Extremely Private and Incredibly Public–Free Menstrual Products and the “Problem” of Menstruation in the Finnish Public Discourse

Abstract

In December 2021, the Helsinki City Council decided to experiment the distribution of free menstrual products in schools and educational institutions. The act follows similar decisions internationally aiming to decrease inequality and destigmatize menstruation. This article draws on poststructuralist policy analysis to examine the construction of menstruation in the Helsinki city decision and the public debates on the policy proposal. The research materials include policy documents, online news articles, and over 4000 comments on news sites, discussion fora and social media. Utilising Carol L. Bacchi’s (2009) “What’s the problem represented to be?”-approach to policy analysis, the article shows that the Finnish public debates on menstrual policy construct menstruation as a problem on two levels. On the one hand, menstruation is constructed as a private, embodied problem experienced by individuals, while on the other hand, it is redefined as a public problem generating inequality and pollution. The article argues that the policy debates both reinforce and challenge the menstrual stigma. The stigma is reinforced by representing menstruation as “the problem” rather than the social structures stigmatizing menstruators. However, the stigma is also challenged by redefining menstrual bleeding as a public issue and defying norms of menstrual invisibility.