Women in History: Catherine the Great

Welcome back to our Lotus.Eco historic adventures. Today our travelling postie has a genuine challenge, to deliver the parcel of eco-friendly tampons without getting imprisoned, executed or tortured as a spy. That’s because today’s recipient of our care package is Catherine The Great,  the historic Empress of Russia that ruled from 1762 until 1796.
 
Being Russia’s longest ruling female is no easy task.  She had a lot of stress on her plate and so much to orchestrate, we’re tipping she was something of a perfectionist, and when there is so much to renovate and so many moving pieces that are far from cooperative, it’s enough to make anyone a little surly. Like many of us running our own little (or big) empire, simplifying the way you manage your time of the month makes all the difference in our days.

We know that It’s  the little comforts that make all the difference, when you shower yourself with love and care you are able to shine that much brighter. And maybe some chocolate liquors included in her monthly tampon delivery might be best to get this package over the line? Let us know if that’s something you’d like in your monthly subscription deliveries!

Catherine was certainly brave in the face of change, which makes us think she’d be open to changing the way women and people in general viewed menstruation.

She came to power following a coup that she herself organised and then worked tirelessly to create a golden age of art, culture and luxury for her people. Under her command Russia was re-energised, growing to be one of the great powers of Europe. Could she have led Russia to embrace menstruation for all that it entails, if she had used tampons herself? 

We wonder if Catherine ever faced an overzealous amount of ‘that time of the month’ comments, leading her and women in general to be misunderstood? It would have been so much worse in her time because before the 19th Century, doctors had no idea there was even a link between ovulation and periods. They thought the blood flow was a woman's need to cool their hysterical emotions.

What about the phenomenal weight of running an entire empire upon her shoulders, let’s factor that into the equation Doc! If women had more equal footing with men at the time, do you think she could have led the advancement of menstrual technology and knowledge? After all, she set an example for her people to show that smallpox vaccination was safe by being one of the first people to be inoculated. We’re confident that she would have done the same for tampons, especially if it made her life easier.

I dare say that reorganising the law and administration of the Russian Empire took a heavy toll on her energy and self-love, as well as extending Russian territory and connecting to the culture of greater Europe.  Catherine was dedicated, ambitious, and by the end of her career, well accomplished.

For us, the tools of modern day society are often glossed over as these little pleasures of life take our worries away with such ease, empowering us to conquer more. With all that Catherine The Great has managed to do, we can’t help but wonder if our care package of tampons would have empowered her to revolutionise societal views on menstruation, just as she did with Russia.