Menstrual Stigma and Twitter

ABSTRACT

Menstrual stigma is a pervasive issue in societies around the world, but advocacy and public dialogue may be able to help dismantle this stigma. Drawing on the tenets of social constructionism, this research examines whether menstrual discourse on Twitter is likely to challenge or reinforce stigma. Qualitative analyses of 644 tweets posted during 2018 suggest that although some public discussions of menstruation reinforce menstrual stigma, many also help undermine stigma by promoting open dialogue, raising awareness around menstrual issues, and advocating for change. Implications for future menstrual activism efforts are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• activism
• gender
• menstruation
• social media
• stigma

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

¹ Throughout this manuscript, we often use phrases such as “people who menstruate,” “menstruators,” and “people with periods” to refer to individuals who are, will be, or once were capable of menstruation. This language is inclusive of transgender and non-binary individuals who may not present feminine gender identities but who do, did, or will menstruate. Similarly, we often use “they” and “their” instead of “she” and “her” when not quoting material directly. For more information on menstruation and gender identity, see the work of Frank (2020).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Amber Urban

Amber Urban is a doctoral student at Western Michigan University. Her research interests include reproductive health, with particular focus on menstrual stigma, infertility, female reproductive disorders, abortion, and contraception. The research featured in this article won the Ball State University 3 Minute Thesis (3MT) competition and placed 3rd in the subsequent regional competition.

Mellisa Holtzman

Mellisa Holtzman is a professor of sociology at Ball State University. Her research interests include gender, sexuality, and sexual assault prevention. Her work has been published in such journals as Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, Journal of Interpersonal Violence, Journal of Applied Social Science, Teaching Sociology, and Sociological Inquiry.