Girls in Power G I R L S I N P O W E R Gender, Body, and Menstruation in Adolescence LAURA FINGERSON STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK PRESS Chapters 2, 5, and 6 contain revised sections of “Agency and the Body in Adolescent Menstrual Talk,” Childhood12 (2005): 91–110, reprinted with the permission of Childhoodand Sage Publications. Published by State University of New York Press Albany © 2006 State University of New York All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission. No part of this book may be stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means including electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission in writing of the publisher. For information, address State University of New York Press 194 Washington Avenue, Suite 305, Albany, NY 12210-2384 Production, Laurie Searl Marketing, Anne M. Valentine Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Fingerson, Laura, 1974– Girls in power : gender, body, and menstruation in adolescence / Laura Fingerson. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN-13: 978-0-7914-6899-9 ISBN-10: 0-7914-6899-2 ISBN-13: 978-0-7914-6900-2 (pbk.) ISBN-10: 0-7914-6900-X (pbk.) 1. Teenage girls—Psychology. 2. Menstruation—Social aspects. 3. Body, Human—Social aspects. 4. Sex role. I. Title. HQ798.F56 2006 305.235'2—dc22 2005037173 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Contents Acknowledgments ix One Introduction 1 Menstruation is . . . Salient Body Experiences The Teen Participants The Interviewers Analysis of the Data Organization of This Book Two Negative and Ambivalent Experiences 15 Concealment and Shame The Horrors of Leaking “Why I Never Carry a Purse” The Body as Actor What If It Gets Stuck? Tampax Ads in a Room Full of Boys The Checkout Boy “Surfin’ the Crimson Wave” “It’s Not a Big Deal” Three Cultural Contexts 39 Cultural History of Menstruation Concealment and Hygiene Taboos Contemporary Views and Advice vi CONTENTS Historical Context of Health and Medicine Schools The Family Media, Advertising, and Merchandising Four Medicalization and Gender Politics of the Body 57 Medicalization of Menstruation Fifth-Grade Health Class Menstruation as a Reproductive Issue What About the Blood? Every Single Month Forever and Ever Menstrual Suppression? The Value of Female Bodies What If Men Could Menstruate? Understanding Gender Living in Our Bodies Five Girls in Power 83 Agency and Power Creatively Responding to Dominant Social Norms Forging Connections “I Don’t Think Boys Could Handle It” Menstruation Is Social Getting “It” Stories and Supportive Talk What’s Normal How Embarrassing! But Adults Don’t Talk This Way! Interviewing in Community Groups Isn’t Menstruation a Personal Event? “We Should Just Create a Women’s Store” Six Boys’ Responses 111 Knowledge Is Power Blaming Menstruation “Grossing Them Out” Menstruation as a Sexual Issue CONTENTS vii Boys’ Jokes Who Has the Power? Embarrassing and Teasing Girls Girls’ Advantages Expressing Power: Second and Third Wave Feminism Potential for Manipulation Alternate Responses by Boys “My Friend Kristin Explained . . .” Beef Jerky Seven Conclusion: Bodies in Interaction 145 The Teens’ Concluding Thoughts Different Interpretations Social Interactions and Gendered Power Menstrual Celebrations Reflections on Research Methods Conclusion Appendix A: Participants in Individual and Group Interviews 157 Girls Boys Appendix B: Interview Guides 161 Individual Interviews Group Interviews Notes 169 References 177 Index 187 Acknowledgments I had the impression when I began graduate school that research was an indi- vidual endeavor, particularly for graduate students whose primary objectives are to write “independent” and “original” research to earn their degrees. Luckily, my impression was false and I have never been truly alone in my research. During my time in graduate school and as a faculty member, I have managed to be involved in a community of collaboration and support that has been invaluable in not only my research but also my understandings of sociology and the wider world. This book has been significantly enhanced by conversations with and feedback from friends, colleagues, and advisors con- tributing their expertise and encouragement. First and foremost, I thank my teen research participants and the direc- tors of their community groups for allowing me to take a peek into their men- strual and body talk. Going into the project I knew the data would be inter- esting, but I had no idea how unbelievably fascinating and rich teen talk about menstruation and the body would be. Second, I thank Paul Namaste Ruggerio who interviewed the male research participants. In preparing for this project, I quickly realized that the teenage boys would never open up to me as they would to a man. I cannot imagine a better interviewer for this project. I am deeply in debt to my tran- scriptionists: Kirsten Eamon, Emily Fairchild, Vanessa Hamilton, Tiffany Lynch, Julie Patterson, and Jill Stalowicz. The analyses would have taken much longer without the fabulous, accurate transcriptions of my data. Vital funding to pay Paul and the transcriptionists came from: the Indi- ana University CONCEPT I program in medical sociology; the Indiana Uni- versity Graduate Student Organization; the Kinsey Institute for Sex, Gender and Reproduction; and the Midwest Sociological Society. Several people offered amazing insights and feedback on my data, analy- ses, and writing: Katy Hadley, Sandi Kawecka Nenga, Kris DeWelde, audi- ence members at conference presentations I have given on this topic, Ellie ix