How many times have you heard a period described as a girl’s first step into womanhood? How much of the period content you see, whether product advertising or media mentions, is catered exclusively to women?

These days, many people like Eunsoo Amy Han, who was the focus of the previous Period Talk article, are working hard to break down the stereotype that periods are dirty, shameful, or need to be covered up. In fact, some even celebrate menstruation as empowering, proving just how unstoppable women are.

However, in this celebration, many people who don’t identify as women are excluded. Over WeChat, I spoke to a friend of mine, Jasper*, who was assigned female at birth, uses he/they pronouns, and identifies as transmasc nonbinary. (Transmasculine people were assigned a female gender at birth but identify with a more masculine one). He told me pretty much all of the period advertising and marketing content he’s seen is directed at women, and they’ve never come across any gender-neutral period products. They also said all the sex education and parent talks they’ve had were focused on females, and that, when doing online research, all the articles he found were on women’s health blogs, even if they use gender-neutral terms.

“It honestly makes me really uncomfortable, whenever I’m on my period, it feels like, because of it, I won’t be viewed [as]who I really am,” Jasper confessed. And with the heavy focus on women in period content, it’s easy to assume that everyone who has a period is a woman and all women have periods, which is a harmful misconception. Many trans, nonbinary, and genderqueer people menstruate, but don’t identify as women; and many women don’t have a period due to menopause, birth control, or a variety of other reasons.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, it’s important to provide period education to people of all genders, including boys. In middle and high school sex ed, boys and girls are often pulled into different rooms halfway through the class to discuss topics like erections and periods. And while it’s true that this separation can help avoid the embarrassment that comes with talking about these topics in front of the opposite sex, it’s important for boys to know how periods work.

Also over WeChat, I interviewed another friend, William*, who identifies as a cisgender man, meaning his gender identity matches the gender he was assigned at birth, and who uses he/him pronouns. Will told me that although he’s had a more extensive education on menstruation than most boys his age, it was largely general information and scant on specifics. He also said that he doesn’t know much about how to support those close to him while they’re on their periods, but would like to be able to help out more.

After this introduction, I asked Will a few questions about how he thinks periods work. He replied, “…It’s a cycle [that]contains an ovulation period and then the actual period where an egg is released, which is what causes so much pain.” While I was somewhat impressed that he knew about ovulation, his information was still incorrect. Ovulation is, in fact, the stage of the menstrual cycle in which an egg is released from the ovaries, not the actual period. The period is when the egg leaves the body, as well as the uterine lining, which is the tissue that the uterus has built up during the last menstrual cycle.

Returning to how the female-centric period industry excludes trans, nonbinary, and genderqueer people, even period products like pads and tampons are euphemized as “feminine care products” which excludes non-female people who menstruate. And while gender-segregated sex education can avoid embarrassment, it more often leads to boys being uninformed about periods. No matter who’s involved in the discussion, it’s important to create an environment where no one’s voices are left out, and everyone feels comfortable learning.

Keep an eye out for more Period Talk in this ongoing series.

*Names were changed for privacy.

KEEP READING: Period Talk: According to Students, It’s About Bloody Time

Images: Charlie V., Pexels

There’s more than chocolate in this classic fantasy fiction for ages 7 and up!
Brit Jason Wallien, Library Manager at International Montessori School of Beijing, shares his favorite childhood book, which he happily rereads with his students regularly.

Jason Wallien

“Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a time-tested masterpiece from a true storytelling master, Roald Dahl.  It is undisputed that Dahl had a knack for writing books for children seven and up, with the ability to instantly capture a child’s imagination. Just as children are left mouthwatering for the tasty treats described in the book, they will also want more of Dahl’s whizz-pop writing.

“Readers can relate to the protagonist, Charlie, in his love for chocolate, and dream of visiting the magical chocolate factory that has been closed off and shrouded in mystery for the past 15 years.  When Willy Wonka, the factory owner, announces a competition where finders of his five golden tickets will be allowed a visit to his factory, the world literally goes crazy for his chocolate bars. Charlie finds one out of pure luck and joins four other children in the exciting tour of the factory.

“The tale has a very firm sense of right and wrong, of justice and injustice, where Charlie is clearly put in an unfair situation despite his kind and caring character just because he’s poor. The story follows a strong, positive role model into a world full of unjust and wickedly wacky characters, but who ultimately, through perseverance and strength of character, comes out on top. Dahl’s vivid characters exist in a well-governed world of cause and effect that children can understand and believe, allowing his message to be clearly delivered to children despite his classic flare for description.

