Kiklou Dictionary

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Body Positivity

Body Positive Movement is an activism movement that argues that every body is beautiful as it is, independent of society's rules and judgments.
This movement; While it is a struggle for existence for the individual who feels excluded, it also aims to break down taboos and stereotyped perceptions in society. Against body policies where the perception of beauty is placed in narrow molds and a single body is idealized; It defends the existence of all kinds of bodies: fat, thin, hairy, stretchy, stained, disabled, black, yellow, white, female, male, non-binary, trans, LGBTI+ and excluded from society.

Cycle Awareness

Menstrual cycle awareness; It is the general name of the studies carried out to ensure that menstruating individuals live freely without being pressured in society and meet their menstrual needs naturally.
Cycle awareness is also known as menstrual awareness . Although it aims to raise social awareness, it also includes making peace with one's body.

ecofeminism

Ecofeminism or ecological feminism is a concept that emerged in the 1970s along with the nuclear non-proliferation movement and environmental activism. Ecofeminism, which puts the damage to the environment into theory and practice on the axis of women's exploitation and women's empowerment, argues that all living things are related to each other; The damage done to the earth underlines the solid links between exploitation of the planet and sexist exploitation.

Endometriosis/Chocolate cyst

Endometriosis is the settlement of the tissue lining the uterus, called endometrium, in organs outside the uterus. The organs where it is most frequently seen are the ovaries, tubes, vagina, intestines and bladder. It is most commonly seen in the ovaries, with a rate of 60-75%. Symptoms of endometriosis include painful menstrual periods, chronic pelvic pain, pain in and out of the vagina during and after sex. As these pains normalize in the person, the diagnosis and treatment process of the disease may take longer. The disease has no known cause, but it is more likely to occur in genetically predisposed women. In addition, environmental factors are also effective in the occurrence of the disease.

endometrium

Endometrium is the lining of the uterus. The endometrium is the innermost layer of the uterus that responds to reproductive hormones and sheds, resulting in menstrual blood. Endometrial cancer is the most common type of uterine cancer.

Femtech (Female Technology)

In short, it means producing innovative and useful solutions by shaping the benefits of developing technologies according to the needs of women in order to balance gender inequalities. Its purpose is to ensure that women and everyone else whose biological gender is female; To provide services that will ensure the fundamental human right to live well, work, develop and rest, and to implement activities that will support women to have more say.
For more information, you can check out our Femtech blog post .

Free Bleeding

Free Bleeding, which was brought to our country as a free bleeding movement, is a movement of not trying to stop menstrual bleeding with any menstrual product and normalizing menstrual blood.
This practice, which has been around for centuries, was almost forgotten with the imposition of menstrual products. Until Kiran Gandhi ran the 2015 London Marathon on her menstrual day without using any menstrual products.
This movement contributed to two important issues. Firstly, it has helped individuals who are left behind from their daily lives due to menstrual poverty to continue their routines without fear, and secondly, it has helped individuals who have access to menstrual products to gain the freedom to reject these products if they do not prefer them.
For more information about period awareness activism, check out the Kiklou Blog.

Sanitary pad

Sanitary pad; It is a menstrual product that traps menstrual blood and is fixed to panties or panty-like clothing. The "hygienic" part of the phrase implies that menstruation is a dirty thing that requires hygiene.
Various solutions have been tried throughout the ages to manage menstrual bleeding.
Among the traditional solutions produced using creativity; Raw materials such as corn, moss, leaves, animal skin/hide and grass fibres.
The ancestors of today's pads began to be produced in the USA in the 1880s. These pads, which were first attached to underwear, were developed and evolved over time to meet today's different needs.
Since the first production, unfortunately, women are still hesitant to buy pads from markets and try to hide their menstruation from society.

HPV Vaccine

The HPV vaccine is designed to develop protection in the body against the HPV virus and to control the virus. With the preventive vaccines developed for HPV, the contagiousness of HPV is eliminated and the vaccine begins to protect the body.

The aim of the vaccines is to reduce the rate of cervical and other HPV-related cancers and precursor lesions. Three types of vaccines have been developed for this purpose. These; Gardasil, Gardasil-9 and Cervarix vaccines.

Today's vaccines have been developed against the most cancer-causing types of HPV and have high protection. Vaccination age starts at age 9. Vaccination of the individual before his/her active sexual life begins protects the individual from HPV virus that he/she may encounter during his/her active sexual life and prevents the spread of the virus in the society. HPV vaccine can be given to anyone, regardless of gender.

