“Periods Don’t Stop for Pandemics”: The Implications of COVID-19 for Online and Offline Menstrual Activism in Great Britain

Tomlinson, Maria Kathryn

doi:10.1080/07491409.2023.2222365

Cited by 6 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 53 publications

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“…Despite these identified risks, social media continues to be an important sphere for healthcare communication and an ideal place for activist agendas within the health domain (Rus and Cameron, 2016;Stellefson et al, 2020;Urban and Holtzman, 2023). It is often utilized by health organizations to raise awareness, promote actions, address health problems, or advocate for change in public policies related to health issues (Fu and Zhang, 2019;Tomlinson, 2023).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Not “just a bad period”— The impact of a co-created endometriosis social media health campaign: a mixed methods study

Stanek,

Hestbjerg,

Hansen

et al. 2023

Front. Commun.

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ObjectiveThe goal of this study was to evaluate the impact of a visual social media health campaign. The #1in10 campaign was co-created by the Danish Endometriosis Patient Association and women with endometriosis.MethodsSeven semi-structured interviews were conducted with campaign participants to evaluate their experience of participating. The interviews were then analyzed thematically. Social media metrics on the reach of the campaign were gathered to assess how the campaign had performed.ResultsSeven themes were identified in the interviews: (1) Taboo, (2) Visibility, (3) Awareness, (4) Acknowledgment, (5) Empowerment, (6) Patient Experts, and (7) Community. Throughout the interviews, the women conveyed that they found their participation in the campaign meaningful, as it contributed to creating awareness and recognition of a disease otherwise surrounded by taboo and stigma. Social media metrics show how the #1in10 campaign reached both people inside and outside the endometriosis community. Across the FEMaLe Project's three social media platforms, 208 (51.5%) of engagements were with patients with endometriosis, 96 (23.7%) were with FEMaLe employees and advisers, 94 (23.3%) were with the general public, and 6 (1.5%) were with policymakers. In the month the #1in10 campaign was released, the FEMaLe Project's Twitter and Instagram accounts had more impressions than almost any other month that year (except January on Twitter and November on Instagram). The FEMaLe Project's LinkedIn had the same number of impressions as in other months.DiscussionThe study shows that the #1in10 social media campaign had an impact on three levels: on an individual level for the participating patients, on a communal level for people with endometriosis, and on a wider societal level. The participating patients felt empowered by their involvement with the campaign and the act of coming forward. The participants acted on behalf of their community of people with endometriosis, in the hopes that it would raise awareness and acknowledgment. In return, the community engaged with the campaign and added significantly to the dissemination of its message. On a societal level the campaign has caught particular attention and engagement compared to other posts made on the same social media accounts. Combining qualitative and quantitative methods, this study has demonstrated that the #1in10 campaign had an impact on three different levels: individual, communal, and societal. On an individual level the campaign fostered empowerment for the participating women, because they felt that their participation contributed to making their struggles visible, known, and acknowledged. The participants took part in the campaign on behalf of their community of people with endometriosis, in the hopes that their activistic actions would benefit future members of the community. That the campaign resonated with the community is evident by the fact that 51.5% (N = 208) of the engagement with the campaign was made by members of the community. As such, the community was vital for both the creation and the dissemination of the campaign. The #1in10 campaign performed comparatively well with regards to creating engagements on social media- not just within the community but also in the wider society. While this does not necessarily entail a change in attitude or behavior, it suggests that the co-created and visual nature of the campaign had an impact on the audience.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Not “just a bad period”— The impact of a co-created endometriosis social media health campaign: a mixed methods study

Stanek,

Hestbjerg,

Hansen

et al. 2023

Front. Commun.

Self Cite

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Introduction

Tomlinson

2024

Palgrave Studies in Communication for Social Change

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This introduction explores the emergence of the global menstrual movement, tracing its roots back to the early twentieth century. Focussing on Great Britain, this chapter identifies the key aims of the menstrual movement as well as the political and educational changes this movement has inspired. Drawing on scholarly literature, it examines five topics with which the movement in Great Britain is concerned, namely, menstrual stigma, ‘period poverty’, sustainability, menstrual health conditions, as well as inclusion and intersectionality. The introduction situates the book within critical menstruation studies, feminist scholarship, social movement studies, and the broader disciplines of sociology and communication whilst also highlighting its original contribution to these areas.

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The Discursive Tactics of the Menstrual Movement: Destigmatisation, Intersectionality and Collective Identity

Tomlinson

2024

Palgrave Studies in Communication for Social Change

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Drawing on interviews with 32 menstrual activists, this chapter analyses the discursive tactics that are used by the menstrual movement in Great Britain. It explores how this movement seeks to transform the mediation of menstruation as well as how menstrual activists advocate for social change via traditional and social media. The chapter explores various discursive strategies used by the 32 participants to alter the mediation of menstruation and, as a result, improve the lives of women and other people who menstruate. Tactics include using non-stigmatising language, speaking openly about menstruation, highlighting the intersectional nature of menstrual experience and promoting the inclusion of menstruating people of all genders and ethnicities. The chapter argues that, for menstrual activists, transforming the mediation of menstruation both on social media and in news media is a vital step towards destigmatising menstruation and reducing social inequalities in Great Britain. Furthermore, the chapter explores the influence of neoliberalism on menstrual activism as well as various points of disagreement and tension within the menstrual movement. This includes a lack of consensus about which discourses are the most effective for engendering social change.

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“Periods Don’t Stop for Pandemics”: The Implications of COVID-19 for Online and Offline Menstrual Activism in Great Britain

Cited by 6 publications

References 53 publications

Not “just a bad period”— The impact of a co-created endometriosis social media health campaign: a mixed methods study

Not “just a bad period”— The impact of a co-created endometriosis social media health campaign: a mixed methods study

Introduction

The Discursive Tactics of the Menstrual Movement: Destigmatisation, Intersectionality and Collective Identity

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