Know Your Flow 
CRITICAL REPORT 

Menstrual Health is still an invisible topic in the UK where those who menstruate must deal with a natural part of life in silence (TRINGLE and VORA, 2018).  Menstrual stigmas, myths, sparse research, lack of education, medical gaslighting, and worst of all period poverty, society has been embedded with an endless list of negative outlooks on the topic for decades affecting millions of people (YOUNG, 2020). These negative views highlight shame and embarrassment towards women’s health leading to negative misconceptions that can lower health outcomes, menstrual well-being, self-esteem, and potentially delaying or misdiagnosing health problems that could lead to serious consequences that involve mental health, fertility, and quality of life (TRINGLE and VORA, 2018). The lack of Menstrual rights is what keeps us sick, silenced, and ashamed of our bodies, we must act.    

 

In the UK, over 49% of girls missed school in 2017 because they couldn’t afford menstrual products (MODIBODI,2021). 48% of people feel embarrassed by their periods (PLAN INTERNATIONAL UK, 2020). Other studies showing one in six people don’t even feel comfortable talking to their doctor about issues regarding menstruation (WATERAID, 2018). Though this is not surprising due to the continuous remarks made about periods such as premenstrual tension (PMT) if those who are menstruating are ‘moody’ or their mood is ‘off’ and the lack of permanent facilities for health care (WATERAID, 2018). This demonstrates the negative effects that social stigmas create and how they must change for those to feel comfortable with their bodies and be able to have access and express any issues or concerns regarding their menstrual health in confidence.