The HPV vaccine is very important, especially because it provides protection against many types of cancer.

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Clitoris

Clitoris; It is an erogenous organ that contains thousands of nerve cells and usually appears the size of a pea. Although this organ, located at the upper junction of the labia minora of the vulva, appears as a small hill from the outside, it has wings of up to 10-20 cm on the inside and consists entirely of nerve cells. This organ, whose sole function is to increase sexual pleasure, can grow and turn red when stimulated. Orgasm can occur only by stimulating the clitoris; this orgasm is called clitoral orgasm.

labia

Labia; They are fleshy folds located on the vulva. Since the appearance of these curved pieces of meat is likened to lips, the Latin word "labia", meaning lip, is used. There are two types of labia in the vulva. The first is the major labia (outer lips), which is on the outside and surrounds the vulva, and the second is the minor labia (inner lips), which is on the inside. The function of the labia is to protect against foreign and unwanted factors by surrounding the external genital area and urethra.

menarche

Menarche defines the first menstrual cycle, which is the starting point of everyone's menstrual history, and is associated with the beginning of puberty. However, the body has already started to change before menarche. The first period is not the trigger for change; It is a normal result of the change process. Menarche is not and should not be a source of fear, shame, panic, or anxiety (we're looking at you, slap!). It is natural, beautiful, healthy.

Menophobia (Fear of menstruation)

Menophobia is the condition in which a person is afraid of menstruation. Since menophobia is a psychological problem, not a biological one, it can develop regardless of gender. This fear usually arises from inadequate and misinformed information about the body of the person experiencing the menstrual cycle. Its occurrence in people who do not menstruate is again due to incomplete and misinformed information about menstruation in society. Factors related to menstruation, such as seeing a menstruating person experiencing pain or seeing blood stains, may trigger the fear of menstruation in people who do not menstruate.

Menopause

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines menopause as the absence of menstruation for one year as a result of decreased ovarian functions. According to the symptoms occurring; Pre-menopause, menopause and post-menopause periods occur sequentially. Worldwide, the age of menopause is determined as 45-55 years. The formation of menopause begins with the decrease in the number of follicles in our ovaries, and in this process, estrogen production gradually decreases. Over time, estrogen production ends and the ovaries shrink. Thus, no more menstrual cycles occur for the rest of our lives.

Menstrual Cup

Menstrual cup/menstrual cup; It is made of medical silicone. The cups are bent and inserted into the vagina. The vacuum valve, which opens at the entrance of the vagina and creates vacuum in the vagina, retains the menstrual bleeding coming from the uterus. The cups, which can be used for approximately 12 hours without being removed, offer a waste-free menstrual alternative.

Mittelschemrz (Ovulation Pain)

“Mittelschmerz” is a German word. The word that we can simply translate as “middle pain” is actually a medical term used for ovulation pain. Since ovulation occurs approximately in the middle of the cycle, "Mittelschmerz", which is known as "middle pain", is seen in 1 in 5 women. It occurs during the ovulation period of the 28-day menstrual cycle, approximately between the 13th and 16th days, that is, in the middle of the cycle. It usually presents as pain and sharp cramps in the unilateral ovaries and groin.

Pap Smear Test

PAP smear test is an effective early detection method and screening for cervical cancer, one of the most common types of cancer. His name is Dr. Named after George Papnicolaou (1883–1962), the test screens for cancer or precancerous changes in the cervix. It is recommended to have a smear test every three years from the age of 21, and once a year if there is an active sexual life.

PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome)

PCOS/PCOS, or Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, is a hormonal disorder seen in individuals of reproductive age and female reproductive organs. With the increase in androgen levels, the ovulation cycle is disrupted. With the disrupted ovulation cycle and imbalance in hormones, small fluid accumulations occur in the ovaries. Fluid accumulations called follicles are visible on ultrasound examination, hence the name of the syndrome. Although the causes of PCOS, which means "many cysts in the ovaries", are not yet clear, it is known to be triggered by some conditions.

Pink Tax

The pink tax has two main branches. The first of these is the high tax imposed by the state, especially on menstrual products. The second is that manufacturers or sellers independent of the state make products that are actually used by men, so-called special for women, and sell the same product at higher prices. Although these products include personal care products such as razors, shampoo and soap, we can also see the price difference in areas such as haircuts as a "pink tax".

perimenopause

Perimenopause; It is defined as the pre-menopausal preparation phase before menopause. It corresponds to the period before the 12-month menstrual period, which can last between 4-8 years. During this period, hot flashes, excessive sweating, and menstrual irregularities may occur, as experienced during menopause. The menstrual cycle continues; But the eggs are not as prone to fertilization as before.

