There are two types of people when the topic of period sex comes up: "Ew, what the f -" and "Ain't nothing but a dot at the end of a sentence."
Bisexual photographer Nolwen Cifuentes is of the latter. Nolwen talked to PinkNews about her fight against period sex stigma by creating a photo series of real lesbian women having period sex.
Nolwen revealed that she herself was once part of the very conservative view that the period was shameful, disgusting and should be kept quiet. Her viewpoint changed when she admitted to friends that she and her partner had period sex, and the reaction was of bulging eyes, gaping mouths and disgust.
"I felt pissed off about it at first and I decided to channel this feeling into a photo series. I wanted to photograph only women as I thought it would feel safer and sweeter somehow. I’ve recently come out and these queer series are a way to express my sexuality."
Nolwen says that having a vagina means that the period is "just part of the territory" and should be addressed. She further continued that period sex is good for dealing with cramps, migrations, lubrication and the sense of security knowing you and your partner can be together in a moment where hormones might be raging.
Some people praised Nolwen for breaking the stigma. Some wrote letters saying they felt not so alone. However, Nolwen still felt a bit of backlash by those who claimed it was "gross" and "smells like pennies."
Unbothered Nolwen is now working on two more upcoming projects: Teenage lesbians to commemorate her own recent coming out and the identity struggle of biracial people.
To keep tabs on Nolwen Cifuentes check out the info below:
Website: http://nolwencifuentes.com
Facebook: Nolwen Cifuentes
Instagram: @nolwencif