Underwear brand Dear Kate is hoping to make "my first period" stories something to celebrate—or at the very least, something that isn't shameful.
In its newest video, women tell stories about their first time (getting their period, not having sex, but that's the Oh Henry! reveal behind the first 30 seconds). The three-minute spot, directed by Mary Harron of Process, includes stories of horror ("Oh shit, this is where I'm going to die") and confusion ("For two days, I just kept throwing out my underwear"), and the copy invites viewers to upload their own "my first period" stories.
"Our goal with the film is to reframe the moment of getting your period so it's just as talked about and has just as much cachet as the time you first had sex, if not more," says Julie Sygiel, Dear Kate's founder. "We want to make sure it's not embarrassing or shameful to experience or to talk about. That's the main goal with this film."
The goal to destigmatize periods is a good one, I think, and is reminiscent of HelloFlo's "Camp Gyno" spot from 2013. People reminiscing about their first times (having sex or getting their periods) might not necessarily take off at happy hour, but it's nice to think we're not stuck in the rut of commercials featuring women wearing white on the beach and mysterious blue liquid.
The spot lines up nicely with the products Dear Kate features—underwear with built-in lining and stain-releasing fabric. Which would have been nice to have when I was 13 and sitting in history class.