Dr. Kate Clancy, author and anthropologist, joins the show to discuss the shame surrounding menstruation and its impact on healthcare. They delve into the neglect of women's health in scientific research and the challenges faced by gender minorities. The importance of inclusive language and de-gendering menstruation is also highlighted.
Menstruation should be destigmatized and understood as a natural process, promoting inclusivity in healthcare and scientific research.
Challenging negative cultural norms surrounding menstruation can lead to improved healthcare, dismantling of harmful stereotypes, and promoting inclusivity for all menstruating individuals.
Deep dives
Normalizing Menstruation and Challenging Taboos
The podcast episode explores the normalization of menstruation and the need to challenge societal taboos surrounding periods. The guest, author and anthropologist Kate Clancy, emphasizes the importance of understanding menstruation as a natural physiological process that should be destigmatized. She highlights the significance of language in shaping cultural perceptions and advocates for using person-first language when discussing menstruation. Clancy also addresses the impact of gender diversity on menstrual experiences and the need for inclusivity in healthcare and scientific research. The episode concludes with a discussion on the harmful effects of sexual harassment in the sciences and the importance of creating an inclusive and supportive environment for all menstruating individuals.
The Influence of Cultural Attitudes on Menstruation
The podcast delves into the influence of cultural attitudes on menstruation, particularly in Western society. The guest, Kate Clancy, discusses how menstruation has been historically viewed as dirty, shameful, or a form of punishment for women's perceived wickedness. Clancy highlights the need to challenge these negative stereotypes and illustrates how different cultures have diverse and sacred perspectives on menstruation. She suggests that reframing menstruation as a natural and normal bodily process can contribute to dismantling harmful cultural norms, improving healthcare, and fostering inclusivity for all menstruating individuals.
The Importance of Diversity in Menstruation Research
The podcast episode emphasizes the critical importance of diversity in menstruation research, both in the sciences and healthcare. Kate Clancy underscores the need for more women, gender minorities, and people of color in scientific fields to ensure a broader range of perspectives and lived experiences are considered. Clancy further discusses the limitations in current medical research, addressing issues such as the lack of funding for studying conditions like endometriosis and fibroids. She advocates for a shift in scientific structures and incentives to enable more comprehensive research on menstruation and improve healthcare outcomes for all individuals.
The Power of Depicting Menstruation Realistically in Media
The podcast episode explores the significance of realistic portrayals of menstruation in media and their potential to challenge societal attitudes. The host references TV shows like 'I May Destroy You' and video games like 'The Last of Us' that depict menstruation in authentic and unembarrassed ways. These representations defy traditional taboos and contribute to normalizing menstruation as a natural process. Kate Clancy discusses how the power of language and cultural perceptions can be positively influenced by accurate and honest depictions of menstruation in various forms of media, creating more inclusive and understanding spaces for all menstruating individuals.
On this week’s episode of The Waves, we’re talking about menstruation. Period. Slate senior producer Cheyna Roth is joined by author and anthropologist Dr. Kate Clancy. Kate recently published her extensive study on menstruation, Period and they dig into why Western culture has constantly looked at menstruating bodies with shame, how this impacts scientific studies and healthcare for women and gender minorities, and how we can overcome the embarrassment.