So this past summer I made a very important purchase, an investment.
I bought myself a Diva Cup.
When I told my mother this she literally replied with “¿De que carajo es una Diva Cup?” – literal translation: What the f**ck is a Diva Cup. She was still confused when I explained it to her, no longer about what it actually is but why I would even want to use it. She said it sounded “dirty” and “gross”. She wasn’t mean about it but I could hear the judgement in her voice. It made her uncomfortable and I understand that. I’m not going to lie, her reaction hurt my feelings and I felt defensive. Yet her response is exactly what I expected to hear.
(Talk of Menstrual Blood to come!)
Simply put, the Diva Cup is a menstrual cup. It is made of flexible silicon that is washable and reusable. There are a variety of menstrual cups out there, this is what they carried at my local health food store. Diva Cups come in two sizes; a size for women who have not given birth and another (slightly larger) size for women who have.
It cost me about $40, which is quite a bit of money to spend up front but will pay itself off in about a year. I can use it every month for the next 10 years. That means I will use it around 120-130 times before I have to buy another one. Over time the silicone will morph to fit my body. We have already become really great friends.
It took some practice but insertion is relatively simple. It’s really not that different from using a tampon. It is inserted after it is folded in half and once it is in the vagina it opens, often with a little help from a turn or two, and this creates a seal against the vagina walls to prevent leaking. It sits lower than a tampon and collects a substantial amount of menstrual blood. It can sit up there happily and comfortably for up to 12 hours. To change it I reach up (with my clean hands) and find the stem, squeeze the base to break the suction, and then (very carefully) take it out. I then dump the blood into the toilet and thoroughly rinse it with warm water before reinserting. In between cycles I boil it for about 5 minutes to sterilize it and then put it in the adorable little cotton pouch it came with.
So why is it that I am using this? I am going to try my best to not sound like an “insane feminist” with a long winding rant (yes, someone did call me an insane feminist when I explained why I use one).
1. I have found quite a bit of advantages: No leaks, more comfort, less smell, and I can sleep in it.
2. Smaller carbon footprint. I initially looked into it while I was in the middle of a menstrual cycle. As I was emptying the trash in my bathroom I randomly thought to myself “I wonder how many trash bags worth of pads and tampons I’ve used in my life so far” This thought was so random but it hit me really hard. I started to think about all the pads and tampons I will use in my lifetime, and then thought about that in addition to the pads and tampons other women use in their lifetime. Holy shit.
3. When my sexist coworkers say “What’s wrong with Navit? She must be on the rag again!” I smile and reply with “Actually, I am using a menstrual cup.” This makes them extremely uncomfortable.
4. I feel empowered and more in touch with my body. I love my vagina and now she loves me back.
5. It aligns with my feminist beliefs. I feel like I am pushing back and refusing all the exhausting crap I’ve heard about women and menstrual cycles my whole life. I refuse to be sold “hygiene products” by big companies run by men in suits. Their advertisements are insulting and hey don’t care about me or my vagina. They want to take my money and make me feel ashamed of my body so that they can keep taking my money. My blood is not disgusting. I refuse to be uncomfortable with or ashamed of my period.
With all that being said, I am not trying to push menstrual cups on anyone. A lot of women have tried menstrual cups and didn’t like them, others have conditions that don’t allow them to use one. I think it’s wonderful that we have so many choices for these things to begin with!
I wrote this post to let out some frustration. I am frustrated by the reactions I get because I don’t use pads or tampons and I think this says a lot about societal attitudes towards menstruation and menstrual blood. I don’t think that these things are talked about enough. I am tired of the “hush hush” attitude that surrounds women and our periods. Period.
Unruly Bodies 
I’m so happy there’s a post about menstrual cups! I love mine so much. I remember my mom having a similar reaction to yours when I first told her about them. I feel like a lot of people have that same initial reaction because, like you mentioned, we’re often told to stay quiet about periods, and think that “hush hush” attitude manifests itself in a personal way as well, causing a fear of menstrual cups because of the idea that you’re sort of forced to come face-to-face with your period when using one. I totally agree that these things aren’t talked about enough. Of course they’re not for everyone, nothing really is, but I think so many more people would be open to considering them if we could have more open and honest conversations about menstruation.
One of my favorite things about the Diva Cup is that you can use it to measure how much you’re bleeding every month, which can be really helpful if you have certain health issues. When I was younger, I had problems with iron deficiency anemia, so it was really important for me to keep track of my blood loss in order to stay healthy. I’ve been using my Diva Cup for six years now, and I’ve never looked back!
This post was extremely informative. I have heard a lot about the Diva Cup over the years, but I’ve always been terrified to try one (even though all of my sisters use it). I really enjoyed how your post approached the topic, not in an attempt to convert anyone or shame anyone into using them, but simply as an informative way to show your excitement for this product.
I too am attempting to be more environmentally conscious. Every month I notice the number of pads I go through and I wince at the degradation I am contributing to. However, I am still hesitant to try it. Maybe I have been too indoctrinated by the belief that we should stay as removed from menstrual blood as possible, but whatever the reason, your post has inspired me to give this a second thought!
I’ve heard so much about Diva Cups and how amazing they are, so this post really convinced me that I should get one now. It seems like a really-cost effective way to manage your natural bodily processes while developing a more intimate relationship with your body and saving the planet one menstrual cycle at a time!
“What the f**k is a Diva Cup” indeed! I brought it up to my doctor the last time I had a gynecological exam and she actually had no idea what it was. I’ve been thinking about getting one for awhile now and it’s reassuring to hear you write about your experience so positively. I have a couple friends who use them and really like them. However, I also have friends who try to steer me away from them because they think they’re gross- but I’m with you on this one! I think it’s far more distasteful to let so much waste accumulate from using tampons and pads. Saving money ain’t too bad, either. Thank you so much for writing such an informative and thoughtful piece. I’m feeling a lot more compelled to finally switch over.
I’m also really glad to see Diva cups getting a mention. I did my project in 200 on different types of menstrual products and according to what I found then the average person who menstruates will go through about 10,000 to 15,000 disposable menstrual products in their lifetime, which is mind blowing to me. Another thing I’ve found was that almost across the globe people have been taught that menstrual blood is something that is somehow dirty or bad in some way. I also like that you mention where to get them and how exactly they work. I’ve always been really interested in checking them out but I’ve never really gotten around to purchasing one. I used to think I bled too much to use them, but now that I’m on BC I feel like I’m just wasting disposable products.
Thank you so much for writing about this! I knew I had to read when I saw your title, and I have been happily informed today.
I’d never heard about menstrual cups until your post, and it’s really caught my interest. Reducing my carbon footprint is important to me, and this seems like a much simpler, easier, and eco-friendlier thought than tampons and pads, so I’ll look into it!
This is such a good description of how people react to menstrual cups. I bought one a few years ago and have been unsuccessful in using it for health reasons, but I never stop trying! It’s funny because when I want to boil it I have to do it in secret. My previous roommates would have been so disgusted, and my Mom would probably make me bleach the pot or something dramatic like that. People’s responses to menstrual blood are so interesting. I’ve always wondered why it’s so scary to some people. It makes me giggle that just the lining of my uterus could inspire such fear. 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
I love this! I remember when my best friend got this for the first time and she literally talked about it for WEEKS. I initially thought it was horrifying and I pretty much thought she was insane. But i really think that we’re programmed to dislike our bodies and ourselves when our period comes to visit. Its like you’re supposed to be ashamed and not in touch with your body-which is exactly the opposite of what this cup promotes. I’m so glad you posted this I’ve been getting so many signs telling me to buy it and this is just another one!
Thanks for writing this post! More people need to know about menstrual cups. I’ve been using my diva cup for almost a year and I could never go back to using disposable pads and tampons. The decreased environmental impact is really important to me, as is the comfort and simplicity of using it. Most importantly, though, as you said, I think using a cup makes you feel way more connected to your body and understanding its functions as normal that sometimes get ignored or made into a taboo by others.
Number 3 in your list made me laugh, but gosh, what a great response to jerks who want to write people off because they might be on their period. (I get emotional when I’m nearing mine, but generally speaking I’ve never gotten upset or angry about something I wasn’t at least concerned about before hormones took the reins, so I’m not sure why bringing it up while I’m on my period should invalidate that.)
I have to say that I’m a little terrified to think about using one of these myself, both for health and comfort reasons, but the idea of reducing my carbon footprint is very appealing and I hadn’t heard of diva cups before, so thank you very much for this post! I’ll probably be looking into it more, at least, before I dismiss it due to nerves. If it doesn’t fit my body, then that’s that, but it can’t hurt to try, right?