Feminist Posthumanist Design of Menstrual Care for More-than-Human Bodies

Abstract

Social stigma and human exceptionalism have contributed to unsustainable menstrual products and a neglect for the nutrients in menstrual blood that can enrich soil. In a Research-through-Design project, we explored how menstrual care can extend to caring for non-human species and the environment. We describe our design process and insights from three workshops with 20 participants, where we designed tools and technologies and worked with biomaterials to create biodegradable menstrual artifacts that can be composted and bring the nutrients in menstrual blood into soil. By drawing on feminist HCI's quality of ecology and bringing more-than-human design into the domain of intimate care, our research affirms the fertile relations between feminist HCI and posthumanist HCI through the concept of more-than-human bodies. We discuss how our work contributes to inclusive understandings of technology, and to a feminist posthumanist design methodology that centers more-than-human bodies in intimate care.