Rachel Kramer Bussel interviewed Rachel Lark for Salon about her new music and her new role as "the poster girl for period sex." A sample...

What would you say to women who are categorically against period sex?

IMG_2768__1_.jpg
I would be interested in why. It’s interesting that you say women; there are a lot of women who are uncomfortable with it when the guys they’re with would be okay with it. That’s definitely a dynamic I’ve encountered before. I think it’s unfortunate that women often think their vagina’s kind of disgusting and they get grossed out by it.

On the other hand, I also love the concept from the kink community of “squick,” the idea that you can be turned off by something without attaching a normative judgment to it. Instead of “that is disgusting; why would you ever do it?” you’re able to say, “This squicks me out; that’s not my thing.”

Have people told you they’ve changed their mind about period sex because of the song?

I’ve gotten so many stories that I think I’m going to start sharing them on my website or create a blog where you can post your stories about it. I never expected this, but I got told a story recently about a threesome that happened because of it. A woman told me the other night that because of this song, she now looks forward to her period. I was like, “Wow, girl, I’m not even there.”

I do think it is having a positive effect for people who hear it. Music’s great like that. It’s a little bit of mind control in a way because you get everyone singing along to something and then they have this memory of singing along to it and then they’re like, well, I must be okay with it, that must be something I’m into because I was really into that moment we all had together. And then that’s one more hang-up removed.

Click through to read the whole interview—where you'll find answers to questions like, "How did 'Warm, Bloody, and Tender' come about? Was it based on personal experience?", and, "What would you say to women who are categorically against period sex?" and (most importantly), "How did Dan Savage get involved in the video?" (Ever wanted to see me smeared with fake vaginal blood? Now you can!)