Language is Power: Why We Developed a Glossary for the Menstrual Movement
This Glossary for the Global Menstrual Movement will help catalyze greater advocacy and inclusion of the diverse experiences within the global menstrual community, inclusive of young people, indigenous populations, people of color, people living with disabilities, and other historically marginalized populations who are often not included in the conversation.
A 2016 study by The International Women’s Health Coalition and Clue conducted a survey that found people worldwide use more than 5,000 euphemisms for their periods. If such a long history of stigma weighs on the word ‘menstruation’ alone, what does that mean for the other terms associated with menstrual health across the lifecycle? Language helps form the beliefs and attitudes that surround our experiences. With the menstrual movement growing in strength each day and the topic of menstruation finally being recognized as a priority in the fight towards equity and equality, we need a shared understanding of our field and alignment on baseline terminologies.