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The seclusion of girls at puberty has been practised in societies around the world, especially prior to the early 20th century. In such cultures, girls' puberty held more significance than boys' due to menstruation, the girl's potential for giving birth, and widespread ideas of ritual purification related to the sacred power of blood. [1]
The ceremony is typically held seven days after the girl's first menstruation. [9] The family of the girl sends out invitations to loved ones, inviting them to share their blessings and celebrate the beginning of her new life chapter. [7] The girl is confined to a specific room for the first few days, with all other areas considered off-limits ...
The girls are then housed for a week, where they are given training on cooking, housekeeping, and childbirth and nurture. The ritual mothers give them special lessons on seduction and how their husbands will expect to be treated. They learn the Klama dance, which is performed on the final day of the rites. [6]
Rome lacked the elaborate female puberty rituals of ancient Greece, and for girls, the wedding ceremony was in part a rite of passage for the bride. Girls coming of age dedicated their dolls to Artemis, the goddess most concerned with virginity, or to Aphrodite when they were preparing for marriage. [5]
Different norms for boys and girls remain into the 20th century, as shown in a 1940s film of an outing for Scouts and Girl Guides in which boys to the age of about ten play nude, while older boys and all girls are dressed. [25] In a 1927 Swedish documentary about the benefits of swimming, there were three situations depicted.
Boys, who typically begin puberty between 9 and 14, are also starting puberty earlier than in the past, but precocious puberty is much less common for young boys than girls. When a boy starts ...
The rituals are important in determining a status change for girls. Upon menarche and completion of the ritual, they have become a woman as defined by their culture. For young women in many cultures, the first menstruation is a marker that signifies a change in status.
Starting puberty significantly early — younger than age 8 in girls, 9 in boys — may have health effects lasting into adulthood, including higher risks of breast cancer, diabetes and heart disease.