Presenter Information

Ava ColleranFollow

Start Date

4-26-2023 9:00 AM

Disciplines

History | Inequality and Stratification | Social Justice | Women's Studies

Subjects

Menstruation -- Social aspects, Social justice

Abstract

This paper examines different views on menstruation throughout history and their effects on social, political, and economic landscapes. The ancient Greeks, Romans, and Mayans all believed in the supposed ‘magical powers’ of menstrual blood. These societies held their own ideas on the limits of these magical abilities, and the good and evil forces they could be used for. Throughout these ancient societies, menstruation was used as a justification for the increased control of the state and men over women’s bodies. If menstrual blood did have these magical powers, it was a power that needed to be limited and controlled so as to not pose a threat to society. In Socialist Yugoslavia, the image of the female worker was celebrated. However, her menstruation and other aspects of her femininity had to be hidden. This led to the idea of an ideal woman being invisible. Colonization also led to the suppression of the menstrual practices and customs of many Indigenous peoples. Today, the stage of development of one’s home nation has a big impact on the accessibility of menstrual products and proper hygiene. Access to menstrual hygiene has also been linked to a woman’s ability to receive an education, and as a result, contribute more to the economy. In summary, society's views towards menstruation are linked to women's access to healthcare, employment, and educational opportunities. This is also connected to women’s general role in society. Menstruation is present in every time period and across every culture and is a powerful method of analysis for examining a society’s cultural, economic, and political spheres.

Creative Commons License or Rights Statement

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License.

Persistent Identifier

https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/39838

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Apr 26th, 9:00 AM

Menstruation Products and Perceptions: Breaking Through the Crimson Ceiling

This paper examines different views on menstruation throughout history and their effects on social, political, and economic landscapes. The ancient Greeks, Romans, and Mayans all believed in the supposed ‘magical powers’ of menstrual blood. These societies held their own ideas on the limits of these magical abilities, and the good and evil forces they could be used for. Throughout these ancient societies, menstruation was used as a justification for the increased control of the state and men over women’s bodies. If menstrual blood did have these magical powers, it was a power that needed to be limited and controlled so as to not pose a threat to society. In Socialist Yugoslavia, the image of the female worker was celebrated. However, her menstruation and other aspects of her femininity had to be hidden. This led to the idea of an ideal woman being invisible. Colonization also led to the suppression of the menstrual practices and customs of many Indigenous peoples. Today, the stage of development of one’s home nation has a big impact on the accessibility of menstrual products and proper hygiene. Access to menstrual hygiene has also been linked to a woman’s ability to receive an education, and as a result, contribute more to the economy. In summary, society's views towards menstruation are linked to women's access to healthcare, employment, and educational opportunities. This is also connected to women’s general role in society. Menstruation is present in every time period and across every culture and is a powerful method of analysis for examining a society’s cultural, economic, and political spheres.