Addressing menstrual stigma through sex education in England- taking a sociomaterial turn

Bowen-Viner, Kate; Watson, Debbie; Symonds, Jon

doi:10.1080/14681811.2022.2145461

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 48 publications

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“…In a UK-based study, 14% of girls admitted that they did not know what was happening when they had their rst period, and 1 in 4 did not know what to do when it happened 6 . Secondary schools throughout the United Kingdom (UK) have a curriculum for relationship and sex education (RSE) that includes menstruation, however, it is heavily focused on the biology of periods rather than experiences, management, support and stigma 17 . The 2019 survey for the Women's Health Strategy found that less than 1 in 5 women feel they have enough information on menstrual wellbeing 18 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Menstrual experiences of adolescent female school pupils in England

Brooks,

Maybin,

Harper

2024

Preprint

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Background Menstruation can negatively impact quality of life (QoL), particularly during adolescence. In addition to physical and emotional symptoms, there is a stigma surrounding menstruation and a lack of support and education; which can have detrimental effects on wellbeing. This study aims to (1) explore if girls in schools across South East England feel that periods affect their wellbeing, (2) to understand the support and education that girls receive and (3) to suggest changes to improve menstrual health education and support in English schools. Methods Eight focus groups were carried out in four schools, two in each school, with a total of 49 year-10 girls participating (all cisgender). Four questions were asked in each focus group relating to the girls’ attitudes to having a period, how their period affected their wellbeing, the support they need and how could education be improved. Results The girls had mostly negative attitudes about periods, and said their periods negatively impacted their physical, emotional, and social QoL, affecting areas such as friendships, schoolwork, and socialising. They expressed a desire for more menstrual education and for boys to be included. They wanted improved menstrual support, especially at school, in the form of access to period products, days off school, and emotional support. Conclusion This study highlights the negative impact that menstruation can have on the QoL of girls. It also shows the need for improved support and education for both boys and girls from an early age; which may help dissipate period stigma and increase QoL.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%