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Drew I know that many "other" cultures have menstrual-type "huts" and the general (euro) assumption about them is that women are banished to these places. the dine (navajo) tribe as well as other indigenous peoples use/used huts for a number of reasons, none of which relate/related to shame of a woman bleeding. on the contrary, women who are on their moons are seen as being extremely powerful and often men are/were afraid of a menstruating woman. women also use/used the huts for some well-deserved space and time to cleanse and flow. This, however is a nutshell of the most generalized kind and i don't speak for all indigenous people. i have a chichaunsee friend whose tribal members (some) use a menstrual hut, and i have a yurok friend whose family (and some tribal members) go off somewehre in the beginning of their cycle and pray, have some quiet alone time, etc. no huts. certainly no forcing. both tribes are in no. california. so, it varies. the point i was trying to make earlier is that often people (anthropologists/many historians,/often sociologists) look at "other" cultures without wiping off their proverbial western lens. further, given the masculinity inherent in academics, it stands to reason that several scholars (i'm in no way suggesting this applies to you, by the way) just can't seem to understand matrilineal/matrilocal societies and often try to pick them apart in very strange ways. myths of the banished menstruating woman who was/is forced to be stuck in a hut for 3-7 days is one example. peace, sara sutler-cohen graduate department of sociology humboldt state university arcata, ca From: Sara Sutler-Cohen <scs13@axe.humboldt.edu> Drew Halevy wrote: > > Can anyone give me examples of cultures that actually forced women to > live in caves or any kind of separate living structure during their > menstrual periods? > > Also, does anyone know why outhouse doors typically had moons on their > doors? Yes I know for ventillation, but why moons? > > Bill Freind > <bfreind@pop3.utoledo.edu>
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