We don’t sit and talk about this. : Exploring menarche and menstrual experiences of Primary Teachers in Catalonia and Sweden

Abstract: We don’t sit and talk about this, aims at quite the opposite. While societies such as the Catalan and Swedish have become more gender equal and seem to advance towards being more welcoming for menstruating bodies, there are still many discomforts and oppressions related to the menstrual experience. The research in this subject has been primarily focused on menstrual health and hygiene management issues, while ignoring the social and cultural aspects related to this natural bodily process. Indeed, the menstrual cycle is a biological and psychological journey, throughout women lifespan. Acknowledging the complexity and uniqueness of the menstrual experience, this study aims at exploring and comparing the menarche and menstruation experiences of Primary school teachers. Aiming at examining two specific settings, this research sampled National and International teachers, specifically 9 teachers working and living in Catalonia and 9 teachers working and living in Sweden. Drawing from these two samples, in-depth interviews were conducted, and the resulting findings were analyzed through thematic analysis. The diverse sample of this investigation shows differences and similarities among the two settings, mainly referring to their current embodied experience of menstruation and their way of approaching menstrual-related issues within the school context. It appears, then, that the women that participated in this study faced menarche without the adequate support and information. Besides, menarche was the period where they learnt and interiorized the social and cultural norms of hiding and concealing menstruation and faced physical restrictions. As they grew older, some of these women changed their way of managing and communicating about their period. However, the topic was still difficult to share and discuss, not only in their private life but in their role as teachers, where they attempt to promote a period positive image and help their daughters and students have a comforting menstrual experience. The findings are further discussed considering the concepts of menstrual etiquette, institutional non-acceptance,and the pollution theory and the development theory of embodiment.