Blood and Milk: Constructions of Female Bodily Fluids in Western Society

ABSTRACT

This paper explores ways in which these essentially ‘female’ bodily fluids are constructed in Western societies. It first reviews the context of menstruation and lactation in modern Western societies. It next considers menstruation and breastfeeding as affirmations of womanhood, and then the extent to which breast milk and menstrual blood are considered ‘good,’ ‘different’ to other milk and blood, sexual and disgusting. Finally, it discusses pressures which arise from the marketing of related products. The paper suggests that women's belief in their ability to nourish their infant from their own body may be undermined by negative constructions of women's bodily fluids which ‘product’-based promotion of breast milk may fail to address.

KEYWORDS:

• Breast milk
• breastfeeding
• menstruation
• menstrual blood