{"id":1143,"date":"2016-11-14T10:57:31","date_gmt":"2016-11-14T16:57:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thesocietypages.org\/trot\/?p=1143"},"modified":"2016-11-14T10:57:31","modified_gmt":"2016-11-14T16:57:31","slug":"the-meaning-of-menstruation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thesocietypages.org\/trot\/2016\/11\/14\/the-meaning-of-menstruation\/","title":{"rendered":"The Meaning of Menstruation"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Photo by Monik Markus, Flickr CC<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

More and more popular media outlets are talking about why purposely<\/span> stopping your period might be a good thing<\/span><\/a>. Many medical professionals now advocate for menstrual suppression, usually through hormonal treatments that many people are already using. Birth control options like the pill are being used as a way to improve the quality of life for those of us who get periods, but this medical development affects the social meaning of menstruation. <\/span><\/p>\n

Menstruation is not simply a biological phenomenon. Rather, people experience menstruation within a social context. In a society that often assumes heterosexuality, girls\u2019 first periods mark them as sexual objects, indicating their ability to reproduce, and differentiating them from boys. After their first period, girls report feeling sexualized by others, as well as more ambivalent about their bodies. Menstruation often evokes disgust by both men and women, often becoming a social stigma that must be hidden. <\/span><\/h5>\n