I PMS, therefore I am (a woman)

If there was a poster child for the fucked up, patriarchal, medicalized diagnosis known as, Pre-Menstrual Syndrome, it would be me. I become highly emotional and hyper-sentitive. I usually become sad, depressed and negative (a total downer to be around). Trivial things become magnified into larger issues. And large issues become unbearable to deal with. I cry a lot and have trouble communicating with a clear head, because i am too overwhelmed by my emotions.

i guess i wouldn't make a very good ceo of a big shot corporate company. (wink wink)

So in this patriarchial society of ours, I am seen to be irrational and perhaps "crazy" for a few days out of the month. Why? Because I become more emotional than a "normal" person (read: man).

But we all know the deal. It's our society that doesn't know how to deal with expression of emotion, especially a society that is drenched with WASP-iness (white anglo-saxon protestant values). Sure, I might become emotional and hyper-sensitive. But you know what? I also become incredibly intuitive. I become incredibly creative. my artistic tendencies flourish during my pre-menstrual days. In my emotionally heightened state, I am more loving than usual. I am more sensual and incredible at love-making. I am fully aware of my senses and feel so deeply.

This is a time that i need to cherish and appreciate. After many years of being on birth control pills, and finally feeling what it feels to have a real period and a real pre-menstrual experience, I have learned just how important these days of the month are to me.

So to those who choose to medicalize and symptomize this as hormonal imbalance (read: abnormality) that must be controlled and contained (via "help" from the multi-billion dollar pharmacuetical industry), I say kiss my pms-loving ass.

peace,
PQ