Not a “Real” Period?: Social and Material Constructions of Menstruation

Abstract

Hasson provides an examination of menstrual suppression technologies and the implications they have on understanding menstruation as both quintessentially natural and socially constructed, and even what ‘counts’ as menstruation. Taking the case of birth control pills, Hasson studies menstrual suppression by analyzing medical journal articles, FDA advisory committee transcripts, and website marketing. Across these contexts, she finds that new definitions of ‘menstruation’ converge on the distinction between bleeding that occurs when women are taking hormonal birth control and when they are not. Finally, Hasson draws attention to the concept of redefining a biological process that is deeply significant for gendered embodiment, as well as a challenge to consider both the social and material construction of gendered bodies.