The Stigma Surrounding Women’s Health

Esha Chopra

Stigma. This is an issue that is frequently brought up when discussing health pertaining to sexual organs and menstruation. More often than not, individuals feel discomfort and shame when speaking about topics such as menstruation, sexual health, gynecological health, etc. The stigma surrounding these topics causes people to stay silent about their health issues and feel ashamed of their natural, bodily processes.

Let us examine menstruation as an example of stigma in regards to women’s health. The stigma around menstruation takes many forms -- talking about menstruation as dirty, underestimating the discomfort that comes along with the process and the lack of resources available to help people adjust to life with periods. “It is a topic that people are usually uncomfortable talking about and is typically a topic that is only discussed behind closed doors” (Litman 2018). When an issue is only discussed in private and in secret, people often feel as if these issues don’t matter and this causes people to suffer in silence. 

“In Kenya…women face discrimination, harassment, and are looked down upon because of menstruation, as it is seen as a form of weakness rather than a necessary biological function” (Litman 2018). In Kenya, women are silenced and ridiculed for a natural, bodily function and the cause of this is stigma -- since it isn’t talked about, menstruation has become a weakness that people internalize and try to hide. 

In order to destigmatize menstruation, there need to be tools put in place to educate everybody about the process, not just those who experience it. There also needs to be more resources in place for the most vulnerable populations who experience menstruation. Menstruation stigmatization is a public health crisis and it needs to be addressed as such.  

Citation(s)

Litman, J. (2018, June 05). Menstruation Stigma Must Stop. Period. Retrieved from https://pha.berkeley.edu/2018/06/05/menstruation-stigma-must-stop-period/