Menstruation: Removing the Stigma & Shame

Similar to sexual health, menstruation has been a topic that has been hidden behind a cloak of silence, mystery and misinformation for centuries.  Menstruation is, and has been, so shrouded in shame and secrecy, that society has not properly conveyed the message that it is simply a natural bodily process.  Instead, it has resulted in many societies around the world viewing menstruation, and those who menstruate, as carrying a stigma that results in shame, silence and exclusion.  We need to ask ourselves why! And then ask ourselves how we change that message!

What is needed to break through these barriers is education.

It is unfortunate that many individuals who menstruate, suffer in silence due to the many stigmas associated with periods. Children and adolescents lack knowledge about managing their periods safely and hygienically.

Because of this, period stigmas result in health issues, poor health education, and absences from school. All individuals, men and women alike, need to be better educated and have a safe place for conversation. As a result, these discussions will benefit young menstruators and help to eliminate the stigma associated with having their period.

Fighting the Stigma & Shame

Education is the single most effective way to help remove the stigma and ignorance surrounding menstruation.  In any given month more than 1.8 billion people are menstruating. We need to create and share a new message of health and normalcy around menstruation so that everyone can have dignity, health and an ease of access to supplies to fill their needs.

The World Health Organization has listed some identifiable goals surrounding menstruation. Two of them are the following:

• Firstly, to recognize and frame menstruation as a health issue, not a hygiene issue – a health issue with physical, psychological, and social dimensions, and one that needs to be addressed in the perspective of a life course – from before menarche to after menopause.
• Secondly, to recognize that menstrual health means that women and girls and other people who menstruate, have access to information and education about it; to the menstrual products they need; water, sanitation, and disposal facilities; to competent and empathic care when needed; to live, study and work in an environment in which menstruation is seen as positive and healthy not something to be ashamed of; and to fully participate in work and social activities

They are also committed to breaking the silence and stigma associated with menstruation and to make schools, health facilities and other workplaces menstruation responsive.

Period Poverty

Poverty means insufficient in amount. It does not always refer to money.  Period poverty is the result of an inability to access the menstrual products and hygiene necessary for one to navigate daily living while experiencing one’s period. It is estimated that 500 million people live without adequate menstrual hygiene and, while disproportionately impacting low-income communities, period poverty impacts both developed and developing countries.

The lack of access to hygiene products keeps people in seclusion and exclusion. They stay home from school or work, unable to participate in daily activities.  Period Poverty can impact one’s mental health, resulting in anxiety, shame and isolation.  One’s physical health can also be impacted with a lack of access to proper hygiene, including water and supplies.

Changing the Conversation

If we want to remove the stigma and shame surrounding menstruation, we need to change our conversation.  We need to be able to speak openly with factual information to eradicate the stigma that should never have been attached to a natural bodily process.  We need to educate everyone, regardless of whether or not one experiences menstruation, about the facts of menstruation.  We need to remove the social and/or cultural myths and judgements surrounding menstruation in order to remove the shame and stigma, ensure access to required necessities and allow all to participate in a life that is not dictated by one’s period.