Sex, cramps and free bleeding: The period themed colouring book that aims to normalise menstruation

Andrea Yip hopes the book will make menstruation easier to talk about

Artist Andrea illustrates people’s lived experiences with periods

Public health practitioner, sexual health advocate and self-professed bleeder Andrea Yip has created a period themed colouring book to make menstruation easier to talk about.

It’s a craze that’s taken the world by storm but this playful new project hopes to use adult colouring books as a tool to normalise conversations about periods.

The 30-page book contains sex and body positive illustrations

Despite being natural and normal, it’s a subject that many difficult or embarrassing to discuss but Yip hopes the colouring book will be a fun and easy way to start educational discussions around menstruation.

Currently crowdfunding via IndieGogo, she hopes to rainse enough money to produce the book in bulk with the first books set to come out in March of 2017.

Yip recommends colouring with friends to really get the conversation flowing

‘I created the Period Coloring Book as a way to embrace, celebrate and reflect upon our shared experiences with menstruation. From leaks, cramps and pads to period sex and free bleeding, this book aims to help start more open and positive conversations about periods,’ she writes.

The 30-page volume contains sex and body positive illustrations spanning the gamut of period themed experiences from pads and cramps to topics people may feel are more taboo, like period sex and free bleeding.

The book aims to normalise conversations about periods

Yip decided to create the book after speaking to friends and realising that there wasn’t a lot of conversation out there about people’s lived experiences with periods.

‘As I began to show illustrations to people, I found that they would spark intimate conversations about periods. I hope that the book can be a fun way to help people reflect upon and talk about their own experiences with menstruation.’

While colouring is a great solo-activity, Yip recommends colouring in the company of friends to really get the conversation flowing.

To learn more about the project, check out the colouring book's crowdfunding video here: