Reframing the Bloody Hell: Menstrual Rituals and Practices Among Arab and Arab-Americans

Abstract

This study investigates menstrual rituals and practices in the Arab and Arab-American population, in order to better understand if menstruation is taboo. Scholarly work has led us to believe that menstruation in the Arab communities is viewed negatively, but is this accurate and does it reflect the same in Arab-American communities? Novels and memoirs provide us with varying reflections, such as excitement, anger, or the day they transitioned into becoming a young woman. Data drawn from scholarly research, novels, memoirs, and conversations with menstruating Arab and Arab-American’s have shown this is not entirely true. Menstruating individuals speak about menstruation but in particular settings, and with particular groups of people. This does not fully support the notion that menstruation is taboo in the Arab and Arab-American communities, because where, with whom, and when menstruation is discussed does not lead to an overall label of taboo.