PMS (Premenstrual Syndrome)

PMS (premenstrual syndrome) is a condition that affects a person's emotions, physical health and behavior, usually just before menstruation, and is a range of symptoms associated with the menstrual cycle.
Typically PMS symptoms appear 3-4 days or 1 week before your cycle. Usually, after menstruation begins, they disappear calmly.

Uterine cancer

There are two types of uterine cancer. The most common condition is the uncontrolled proliferation of cells in the endometrium layer, which forms the inside of the uterus and is renewed every month. The resulting cancer cells can reach the lymph nodes, surrounding organs or distant organs via blood flow. Less common uterine cancers are sarcomas. These tumors form in the muscle layer of the uterus. Long, excessive and irregular bleeding before menopause, and bleeding and spotting from the vagina after menopause, when the person should no longer have a menstrual cycle, are among the important symptoms. It is very important to have a Pap Smear Test regularly for early diagnosis.

Menstruation (menstruation, period, menstruation)

The bodies of people with a uterus and ovaries prepare for a possible pregnancy every month. During this monthly cycle, the egg matures in the ovaries and moves towards the uterus by being dragged through the fallopian tubes. If the egg is fertilized, the uterine wall thickens so that the fertilized egg can easily attach to the uterus and turn into a baby. If pregnancy does not occur, the thickened inner wall is released through the vagina. This monthly bleeding is called menstruation. The origin of the word "period" is based on the French word "régle". "Régle" means rule, order. It is a root that comes regularly every month and is suitable for a physical and natural process.

Menstrual Awareness Activism

The menstrual cycle, like many other things about the female body, has been marginalized, silenced and tabooed in the patriarchal system. Although making peace with our body is an individual action, guiding, opening spaces and raising awareness for other individuals who are removed from society due to the menstrual cycle is called "Menstrual Awareness Activism" .

Menstrual Panties

Menstrual panties ; It is an innovative, environmentally friendly, comfortable menstrual product that is absorbent, liquid-proof, can be washed in the washing machine, and can be used for years. There is no difference in appearance from normal panties. Thanks to their smart fabric layers, they quickly absorb and trap liquid.

Menstrual Swimsuit

Specially produced for those who want to swim in the sea / pool during their menstrual period , the menstrual swimsuit is designed for light bleeding. The honeycomb absorbent layer and liquid-proof layer on the crotch of the swimsuit ensure rapid absorption and containment of bleeding. You can swim, sunbathe and enjoy your holiday in your menstrual swimsuit.

Menstrual Synchronization

Menstrual synchronization ; It is based on the theory that two or more people who have menstrual cycles and are in close relationship menstruate at the same time. This theory, which Harvard doctor Martha McClintock developed by observing in 1971, has been disproved over time, and even in recent years, according to a study conducted with Oxford University, it has been determined that menstrual cycles lasting 28 days are more likely to be out of synchronization than in synchronization.

Menstrual Poverty

Menstrual poverty ; It covers the problems of menstruating individuals not being able to access products such as pads and tampons, clean water resources and education services that they need during their menstrual cycles due to financial inadequacy and related situations. According to research, at least 500 thousand women around the world cannot go to school, work, or perform their daily life practices due to menstrual poverty.

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Cervix (Womb)

The cervix is ​​the part of the uterus that opens into the vagina and expands during birth. It is usually cylindrical in shape and 2–3 cm long.
During menstruation, menstrual blood flows from the uterus through the small opening in the cervix to the vagina and leaves the body through the vaginal opening in the vulva.
The cervix has been known anatomically for about 2,000 years, since the time of Hippocrates.

Speculum

During vaginal examinations, a metal instrument that is inserted into the vaginal canal and allows the cervix to be seen and the vaginal walls and vagina to be examined is called a speculum . There are also plastic, disposable versions; But the frightening appearance of the speculum, which we have also read described as a "can opener for the vagina" and which is one of the reasons why many people avoid gynecological examinations, undoubtedly comes from its cold and metallic presence.

Sustainable Waste-Free Menstruation

Sustainable waste-free menstruation; It is the general name for choosing sustainable products rather than disposable ones when choosing menstrual products developed for the bleeding period and for having a waste-free menstrual period. The range of menstrual products today is very diverse: disposable pads, tampons, menstrual cup/disc and menstrual panties . While pads and tampons are the leading products produced with disposable practice, today there are also many companies producing fabric and reusable pads. Menstrual cup/disc and menstrual panties are among the most reusable and environmentally friendly products. Using sustainable products for the menstrual bleeding we experience every month means not creating regular waste for our world. When you choose sustainable menstrual products, remember that you take good care of your body and do not expose your body to short-lived plastics.

