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Why Are We Here?
Well, it all started when a man and an ovulating woman really liked each other...kidding! Sort of. We really wouldn't be here without periods and the menstrual cycle, right? So why are we, as a society, so afraid to talk about them?
We're so used to hearing everything negative about menstruation - what a pain in the uterus! - but we're here to tell you it doesn't have to be so bad.
We're tired of being told to hide our period or made to feel ashamed of it. We say, let's own it! Not only that, let's celebrate it, honor it, and learn more about it. Because menstruation doesn't need to be just something we dread having to endure every month.
There's so much more to it than that, and it is empowering.
Guys, we're talking to you, too!
What Is Cycledork?
We are everything cycle-related (and yes, sometimes we can't help being a bit dorky about it!)
Some have referred to 2015 as the year of the period, and though we've come a long way in terms of awareness and stigma-busting, there is SO much more to do. That's why it's so important to keep the momentum going.
Our intention is to continue that conversation, to foster a safe and welcoming platform for socially conscious, period-positive, body-positive dialogue and to create even more opportunities for honoring, celebrating, and learning more about the very natural process that is not only necessary to create life but actually affects us all in so many more ways than we could've imagined.
For instance:
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Did you know more than one fifth of the girls in Sierra Leone miss school because of menstrual stigmas?
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Do you really know what's in your feminine products?
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Have you heard of the tampon tax?
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Are you aware of all available contraception options?
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Did you know PMS is common but not "normal"?
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What is the menstrual cycle, anyway?
Not so sure about all that? No worries, that's why we're here!
You can also expect to see some great interviews, helpful health and wellness tips, the latest on reusables, cycle apps, and technology (yes, there's period tech news!) and of course, some lighthearted menstrual mirth. We do love us some plucky period humor.
Why Help?
We need your help to show the world menstruation matters. That periods can be empowering.
Women will spend an approximate whopping 3000 days of their lives menstruating - that's over 8 years! - and yet it's still something we aren't welcomed to talk about freely. Worse, there's still so much misinformation out there.
"Repairing women's relationship to the body through undoing the menstrual taboo and sharing body literacy ought to be foundational to the feminist movement. It reconnects us to ourselves and to the world around us, to each other. It is a vital source of revolutionary power." - Holly Grigg-Spall
62 million girls worldwide
are not in school. A large part of this has to do with menstrual stigmas.
"Scholarships, bathrooms, and safe transportation will only go so far if societies still view menstruation as shameful and shun menstruating girls." - Michelle Obama
We find this unacceptable.
Fund Goals
After we pay campaign fees, 100% of your contribution will go towards our mission.
Funds raised will help us cover the costs of building our full website including hosting and development, paying our wonderful graphic designer who has worked so patiently, and getting us off the ground with startup marketing costs. Our goal also includes a small startup nest egg to pay a modest team of regular contributors as well as visual artists to create awesome and special Cycledork infographics and images. We have big ideas! And we think you'll really like them.
Our Amazing Perks & Partners
We're so excited to be launching our very first Cycledork swag!
Featuring "Undo the Taboo" on our T-shirt, Mug, & Tote.
T-shirts and totes will be hand-printed locally in NYC by the wonderful
Magdalena Concepts. T-shirts available in women's (S-2XL) and unisex (XS-4XL) - If you claim this perk we will reach out to you for size preference.
We are also incredibly grateful for the generosity of our amazing partners. ![]()
E-book download and *signed* copies of "Sweetening the Pill" by Holly Grigg-Spall. This is a must-read book exploring the side-effects and broader social impact of hormonal contraceptives. It's also being made into Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein (the duo behind "Business of Being Born")'s next documentary, coming soon!
"Holly Grigg-Spall is fearless, and her courageous advocacy on behalf of
women whose stories are too often silenced is a model for others trying
to make positive change through health activism. Read the book and get inspired, get angry, and most importantly get information. Sweetening the Pill is exactly the thing needed to energize and mobilize this important women's health conversation."
-- Laura Eldridge, author of In Our Control: The Complete Guide to
Contraceptive Choices for Women.
$50 Gift Certificate for Lunapads - where we bought our first eco-friendly menstrual pads! They have menstrual cups and lunapanties, too. In partnership with AFRIpads, they support education for girls in developing countries and provide reusable menstrual pads through their
Pads4Girls pad-for-pad program.
