13 and I knew about periods, so I didn’t expect to be surprised. I distinctly remember the pain of my first time. It felt like someone took a knife and was slicing away at my vagina. Horrifying! When I looked at my underpants, I quietly freaked…Did I cut myself? Was I dying? Sick? Was it cancer? Menstruation was the LAST thought in my head. I have two nieces who would absolutely love this book…and a third when she gets older, not to mention my daughter, who will have to wait a few more years until she’s old enough to understand. 🙂
I got my period at home and though I’d had the lecture at school, it wasn’t what I’d expected. I guess I had expected to bleed the way they show gunshot wounds on tv!
I was very embarrassed and had my mother promise that she wouldn’t tell anyone. But when I came went to our next Sunday lunch at my grandparents’ home, my cousins, aunts and uncles and grandparents all started telling me how I was growing up so fast! I was mortified!
gaby317nyc at gmail.com
Let’s see I was 13. It was night time. I went to the bathroom and low and behold AH!!!! I ran downstairs to tell my mom. She was asleep. She sent my step-dad up. I slammed the bathroom door in his face and then told him I only wanted my mom. Eventually she came up and we got it worked out. But I was so embarrassed I could not face my step-father.