In an effort to draw attention to the campaign to repeal the 8th amendment in the Irish constitution which gives equal rights of life to a mother and her unborn child and criminalises abortion, Irish comedian Grainne Maguire has been live tweeting Taoiseach Enda Kenny her period.
Maguire wrote in the Guardian that she found herself asking “How do you make something funny that fills you with such anger all arguments are reduced to frustrated, inarticulate noises?” Well, she gave the government what they wanted in the most literal sense: “If they want to control my body, if they feel so comfortable interfering in what happens inside it, they should at least have all the details.”
And with 3 tweets she set off a menstrual storm on Twitter. It’s been glorious.
Since we know how much the Irish state cares about our reproductive parts-I call my womb Ireland's littlest embassy 😉 #repealthe8th (1/3)
— Gráinne Maguire (@GrainneMaguire) November 2, 2015
I think its only fair that the women of Ireland let our Leader @EndaKennyTD know the full details of our menstrual cycle #repealthe8th (2/3)
— Gráinne Maguire (@GrainneMaguire) November 2, 2015
Hey @EndaKennyTD just so you know, I got my period two days ago. Pretty heavy flow at first but now just occasional spotting #repealthe8th
— Gráinne Maguire (@GrainneMaguire) November 2, 2015
Other women joined Grainne, tweeting the Taoiseach directly with the hashtag #repealthe8th to ask for his opinion. Well, he clearly considers himself the man who’s in a position to decide what’s best for women’s bodies, he should be involved in every decision, not just one. He should also be kept abreast of the latest news in a field his government is clearly very deeply involved in.
@EndaKennyTD When I have my period I like to eat chocolate and cry over my lack of bodily autonomy #repealthe8th
— ghostface_shrillah (@beccafly) November 4, 2015
@EndaKennyTD Just got a heavy flow..Pads or tampons??? I'm clearly unable to make this decision myself @GrainneMaguire #repealthe8th
— Polly Doyle (@Peeleens) November 4, 2015
.@EndaKennyTD dying of cramps! Hotwater bottle or neurofen? What should I? Im CRIPPLED. Could you ask the lads? Thanks bae xx #repealthe8th
— Gráinne Maguire (@GrainneMaguire) November 7, 2015
Hey @EndaKennyTD. Day 5! Feeling much better now. I made this to help you understand how it all works #repealthe8th pic.twitter.com/wwZXgOuuvb
— emma burns (@betaburns) November 8, 2015
This is an incredible way to make your voice heard. Grainne points out in her Guardian article “no one finds an angry woman funny, or even likable, for that matter, so no one listens” which is an incredibly sad truth. With female anger having nothing but negative connotations of shrillness and irrationality, even when the anger is perfectly justified, Grainne has found an alternative outlet that will hopefully draw more attention to a serious issue, to make people think.
What sanitary wear does the Government recommend (as my womb is state-controlled)?
Tampon, pad, mooncup? @EndaKennyTD @CBItweets #CBI2015— Dee (@ddblake7) November 9, 2015
@EndaKennyTD Day 5 of surfing the Crimson Wave and it's still like as though my uterus is trying to kill me from the inside #repealthe8th x
— Jenny McAuley (@JenniMcAD) November 4, 2015
So @EndaKennyTD, my period's just over. But I could tweet you some old smear test results, if you'd like? #repealthe8th
— Tara Flynn (@TaraFlynn) November 4, 2015
You might laugh at first when you read the tweets, but it’s not all light-hearted, and nor should it be.
@EndaKennyTD 1st period since my stillborn baby. I carried her for 6weeks after her diagnosis, losing my mind with grief. #repealthe8th
— Claire (@DelsolClaire) November 4, 2015
There’s a weird squeamishness around the female body and its functions, and until women’s experiences and opinions of their own bodies are listened to rather than mythologised and projected upon them, until women are given more of a say over the body they live in, nothing will change. This is a great way to start the conversation, to invite people into finding out more about a serious issue for women’s health.
There'll be shrieks of "undignified!" at tweeting @EndaKennyTD about periods. Know what's undignified? Lack of bodily autonomy #repealthe8th
— Tara Flynn (@TaraFlynn) November 4, 2015
“We are not ashamed, we are not silent, and we are not going away.” Go Grainne!
You can follow Grainne on Twitter to keep up with the latest news in her campaign.
Main Image via grainnemaguire.com