Thesis
The embodied experience of menstruation : critically examining class and gender inequality through period products
- Creator
- Rights statement
- Awarding institution
- University of Strathclyde
- Date of award
- 2025
- Thesis identifier
- T17503
- Person Identifier (Local)
- 202085839
- Qualification Level
- Qualification Name
- Department, School or Faculty
- Abstract
- Menstruation has gained increasing visibility in public discourse, yet significant gaps remain in understanding the role of period products beyond functionality. While much of the literature focuses on period poverty—primarily framed as a lack of financial resources—feminist scholars and activists have expanded this definition to include broader accessibility, stigma, and class-based barriers (Bobel, 2018; Crawford et al., 2021). However, less attention has been given to the role of menstrual products themselves in shaping gendered, classed, and environmental responsibilities. This study addresses this gap by examining how period products are embedded in larger socio-political and cultural norms, influencing menstruation as an embodied experience. Drawing on qualitative research with 27 participants across Scotland, this study employs an inductive approach to thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2021), enriched by feminist methodologies (Riessman, 2008; Olesen, 2011). Findings reveal that period products function as critical sites where societal norms are both reinforced and resisted. As menstrual studies evolve—particularly through feminist activism on menstrual education, period poverty, and sustainability—these discussions shape how individuals experience and perceive menstruation. Period products emerge not only as material goods but as mechanisms through which social norms around respectability, sexualisation, and appropriateness are enacted. Furthermore, these products serve as markers of class and environmental responsibility, reflecting broader systemic inequalities. This research contributes to feminist scholarship by illuminating the ways in which gender, class, and environmental responsibilities are intertwined with menstrual experiences. It challenges the supposed neutrality of menstrual products, arguing that they are deeply embedded in social structures that regulate bodies and identities. By situating period products within broader discussions of girlhood, policy, and environmentalism, this study offers a critical insight for future research and for addressing menstrual inequality and promoting sustainable, inclusive practices.
- Advisor / supervisor
- Breeze, Maddie
- Taylor, Yvette, 1978-
- Resource Type
- DOI
Relations
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PDF of thesis T17503 | 2025-10-14 | Public | Download |