The Menstrual Mark: Menstruation as Social Stigma

Menstruation During a Lifespan: A Qualitative Study of Women's Experiences

“…Johnston- Robledo and Chrisler (2013) assert that menstruation has a hidden social stigma as it is something women do not want to reveal. It is difficult to tell if a woman is menstruating unless she says so or experiences menstrual leakage on her clothes.…”

“…Social and cultural factors may play a central role in menstrual knowledge (Orringer & Gahagan, 2010); cultural beliefs may give rise to the idea that menstruation is a secretive female process (Beausang & Razor, 2000;Johnston-Robledo & Chrisler, 2013). JohnstonRobledo and Chrisler (2013) argue that this is a stigma that may affect women's body image and sexual health.…”

“…Menstruation is generally described as intimate (Amaral, 2011) and as a phenomenon that should be kept hidden from others (Amaral, 2011;Lee, 2009;Marván & Trujillo, 2010). Studies from different parts of the world indicate the existence of social rules that require the concealment of menstruation, which may result in continuing stress for women (Çevirme, Çevirme, Karaoglu, Urgurlu & Korkamaz, 2010;Johnston-Robledo & Chrisler, 2013;O'Flynn, 2006;Sommer, 2009;Uskul, 2004). Moreover, attention should be paid to the social context in which women live and to the obligations to follow expected social rules that they feel (O'Flynn, 2006).…”

Do Knowledge and Attitudes Regarding Intrauterine Devices Predict Interest in Their Use?

“…Thirteen states currently mandate HIV education but do not require broader sex education, and addressing contraception is not compulsory in many states' sex education programs (Guttmacher Institute, 2015). Additionally, some women's dislike of the idea of a device inside their bodies may stem from a lack of familiarity with IUD insertion procedures and female anatomy due to inadequate sex education and a broader cultural context that ignores or stigmatizes women's bodies (Beausang & Razor, 2000;Braun & Wilkinson, 2001;Fahs, 2014;Johnston-Robledo & Chrisler, 2013;Kaye et al, 2009). Given that there was a relationship between the number of sources of IUD information and IUD interest, promoting knowledge of IUDs through truly comprehensive sex education earlier in women's lives may be an important strategy to increase awareness and acceptability of IUDs in the U.S. Young women who heard about IUDs from friends were more likely to be interested in using IUDs in the future, in line with previous research that has highlighted social networks as influential sources of information about contraception (Anderson, Steinauer, Valente, Koblentz, & Dehlendorf, 2014).…”

Men’s Perceptions and Attitudes Toward the Partner With Premenstrual Syndrome

“…Such a view is promoted by national and international media (Johnston-Robledo & Chrisler, 2011;JohnstonRobledo, Ball, Lauta, & Zekoll, 2003). Since the publication of "Is menstruation obsolete?"…”