You Might Think This Looks Gross, But You'll Be Amazed When You Look Closer

I think it's a toss-up as to which word makes people (mainly men) more uncomfortable: period or feminism. They both seem to make people think of bloodshed, man-hating, and anger, but in reality, neither are all that shocking. One is a biological process, and one is the idea that all people are equal regardless of gender.
Elonë from Karsruhe, Germany, decided to take these hot-button issues to the street using a bold medium: a menstrual pad. 

 Rape is a violent, traumatizing crime. Not biology.
Elonë uses the pads to relay messages about women and the issues they face. She sets up the cultural taboo of menstruation, which is seen as embarrassing and gross, against the very real threat of sexual violence faced by women the world over. Such violence is often written off or considered "normal."

 This pad takes on the notion that women are "asking for" sexual assault based on their wardrobe choices, and reminds people that no matter what someone is wearing, that person is still a human being.

 You can ponder feminism while ordering lunch. After all, riding the cotton pony makes you hungry.

 Here is a boy who is cool with feminism. Look up to him.
So far, Elonë's images of the public messages were shared over social media thousands of times. Elonë decided to stick up her messages on March 8, International Women's Day, and hopes they'll help in combating sexism, victim-blaming, and rape culture. 

 This translates to "my name is not baby," in response to catcalling and street harassment. And no, street harassment =/= a compliment, guys.

This one is about the way women's appearances are often considered to be up for public commentary.

(via BoredPanda)
Naturally, Elonë's project received its fair share of criticism. Basically, if you bring up feminism on the Internet, men come out of the woodwork to express how oppressed they feel at the concept of considering women equals, but that's nothing new. Elonë maintains that her project, like feminism itself, is about spreading a message of equality, and not about hating men.

The project has also gained a significant following, though, and their simple text and clear messages remind us that all humans deserve respect, dignity, and personhood. You can see more of Elonë's work on her Tumblr and Instagram. Be sure to remember this simple but oft-forgot rule: women are people. Period.