Menstrual concealment—“You can’t just play the woman card”
Keywords:
Menstrual suppression, military, menstrual concealment, menstrual stigmaAbstract
INTRODUCTION: This article explores women’s experiences of menstrual suppression within the New Zealand Army while seeking to understand the influence of military systems, culture and processes on those experiences. More specifically, it examines women’s desire for menstrual concealment and control over their chosen method of managing their menstruation.
METHODS: Data were collected using narrative interviews with 18 women currently serving in the New Zealand Army and nine key informants. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.
FINDINGS: Study participants described the convenience of not having their period in a military environment as their main reasoning for menstrual suppression. Whether supressing their period or not, women’s stories revealed their desire to fit in within the current military culture while also having control over their own body and decision-making. The decision on how they managed their menstruation was influenced by their peers, their rank, their environment, their past experiences and the information provided to them through briefings and visits with their medical provider.
CONCLUSION: The preliminary findings from this study suggests that within the military, women are not only expected to keep their feminine identity but also maintain body equivalence with men to ensure they are seen as equally operationally effective. Although women describe an expectation of menstrual concealment, women choose how they reach that expectation. A reproductive justice lens is used to argue that without addressing menstrual stigma and the military structures, women will continue to “choose” to conceal or supress their period as it is presented as the only appropriate choice.
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