Coming of Age: A History of Puberty (ep. 11.12)
Girls have always been reaching puberty, but what that meant for her has varied. In this episode we look at the age of menarche (when girls start their period) and whether that was cause for shame or celebration: In ancient Greece, girls at puberty "acted the she-bear." In Rome they dedicated their dolls to Venus. In many cultures girls entered a period of seclusion and fasting at menarche. In 18th and 19th Western cultures, menarche meant the begining of concealment, discomfort, and danger. But in several Native American tribes (Hupa and Mescalero Apache, for example), the whole community…
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