Jezebel writer, Tracie Egan (or “Tracie Morrissey” since her recent wedding) published a video compilation of menstruation scenes from Hollywood movies. The clips range from classic films like Carrie (1976), Sixteen Candles (1984) and The Virgin Suicides (1999) to Saved! (2004), She’s the Man (2006) and Superbad (2007). Tracey argues, “[P]eriods have been portrayed in movies as horrific, disgusting, annoying, and occasionally, celebratory.” This portrayal is a mirror of our social wold. Some would argue that getting your period is the most eventful and life changing moment in a girls life. (Funny how this event isn’t something we actually accomplish, but just do as our hormones allow.) Every girl out there can remember the irrational stigma that surrounded the big, red dot, but does the fact that you can now bleed for a week straight every month really make one a woman? I don’t think so. The only thing it really means is that you have to waste money on tampons. “Apart from a few instances of menarche, periods are mostly utilized on film to embarrass female characters, confuse male characters, and gross out audiences,” Tracie noted.

You can check out her video compilation here as well as an interview she did with Gavin McInnes about the mystery of menstruation stigma in relation to film.