Menarche is a major marker of puberty in teenaged girls, but is not something many people are comfortable talking about. In many ways, menarche is an invisible event in a girl's life, marked with shame, secrecy, confusion, and awkwardness.

In this clip, a number of women describe how they would like to notice, discuss, and celebrate menarche in their daughters -- and break the silence about menstruation in American culture.

Please watch the following video clip and answer the corresponding follow-up questions.

Period Piece

1			What has been your experience with menstruation? What kinds of emotions have you, or someone close to you, experienced when thinking about menstruation?
2			Many cultures have rituals marking a child's transition to adulthood. In what ways may these rituals be seen as celebrations of puberty and developing sexuality?