Young Women’s Menstruation Stories: Panic or Procreate?

• In Event: 3255 - Section on the Sociology of Body and Embodiment Refereed Roundtables (1 hour)
  In Refereed Roundtable 60min: Table 2. Gender, Embodiment, and Reproduction

Abstract

Much of the previous literature, especially within feminist literature, discusses the following themes that emerge from women’s menarche stories: shame, stigmatization, and concealment (Lee, 2009; Kowalski and Chapple, 2000; Oinas, 1998). However, I found in my research, that menstruation had different impacts on the women, physically and emotionally. The majority of the participants were initially confused to a varying degree when they began menstruation. Some experienced panic, others were uncertain about what was happening to them. The participants saw menstruation as a medical concern, a distant connection to sexuality and reproduction, and/or a significant part of womanhood. Furthermore, very few of the participants connected menstruation with the ability to procreate.

Author

• Joanna W. Neville, University of Florida