aunt flo

I first came across the question of Bella's menstruation (or "ministration" as Pecola says in Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye, which for some reason has always stuck with me...) on the blog Letters to Twilight. [link]

They say:

What we don’t get is what happens when Bella gets her period? Does Edward just go away for 3-7 days? If so, where does he go? Or isn’t that blood appealing to him because it comes out of Bella’s “hoo-hoo” and that’s so sicknast? (holla Lauren’s Bite for that word) Or is it that much MORE appealing to him because it comes out of Bella’s “hoo hoo” and he wants to “tap that?”

Wow, I thought to myself when I read that post. I should have thought of that earlier! Then a friend sent me this link, which apparently has Stephenie Meyer's explanation/rebuttal:

"What happens when Bella gets her period?

This has been addressed by Stephenie Meyer. She states that this is "dead blood" and isn't as potent to Edward, though it is a bit uncomfortable for him. He's too much of a gentleman to say anything about it, and she's too embarrassed to ask about it."

Why this response is problematic, and kind of a cop-out:

a) The notion of "dead blood" is kind of tenuous...and laughable (because it's funny, and because it's tenuous). OK, I can see how would-be amniotic CLUMPS are not very appetizing...and in fact, pretty damn stank. But sometimes period blood is very bright red and thin (at least, sometimes mine is) which means it can't have been dead for very long, right? Also, it seems from this saga's vampire canon that vampires care about whether blood is fresh, or warm; warm being a proxy for fresh or flowing from a still-alive body. Thus, it's plausible that in some circumstances period blood would be problematic for Edward to be around.

b) wouldn't Bella have thought of the potential problems as she's expecting her period, and tell warn Edward about it? I mean, she was bold enough to ask Edward if he was a virgin, and they talk about sex plenty.

c) I do believe Edward is too much of a gentleman to talk about menstruation with Bella. But Bella is not so tactful that she wouldn't bring it up with Edward. Easily embarrassed, sure, but I think period talk is common in really serious relationships. It definitely came up in my teenage relationship.

More food for thought, which may be TMI: would the overwhelmingly attractive scent of Bella's blood overcome the patently bad-smelling nature of menstrual blood and its effect on the smell of the nether regions ("femininity" in softcore romance terms)?

OK enough grossness.