Taboo-breaking t-shirt and buttons from unTabooed, a wonderful organization bringing reusable menstrual products to low income women. We are proud to be teaming up with them in collaboration with
GladRags, a Portland-based company providing eco-friendly, reusable menstrual products. Together, with your contribution, we can provide 7 low income women with reusable products. T-shirts available in women's (S-2XL) and unisex (XS-4XL) - If you claim this perk we will reach out to you for size preference.
"The Woman's Yoga Book: Asana and Pranayama for All Phases of the Menstrual Cycle" by Bobby Clennell & "Relaxation Basics: A Doctor's Prescription For Stress Relief" (CD) by Mary Pullig Schatz, M.D, courtesy of Rodmell Press are our go-to chillaxation remedies. Pair with a bubble bath and your evening is made! New to yoga? There is no better time to get started than now. Your uterus will thank you for it.
Descriptions via Amazon:
"In The Woman's Yoga Book, senior Iyengar Yoga teacher Bobby Clennell offers a comprehensive program of asana (yoga poses) and pranayama (breathing techniques) designed to support menstrual health from menarche to menopause, along with nutritional and lifestyle information for those times off the yoga mat."
"In this comprehensive audio program [Relaxation Basics], Dr. Mary Pullig Schatz helps listeners use progressive relaxation techniques to manage stress-related conditions and illnesses, such as fatigue, muscular tension, high blood pressure, tension headaches, asthma, insomnia, ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome, chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia, allergies, and much more."
SuperFood Fudge is not only raw, organic, vegan and delicious...it's packed with superfoods! Which means it's good for you, which means it's heaaaven. Get a heart-shaped sample with your contribution of $125 or more.
Announcing The Cycledork Monthly, aka The Monthly, an everything-period, membership-only monthly newsletter brought to you by the ever impassioned Red Rebels*. The Monthly is specially designed to create a safe space for women (and men) to learn about, share and discuss menstruation. As a member you will have access to exclusive content, which will not appear on our website, and you will be a part of a period-positive community that exists nowhere else.
Arriving to your inbox on the new moon each month, like nature's clockwork, you will find inspirations on how to honor your menstruating body, the ‘trashing’ of a menstrual taboo, a Q&A section (that you are invited to participate in), a beautiful piece of menstrual art or an expose on a period-positive artist, and a healthy recipe that can help keep your hormones in balance, among other features and surprises, like guest editors and giveaways.
For your FREE early bird membership (normally $10/month) you will receive a handwritten welcome note and a handmade beaded menstrual bracelet unique to The Monthly that is not only fashionable but functional (instructions included! hint: it's like a period app on your wrist...batteries not included or required).
The Monthly is curated by Cycledork contributor Amy Lembcke, in collaboration with Cycledork editors. The first issue will arrive in early 2016.
*Of the Red Rebel Menstrual Cycle Club, of course. Our other favorite nickname for The Monthly.
Who We Are
Hello! I'm Jennilyn Carson, founder of Cycledork. I started this site because I always wished something like this existed - when I was a teenager navigating all the wild changes, when I was in college trying to figure out my life (oh, 20s!), and now, in my 30s, when the possibility of having children hovers on the horizon. I was a cycledork very early on, fascinated by the menstrual cycle at a young age - who isn't, right? ;) But there were very limited resources. That list is expanding - thanks internet! - but we're still lacking the voice and attention we, as humans, women and men, girls and boys, deserve.
Once I started learning about my cycle, my whole world opened up. And as I continue to learn, to tune in, to be aware of how powerful menstruation is not only on a personal, but a social and global level, too, the better understanding I have of body, my relationships, my passions AND my life.
I hope you will join us on this very important journey!
We are building a team and already have amazing contributors. Check them out on the beta website now. Want to be involved? Join us!
Risks & Challenges
We are fighting an uphill battle when it comes to undoing taboos and bringing positivity to periods - it's been WAY to easy to bash them all these years!
Additionally, starting a website is no piece of delicious chocolate cake. There's a lot of work involved and there's always the risk of failure or not achieving goals. As a team, we're strong, and we'll be doing our darndest to make it all happen. Cake may or may not be involved at some point.
Other Ways You Can Help
Can't contribute monetarily? We'd love your help in other ways.
Connect with us!
Please share, tweet, email our campaign. And be sure to sign up for our newsletter!
Our sincerest gratitude. Happy cycling!
#cycledork #empoweredperiod #undothetaboo