“Characters and descriptions in this book have stuck with me since I read it as a child. When I read it aloud to my students now, I can see a captive audience devouring those descriptions and rooting as whole-heartedly for Charlie as I did. I loved, love, and will love reading this book and sharing that feels good.”

Rebecca Taylor

A magical Australian culinary adventure for the younger crowd
Australian Rebecca Taylor, Elementary School Librarian at Beanstalk International Bilingual School, shares an award-winning picture book about Australian culture and foods, which connects her to her childhood whenever she reads it.

“Possum Magic by Mem Fox, illustrated by Julie Vivas, is a book suitable for younger readers, aged 3 to 7 years, as its lyrical prose lends well to read-a-louds. The evocative illustrations combined with a magical storyline make a natural page-turner that sucks children in immediately.  The book unlocks a child’s curiosity and opens a door for families to discuss the unusual animals and foods from Australia, serving as the perfect springboard for talks about different cultures!

“The story begins with Grandma Poss, a cuddly, magical possum, who desperately wants to protect Hush, her baby possum, from the dangers of the Australian bush. So, Grandma Poss uses bush magic to make Hush invisible.  Being unseen is fun for a while, but then Hush realizes she wants to know what she looks like. Unfortunately, Grandma Poss can’t find the magic that would make Hush seen! She knows the cure has something to do with people food, and so they start an epic culinary journey around Australia to find a cure for Hush’s invisibility. Grandma Poss and Hush sample iconic Australian comfort foods ranging from savory (Vegemite sandwiches and tuna mornay) to sweet (pavlova and laminations)–which food will make Hush visible again?

Possum Magic gently delves into many concepts of interest to today’s internationally minded families, such as safety, security, perfection, culinary variety, and culture.  The subtle pacing of the book invites readers to come together in anticipation of finding out which foods will help make Hush visible. Taylor always surprises her students with Vegemite sandwiches after a first read through.

This article originally appeared on page 34 of the August 2016 Issue of beijingkids magazine. Click here for your free online copy. To find out how you can obtain a hard copy, contact distribution@truerun.com.

Photos: MSB, BIBS, and Roalddahl.com

All Beijing schools with sythetic running tracks and sports fields are to be tested for poisonous substances, following an incident in which dozens of students fell ill. The official government news agency Xinhua also reports that construction of new tracks has been halted pending the review.

The initial Beijing incident took place at the Baiyunlu campus of Beijing No.2 Experimental School in Xicheng District. Students using the running track suffered from nosebleeds, dizziness and coughs. Tests revealed that the track was emitting dangerous levels of benzene and formaldehyde. It appears that the track had been in use for nine months, but that the summer heat triggered the release of the poisonous gases.

Wang Dinghua, an official from the Ministry of Education, blamed “lax supervision” for the problems, and the authorities have promised to track down those responsible. According to China Daily though, the problem lies not only in standards not being complied with; the standards themselves are insufficiently stringent. Many harmful components are not listed, making their use in tracks legal.

The Beijing incident follows similar cases in Jiangsu, Guangdong,  Shanghai, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Henan and elsewhere, and will inevitably raise further concerns among parents about safety standards in China.

Photo: nchenga, Flickr

Since its inception in 2007 here in Beijing, the International Ear Care Day aims to raise awareness and promote ear and hearing care across the world by the World Health Organization. The WHO and partners carry out specific themes and activities; this year’s theme ‘Make Listening Safe,’ aims to spotlight the rising problem of noise-induced hearing loss.

Recreational hearing loss such as listening to unsafe sound levels on personal devices such as smartphones, tablets, and the abundance of headphones and earphones, teenagers and young people are at risk of noise-induced hearing loss. Also, exposure to damaging levels of sound at noisy entertainment venues such as nightclubs, bars, and sporting events. The effects are not only limited to the physical also mental health gets affected as life changes from basic task to learning to employment.

Ear care can prevent hearing loss by having an annual check up to catch issues through early diagnosis provides the necessary treatment options. Don’t ignore the pain and ear infections as those are some of the most common ailments that can lead to hearing impairment.

Photo: Woodleywonderworks (Flickr)