"Imma-a-Diva"

They had me with the name.

Cheesy as it may sound, the Divacup, a reusable menstrual cup, is nothing to scoff at.

A few reasons I've converted:

1. Economical: The average woman spends $150 each year on feminine hygiene products; the Divacup costs around $35 and can be used for a long time. How long is debatable: the product was initially advertised as lasting for 10 years but recently (because of governmental regulations) began espousing replacing the cup each year.

2. Ecological: Much less waste. "an estimated 12 billion sanitary pads and 7 billion tampons are dumped into the North American environment each year (1998)."(From the official DivaCup website.)

3. Convenient: It's not necessary to haul a box of tampons on vacations or stuff enough supplies in your purse. (Also, most women find they have fewer leaks onto their clothing.)

4. Healthier: There has never been a reported case of TSS associated with a menstrual cup. Also, according to Grist:

"Most tampons are made from rayon-cotton blends -- an important distinction, because rayon is often chlorine-bleached, a process that releases the cancer-causing chemical dioxin. This toxin builds up in fatty tissue and has been linked to endometriosis, immune-system suppression, and other health problems. Since it's in a product intended for our, ahem, most intimate of locations, there's definitely another reason to be angry. Some companies offer tampons made of organic cotton, which is progress, and we've reviewed a few brands below. But tampons still pose a burden on the waste stream and the risk of toxic shock syndrome..."

and perhaps most importantly,

5. A monthly excuse to sing Beyonce's Diva.

Warning: There is a bit of a learning curve. If you have troubles, fear not! The lovely ladies at http://menstrualcups.org/ provide a wealth of information and advice for any questions and/or difficulties with the cup.

Now for a bit of theory: I feel like I've been duped for years. Why are we led to believe these products that are bad for the planet and ourselves are necessary? Menstrual cups were patented in 1932! This is yet another disgusting example of men exploiting the earth and women's bodies to make money.

Some clumsy statistics I've found through Wikipedia: Only 2/15 Corporate Directors of Proctor and Gamble (who own Tampax and Always) are female. Johnson & Johnson own Carefree and Stayfree. All 10 CEOs and presidents are male. Kimberly-Clark's (Kotex) CEO and CFO are also male.