Fans of splatter films may rejoice knowing that there is now an eighth instalment to the long-running Saw franchise, with the latest film, Jigsaw, set for a release that coincides with Halloween this year.
In the advertising world, blood has also been spilt recently, but it’s not at all what you think.
AMV BBDO’s #BloodNormal campaign for Bodyform and Libresse seeks to normalise menstruation by showing period blood on camera. In a radical departure from the mysterious ‘blue liquid’ that is often used in advertisements for sanitary pads and tampons, the film created for the campaign shows a sanitary pad being tested with red liquid.
In a series of vignettes, the film depicts a woman openly asking for a sanitary napkin from friends, a man buying sanitary products, a young woman bleeding in the shower and another changing her sanitary napkin.
#BloodNormal’s message is succint and impactful. Through its unmistakeable visuals, it hopes to communicate the following: Periods are normal. Showing them should be too.
This message has garnered a fair amount of pushback and controversy. The #BloodNormal advertisement was censored worldwide, with media authorities stating that any suggestion of menstrual blood was not a suitable subject to be shown on camera.
Despite the best efforts of the team at AMV, this judgment could not be entirely overturned. Side-by-side comparisons of footage in the advertisement with unproblematised visuals, such as lingerie advertisements and explicit sexual content, failed to lift all censorship from the #BloodNormal campaign.
To some, it may seem deeply ironic that a franchise such as Saw, well-known for its gory visuals, has garnered enough success for eight films, while the common affair of monthly periods continues to be a media taboo.
Some may question why we are allowed, even encouraged, to watch on-screen characters eviscerated and slain in the bloodiest of ways, while the sight of a woman’s menstrual blood – simply a biological signpost for fertility – continues to be taboo.
In this day and age, we applaud couples who are comfortable enough to discuss their bowel movements with each other. We perceive ‘being able to be gross’ among the ones we love as the ultimate sign of comfort. Why is it, then, that one natural bodily function in particular can be such a source of shame?
Here in Singapore, attitudes towards periods differ across male and female experiences. We talked to young Singaporeans of both genders to garner an overview of how this seemingly taboo subject is perceived at home.
In girls’ schools, getting your period unexpectedly was a situation that would garner support and help from classmates. Jade, 24, recounts that “people were helpful. Other girls would politely point out if you stained your skirt and offer pads if you didn’t have any.”
Sarah, 22, has similar experiences of this unique female camaraderie, sharing that “my girlfriends always helped me check my skirt discreetly when I was on my period, just in case any accidents happened.”
“Whenever we would ask for pads from each other,” she adds, “we would usually try to hide them from the guys in our class. I think they actually knew but we felt like it would have been a bit awkward to make it so obvious.”
Within the context of her previous relationship, Xin, 19, says, “I remember my ex-boyfriend being pretty disgusted by the idea of me being on my period. But he did try to be nicer about it by helping me to buy back meals and Panadol when I was stuck in hall with cramps.”
“It was definitely a bit irritating when he would jokingly say ‘eww, gross’ when he hugged me while I was having my period though. I told him to stop, but I also got used to it after a while.”
Venturing into the realm of male experiences, Jordan, 24, admits that he used to feel uncomfortable overhearing female friends discussing their periods. He mentions that because periods are closely related to human sexuality, there is existing discomfort when it comes to “discussing the sexuality of people not of our gender, when we are growing up”.
While he does not think that periods necessarily have to be depicted on open media, he argues that “the banning of the campaign may have stemmed from a desire to censor aspects of human sexuality which are felt as needed to be kept absolutely private and not shared”.
Bryan, 23, feels that young people “should be free to talk about such things, to learn about their own bodies”, since menstruation is something that plays a role in their lives (or the lives of their partners and friends).
It seems astounding, he adds, that “a natural biological process, literally responsible for ensuring the survival of our human race, could be seen in such negative light, in this day and age.”
When it comes to talking about periods, Justin, 24, says he is comfortable discussing them. “I would buy pads for my girlfriend, and have done so before,” he says. “To me it is just akin to buying any sort of daily essentials for someone. I would even do so for a friend if approached.”
We sought final words on the issue from a Singaporean woman with a long career in advertising. Former copywriter Lian, 59, believes that “a commercial can’t change people’s attitudes. They have to come to terms with it in their own time.”
While Singapore (and perhaps the rest of the world) may not be ready for a provocative campaign like #BloodNormal, it appears that some young people of both genders are not averse to talking more candidly about menstruation.
Ultimately, the approachability of periods as a subject of conversation continues to boil down to social mores. While it may be impractical to expect a turnaround of general attitudes on the subject, perhaps it is a good time to start talking.