Buffer

Buffer; It is a menstrual product that is placed inside the vagina and used to absorb menstrual blood from the uterus.
When we look at past ages, we see that women developed primitive tampons. We can see that women in Rome developed tampons from wool, women in Egypt from soft papyrus, and women in Asia from various plants such as moss. Today's modern tampons were created by Earle Haas in 1860 and were offered for sale with an insertion applicator.

Social gender equality

Although gender equality is a multifaceted concept, it generally covers the right to exist in all areas of society in connection with the equal freedom of all genders in society. The concept, which was developed based on the inability of genders other than men to reach basic needs such as education, work, housing and even living in societies with a patriarchal system, aims to disrupt this inequality and create an egalitarian system.

Vagina

Vagina is the name of the canal extending from the cervix to the vulva, where the external genital organs are located. The vagina has a flexible muscular structure that can expand and contract, as well as lengthen and shorten, according to changes in the body.
The bleeding that occurs during menstruation is expelled through this channel. At the same time, sperm released from this channel where the penis enters can fertilize eggs. During the birth process, the baby is delivered through the vagina.

Vaginal Gas (Queef)

The name given to this is when the penis, fingers or sex toys enter and leave the vagina, air enters an area that has no exit, and the air trapped inside creates a sound like air escaping from a balloon. It is the release of air trapped in the vagina.

Vaginal discharge

Vaginal discharge ; It is the fluid or mucus secreted from the glands in the cervix and vaginal opening. In a healthy body, 1 to 4 ml of this fluid, which serves to keep the vagina clean and moist, can be secreted per day.
Vaginal discharges are generally divided into two types: "normal" and "abnormal". Vaginal discharge that is considered normal; It has a transparent or white color and has a light scent. No itching or discomfort is felt with the discharge. Abnormal vaginal discharge has color change (e.g. brown, green) as well as bad odor, itching and burning characteristics. If there are abnormal features in vaginal discharge, this may be a symptom of various diseases, so a medical examination is very important.

Vaginal Fungus

Vaginal fungus; It is the general name of the infection that occurs when fungal cells called candida multiply uncontrollably, causing irritation in the vagina and vulva, intense itching, and whitish-gray and lump-shaped vaginal discharge. The main source of the formation of this infection is the disruption of the vaginal flora. The vaginal flora, which constantly renews and protects itself, contains many beneficial bacteria, and these bacteria are responsible for preventing the uncontrolled proliferation of fungal cells. Excessive use of antibiotics, washing the vagina with soap, etc. other than water. Washing with such products, staying in a wet swimsuit for a long time and choosing the wrong panties trigger vaginal fungus. Unless the condition is too advanced, it is easily treated.

Vulva

Vulva ; It is the area where the female external genital organs, including the clitoris, labia and vaginal entrance, are located, and also includes the urethra, where urine output is provided. It does not include the vulva, cervix, uterus, or other internal parts of the female reproductive system. The outer lips covering the vulva have a structure that especially protects the entrance to the vagina.

Vulvodynia (Vulvodynia)

Vulvodynia is chronic vulvar pain with no identifiable cause. Although the description of vulvodynia pain is specific to the individual, descriptions such as burning and stabbing pain in the vulva are frequently used.
Vulvodynia pain is of two types. One is defined locally and the other is defined globally.
Local vulvodynia; It is pain experienced in a part of the vulva or in certain organs.
General vulvodynia occurs spontaneously throughout the vulva. It causes constant pain. Activities that put pressure on the vulva, such as prolonged sitting or sexual intercourse, typically exacerbate symptoms.

Egg

Egg; It is the reproductive cell produced in the ovaries in the female reproductive system. It leaves the ovary on the 14th day of the 28-day cycle and travels through the fallopian tube, which connects the ovary and the uterus. This progression takes approximately 24 hours. If sperm enters the vagina, the egg is fertilized in the fallopian tube and enters the uterus. If fertilization does not occur, it loses its viability after 24 hours and dissolves in the body. It is eliminated from the body through menstrual bleeding after 13 days.

Ovulation

Ovulation; It can be defined as the maturation of eggs in the ovarian reserve and their release into the fallopian tubes, which are a type of channel between the uterus and the ovaries.
It is a natural condition seen in every individual with healthy female reproductive organs between menarche and menopause.