Blood Coming Out of Her Wherever

My ongoing series “Blood Coming out of Her...” employs former President Trump's words, “You could see there was blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her… wherever…” meant to dismiss and belittle to instead celebrate the reproductive potential of women (and those who can become pregnant) as a symbol of our strength and creativity. For "Blood Coming out of Her Stars and Stripes," the first in my series, I marry textile and thread (women's crafts) to a symbol of women's health- the menstrual pad. Though pads and menstruation are often items of mockery and shame, they are a symbol of our power to "bring forth" into existence. With the recent US Supreme Court ruling ending the right to an abortion, my work takes on new urgency and enhanced meaning. Over 33 million women, with unique stories and circumstances, have lost the ability to make decisions for their health and well-being. With this reality I now understand menstruation, and menstrual pads, as the embodiment of bodily autonomy and the right to exist in a non-pregnant state.