I Bleed, Therefore I Research: Feminist Phenomenology and Research on Menstrual Suppression

• In Event: Producing New Knowledge in Transdisciplinary Dissertation Research in WGS

Abstract

Phenomenological research is interested in the common meaning of lived experience, investigating the ways in which meanings are constructed (Creswell, 2013). This paper discusses how I have adapted this method of inquiry to research on menstrual suppression, while challenging the method’s core assumptions. By applying a feminist lens to the phenomenological practice of bracketing—which asks researchers to set aside their own experiences—this paper offers suggestions for incorporating more fully in our research the perspectives of participants. A feminist phenomenology promises to help us understand menstrual suppression in a new way.

Presenter

• Diana Álvarez, Texas Woman's University