Homeless Menstruation: A Construction of Embodied Experiences

and a Breakdown of Amplified Psychosocial Issues

By: Meghna Gaddam
Northwestern University, Department of Anthropology
Introduction Results
Homeless menstruators endure the dual stigma of homelessness and menstruation. This vulnerable group is not well
researched in academia, as homelessness and menstruation are perceived as separately stigmatized experiences. Through
library research , I analyze in what ways menstrual and homeless stigma coincide to exacerbate detrimental psychosocial issues Phenomenology and Embodiment
faced by homeless menstruators. The results were six converging psychosocial topics: phenomenology and embodiment, • Feelings of stress, anxiety, vulnerability, depression, and
objectification, capitalism and Foucauldian theory, media portrayal, morale, and mental illness. The first 3 categories are shame are intensified feelings amongst homeless women
theoretical frameworks that are explored in this poster, and the following 3 categories are anticipated empirical frameworks along with mental illnesses.6
which are yet to be explored. By recognizing and understanding this amplified stigma, communities can start taking the needed • They adhere to a life script created by the “other” to
steps to destigmatize the experience of homeless menstruation in the fight for menstrual equity conceal, act feminine, and be irrational while visibly
homeless.10
Research Questions: • Having to be mobile and financially constrained when one
1) How can we better understand the embodied experiences of homeless menstruators through existing literature? cannot move and is homeless, results in visible
2) How can we use this understanding to mitigate the intensified stigma and attitudes that this community endures? vulnerability and immense shame for being unable to self-
regulate.6

Background Methodology Figure 2: Shows 1970 (left) and 2016 (right) ads which under different
contexts convey the need to conceal to succeed and be safe.
• Derived from the ancient practice of slave
branding, this social construct results in
disgust from people and has a debilitating Conclusion/Action Items
Stigma impact.8 Objectification
• Homelessness and menstruation are constructed under Homeless menstruators endure intensified stigmas and
Figure 1:
PRISMA the male gaze and a lack of understanding of the female embody difficult life experiences as one of the most
diagram for body. marginalized communities; therefore:
selecting • Due to the sexualization of menstruation and the visibility
• Menstrual blood is considered an articles of homelessness, they do not feel human, sexual, or safe.3 Education
abominable fluid and impure.3 related to • There is a need for education on menopause amongst
• Menstruators engage in menstrual moaning which is
homeless
• Menstruators are expected to act more negative and reinforces shame the way fat talk does to homeless menstruators as most of them are of an older
and
“feminine” which holds a negative satisfy the male gaze and to self-regulate.7 age. 6
Menstrual menstrual
Stigma connotation.1 However, if men were to stigma • A gendered lens of homelessness shows that homeless • Education on menstruation for both menstruators and
menstruate it would be macho.4 women face extra stigma because their needs are often non-menstruators is crucial to break the gendered
not taken seriously unless they have a child or have been stigma surrounding menstruation. 10
domestically abused, and they are objectified on the • The facts surrounding homelessness must be better
streets.2 conveyed to the general public, along with increased
• A literature review was conducted by searching the research on homeless menstruation.2
• Homelessness is perceived as dirty or
extant literature through multiple academic search
repulsive and is given a mark of shame.8
engines, screening articles for exclusion and inclusion,
Homeless • Society believes that the homeless cannot Advocacy
be helped and that they choose their assessing the quality of the articles, extracting
Stigma information and data, and synthesizing and analyzing • Policy mandating free menstrual products in shelters,
condition.2
data using the PRISMA method.1 Capitalism and Foucauldian Theory and allowing public benefits such as SNAP, WIC, and
• Commodification of menstruation imposes “new” ways TANF to be used towards menstrual products could help
• Keywords “homeless menstruators,” “menstrual for women to keep their bodies clean, keep periods a systemically solve the issue of access to menstrual
stigma,” “homeless stigma,” “low-income secret, and suppress menstruation for self regulation.5 products. 5
Menstrual Equity and What is Overlooked
menstruators,” and “homeless women” were used to • The business and control of menstruation through birth • Legislators need to consider the politics of difference
• There are thousands of articles about period poverty
identify relevant material and synthesize 6 categories control and other contraceptive methods has become and advocate for homeless menstruators.3
internationally and in schools, but there are only a couple
common to suppress one’s period and reduce the stigma
of articles on homeless menstruators.6
surrounding it. This is inaccessible to homeless
menstruators.5 Service
References • Individuals are blamed for being homeless and unable to • Donating to shelters and bringing awareness to
1. Andrist, L. C. (2008). The Implications of objectification theory for women’s health: Menstrual suppression and “maternal request” cesarean delivery. Health Care for Women International, 29, 551–565. https://doi. org/10.1080/07399330801949616.
feed into the capitalistic system instead of assessing homeless menstruation is the most immediately
2.
3.
Bretherton, J. (2017, May). Reconsidering Gender in Homelessness. Retrieved February 23, 2021, from https://www.feantsaresearch.org/download/feantsa-ejh-11-1_a1-v045913941269604492255.pdf
Chrisler, J. C. (2011). Leaks, lumps, and lines: Stigma and women’s bod- ies. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 35, 202–214. https://doi. org/10.1177/0361684310397698.
issues with governmental and capitalistic structures that implementable action item.6
4. De Beauvoir, S. (1949). 1997 the second sex. Vintage Books.
make people homeless.9
5. Dillaway H. (2020) Living in Uncertain Times: Experiences of Menopause and Reproductive Aging. In: Bobel C., Winkler I.T., Fahs B., Hasson K.A., Kissling E.A., Roberts TA. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of Critical Menstruation Studies. Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore.
• Shelters should work on providing easy access, to
• Capitalistic media shows extreme, dramatized, and
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-0614-7_21
6. Vora S. (2020) The Realities of Period Poverty: How Homelessness Shapes Women’s Lived Experiences of Menstruation. In: Bobel C., Winkler I.T., Fahs B., Hasson K.A., Kissling E.A., Roberts TA. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of Critical Menstruation Studies. Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-0614-7_4 products, comfort, privacy, and a welcoming space so
7. Gallagher S. (2012) What Is Phenomenology? In: Phenomenology. Palgrave Philosophy Today. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137283801_2 unethical images of homelessness and menstruation to
8. Goffman, E. (1990). Stigma notes on the management of spoiled identity. London: Penguin. that homeless menstruators feel less stigmatized and
9. Johnston-Robledo, Ingrid & Chrisler, Joan. (2011). The Menstrual Mark: Menstruation as Social Stigma. Sex Roles. 68. 1-10. 10.1007/s11199-011-0052-z. create a spectacle without any education.2
10. Kelland, L., Paphitis, S., & Macleod, C. (2017). A contemporary phenomenology of menstruation: Understanding the body in situation and as situation in public health interventions to address menstruation-related challenges. Women's Studies International Forum, 63, 33-41.
doi:10.1016/j.wsif.2017.09.004
safer.6