Exploring Collective Experiences: Menstruation-related Memes and Menstrual Narratives in Social Media as an Avant-garde Form of Life Writing

Abstract

The increasing prominence of social media as a platform for collective expression has facilitated the sharing of diverse experiences, including emotions, challenges, and circumstances, within distinct social groups. Notable hashtag campaigns such as #Metoo, #HappytoBleed, #TimesUp, #HeForShe, #EverydaySexism, and #IWillGoOut exemplify this trend, as they address pertinent issues concerning women’s rights and gender equality. In this context, menstruation narratives, communicated through various mediums such as stories, oral traditions, myths, and videos, are significant in conveying the collective experiences of menstruating individuals, and fostering camaraderie and support among those who share similar encounters. The advent and widespread utilization of social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, have provided menstruating individuals with an accessible avenue to share their experiences, concerns, struggles, and anxieties through diverse content formats, such as written posts, images, video blogs, and memes. Notably, memes have emerged as a particularly popular medium for articulating collective life experiences, encompassing the sphere of menstruation. Widely disseminated on social media, these memes have become influential tools for communication, encapsulating shared sentiments in a visually engaging and often humorous manner. Against this backdrop, this research paper scrutinizes social media’s emergence as a novel platform for collective life expressions, with a specific focus on menstrual memes. It delves into the realm of life writing, exploring the varied ways in which menstruating individuals utilize social media to articulate their experiences. Additionally, it sheds light on the significant communicative potential of memes on menstruation, exemplifying their capacity to foster meaningful dialogues and challenge the societal stigma surrounding this natural phenomenon.