Menstruation in the workplace: Exploring cis-men’s perceptions through the lenses of femmephobia and dirty femininity

Menstruation in the workplace is common but has, to date, received little attention. Guided by theories of femmephobia and dirty femininity, we explored cis-men’s perceptions of menstruation in the workplace in three European countries: Croatia, Germany, and Italy. Semi-structured interviews with 21 cis-men office workers and thematic analyses uncovered pervasive beliefs and attitudes that contribute to menstrual stigma at work. These included beliefs that menstruation is taboo and irrelevant to the workplace, and that talking about menstruation uncomfortable and therefore menstruation should be concealed. Additionally, findings demonstrated how menstruating individuals are seen as emotionally instable and weak. Overall, our findings extend applications of femmephobia to feminine experiences in the workplace and additionally broaden theorising about dirty femininity to include menstruation. Interventions that promote contact between menstruators and non-menstruator and induce empathy are recommended, as are educational campaigns to decrease menstrual stigma and overcome taboos surrounding menstruation at work.