Watch: Disney Made An Animation Teaching Kids About Menstruation In 1946
Image via Disney Wiki
In the 1940s and 1950s, Disney produced a series of educational animations covering subjects that films like Snow White didn’t discuss. These included menstruation.
Sponsored by Kotex, The Story of Menstruation (1946) was presented in American health education classes to enlighten girls about the natural bodily process. For a little over 10 minutes, it spoke at length about the biological process and imparted tips about how to keep healthy during menstruation.
The film was to be accompanied by a free booklet provided by Kotex, entitled Very Personally Yours, which schoolchildren could refer to at any time if the content got overwhelming. Interestingly, the text encouraged the use of sanitary pads and advised against using tampons—likely because the most popular tampons were being manufactured by the Tampax brand of the rivaling Procter & Gamble.
For the most part, the PSA was accurate and forthcoming for its time—it’s been credited to supposedly be the first film to mention the word “vagina” in its screenplay. It also delved into the importance of exercise and a healthy diet.
Yet, the programming was still pretty Disney-fied. Menstrual blood was depicted in white, and the animation stopped short of going into topics like sexuality and reproduction.
Other than SONG OF THE SOUTH, what's the only other Disney film you'll never see on Disney+ or any video format ever?
— Hollywood Horror Museum (@horrormuseum) October 5, 2021
THE STORY OF MENSTRUATION 1946
An educational short, with charming animation, that Disney is terrified of! pic.twitter.com/WvRPGe8u0D
According to the Disney Wiki, Walt Disney Productions enlisted gynecologist Mason Hohn as the consultant for the short to guarantee scientific accuracy, as well as to earn schools’ trust about showing the animation during classes.
The PSA also touched on old wives’ tales that seem absurd today. Apparently, there was a misconception that bathing wasn’t ideal if you were on your period. “Not only can you bathe, [but] you should bathe,” urged the narrator Gloria Blondell (who was uncredited).
It also addressed an “old taboo” about exercising being a no-go for menstruation. “Exercise is good for you during menstruation,” the woman corrected, before adding, “just use common sense.”
Naturally, there are some parts in there that aren’t sitting well with modern audiences. At one point, viewers were encouraged to continue wearing makeup during their period to “lift your morale” as “it’s smart to keep looking smart.”
Girls were also advised to get over any extreme discomfort because “no matter how you feel, you have to live with people” and “live with yourself.”
“Once you stop feeling sorry for yourself and take those days in your stride, you’ll find it easy to keep smiling and even-tempered,” said the narrator.
Fast forward to 2022, and Disney is navigating concepts of menstruation again—albeit under a more abstract lens. Pixar’s new Turning Red is a coming-of-age film about a girl who uncontrollably transforms into a red panda, portraying changes in the body. It doesn’t go into the clinical nitty-gritty, but you already have something for that.
The period talk in TURNING RED reminded me that one of the first films to acknowledge periods was the 1946 Disney cartoon THE STORY OF MENSTRUATION. A few dated aspects, but still a sweet, well-animated little film with the message that periods are normal and natural. pic.twitter.com/IcOtBoUwdT
— Vincent Alexander (@NonsenseIsland) March 13, 2022
[via r/ObscureMedia, Cartoon Brew, People, cover image via Disney Wiki]
