Sara Kilany | Free FLO
Acrylic Yarn

Photo by: Laura Earle (above) and Rich Earle

Free FLO is an unapologetic response to how marketing brands distortedly portray menstruation. According to Jane Cunningham and Philippa Roberts — the co-authors of Brandsplaining: Why Marketing Is Still Sexist And How To Fix It, 66% of women still don't connect with what they see in marketing, and 60% still say that they think marketing has an outdated view of women. Meanwhile, ads featuring non-binary and transgender identities continue to be non-existent. Many brands use “progressive” messaging like “Feel Light, Be Bright”, “Get wings and fly!” or “Live the way you want” for capitalistic gain. These performative activism tactics perpetuate the message that women need to be “fixed”. Advertiser's failure to authentically represent the menstruation experience further silences women, disadvantaged groups and supports gender stereotypes. 

Free FLO represents the unspoken truth behind menstruation. Menstruation can range from no symptoms to cramping, blood clotting, hormonal mood swings, migraines, and a host of other involuntary bodily responses to uterine shedding. There is an unrealistic societal expectation for individuals who bleed to perform their daily routines in silence with no acknowledgment of their authentic experiences. Unlike traditional advertisements with blue liquid, Free FLO bleeds red— de-stigmatizing sexist brand narratives and reclaims of our experiences, bodies, and power.

Free FLO