A new journal, Girlhood: The Story, will guide and support young girls starting their periods with stories from women alongside a period and mood tracker.
Instead of the usual months for the year, Girlhood: The Story has 12 blank chapters so girls can begin capturing their own unique story of growing up. Each chapter of the journal begins with a first period story, contributed by inspirational women.
We Are The Hood, which also has a free period tracker available to print online, created the journal after a successful Kickstarter campaign.
Preparing girls for womanhood
Maria Purcell, We Are The Hood co-founder, said: “Periods don’t stop for pandemics and now is potentially the perfect time for families to open up the conversation around periods with their daughters while we’re all on lockdown at home.
“With only 17% of schools signed up to the free period product scheme and menstrual health only recently being made mandatory for the new term curriculum, we need to be more actively encouraging young people to feel more positive about their periods and really understanding their bodies.”
Amone Gbedemah, fellow We Are The Hood co-founder, added: “For such a key stage of life, there is very little conversation about puberty with young girls in order to prepare them for the exciting and, at times, awkward changes ahead in a celebratory way.
“We want Girlhood: The Story to help to bring the celebration back into growing up, starting with the period, which represents a girl’s first entry into womanhood.”
Sharing stories
Women who share their stories in the journal include:
- Writer and activist Scarlett Curtis, Author of Feminists don’t wear pink (and other lies) & It’s OK to feel blue (and other lies).
- Mika Simmons – Award-winning British film maker, actress, founder of the Lady Garden Foundation and host of The Happy Vagina podcast.
- England Netball Captain, Serena Guthrie MBE
- Gabby Edlin – CEO Bloody Good Period
- BAFTA nominated Film Producer, Jo Jo Ellison, Producer of Notes on Blindness
- Jaz Rabadia MBE, chartered energy manager and STEM & Sustainability Champion
- Actress, Lashana Lynch
- Bami Kuteyi – DJ, Owner of Bam Bam Boogie and diversity ambassador
- Molly Fenton – Founder of the @loveyourperiod campaign
- Maryam Montague – CEO of Project Soar
- Glamour editor, Deb Joseph
- Journalist, Matilda Stanley
- Jules Mckeen – CEO Sarka London
- Actress, Dominique Tipper
Girlhood: The Story retails at £20 for a hardcover or £5 for the digital edition. To find out more visit: wearethehood.com/girlhood-the-story