History Main / PeriodShaming

Period shaming often involves people acting as though a person is disgusting or even scary for getting their period, suggesting that they're only getting upset or are acting 'irrationally' because of [[AllPeriodsArePMS PMS]], and dismissing or downplaying physical discomfort and pain caused by menstruation. Characters (often men) who don't really understand how female biology works may express some insensitive and inaccurate views around menstruation, such asking a woman why she can't just "hold it in". Some characters will freak out just at the sight or mention of period products like pads and tampons (even if they're unused). Don't expect them to be sympathetic if a character experiences problems like accidental leakage, either.

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]

-->'''Danny''': Stephanie. There's a time in every girl's life when she notices that she's going through some changes. They might seem bizarre or strange to you, but it happens to every young woman. It's called having a period. It's gross, disgusting and unnatural but it's something that all females go through. You may see your body as something possessed, horrifying, or despicable, and that's because it is. Stop it. Right now.

* In ''ComicBook/DoomPatrol'', one of the many causes of Dorothy's dysphoria is the fact that when she started menstruating, the bullies who were already targeting her because of her apelike appearance started beating her up while chanting "Monkey on the rag!"

** One of the earliest scenes involves the title character getting her first period in the school shower and being brutally mocked for it by the other girls, including the girls flinging tampons and pads at her and chanting at her to "plug it up". It's made worse by the fact the highly sheltered Carrie has no idea what's happening and is utterly terrified that she is bleeding to death. [[AbusiveParent Carrie's mother]] later locks her into their prayer closet and orders her to pray for forgiveness because she [[TheFundamentalist believes menstruation is sinful]].

* ''Film/Carrie1976'' adapts the scene where Carrie gets her first period pretty faithfully; [[TeensAreMonsters the girls]] jeer at Carrie, throw sanitary products at her and chant "Plug it up" while she cowers and cries for help. When Carrie asks her mother why she didn't tell her about periods, Margaret just slaps her and preaches about menstruation being a punishment for sin, claiming that if Carrie "had remained sinless, the curse of blood would never have come upon her" and that she must pray for forgiveness. [[AlphaBitch Chris]] plays a cruel prank on Carrie by rigging the prom votes so that Carrie will be crowned prom queen, then dumps a bucket of pig’s blood on her just to remind everybody of her traumatizing shower incident. Needless to say, [[RageBreakingPoint this was the last straw]] [[TheDogBitesBack for Carrie.]]

While it's common to have male characters reacting this way, even female characters who have periods themselves may otracise or mock other female characters for menstruating, which may be a sign of [[FemaleMisogynist internalised misogyny]]. Sometimes, this can be a wide-scale attitude permeating an entire community or culture, which may also result in a lack of education around menstruation due to it being considered taboo. Characters on the receiving end of period shaming may suffer internalised feelings of disgust and shame. However, others will push back against this attitude, especially if other people offer them support; it's become increasingly common for characters (particularly teens) to go through an arc of overcoming and taking a stand against the stigma around menstruation, sometimes inspiring others to reevaluate their opinions and become more understanding.

* ''Anime/OnlyYesterday'': When the fifth grade girls first get their periods, the boys laugh at them for it and even flip their skirts to see if they're menstruating. [[PervertRevengeMode The girls usually chase them off with a broom in response]].

** Phoebe recently discovered that her house is built where the "Red Lodge" of the Pennamaquot people stood long ago; due to menstruation being considered unclean by their culture, women who were on their periods had to stay in the cramped darkness of the lodge, not being allowed to even look outside, being fed on the ends of sticks "like lepers" and the gourds they drank from being smashed and buried. Phoebe empathises with the women, as she feels permanently trapped and oppressed by society's sexism.[[note]]Some scholars have noted that the portrayal of Native American menstrual huts is a bit overly-negative here, as it while it is rooted in patriarchal beliefs and practices it was also an opportunity for women to relax, hang out together, and share stories and traditions away from men's interference[[/note]]

* ''Film/Carrie2002'': Like its source material, Carrie is tormented by her peers when they notice her getting her first period as she showers; she cowers on the floor as the other girls slam against the shower walls chanting “Period!”, until the gym teacher storms in and orders them to GetOut. In this version the bullies go as far as to vandalise Carrie’s locker, writing “period” on the door and filling it up with tampons, then laughing their heads off when she discovers the ‘prank’. When Carrie asks her mother why she never told her that all girls go through menstruation, her mother [[BaitTheDog seemly soothes her]], but then punishes Carrie for “sinning” and locks her up in a closet. Once the prom disaster happens, several people laugh at Carrie being drenched in blood, while others react with horror or shock. Carrie’s fragile mental states leads her to believe they’re all laughing and she unleashes her powers on them.

* ''Literature/TheRedTent'': Some of Dinah's extended family are from a culture that views menstruation as "impure", with women who are menstruating being required to isolate themselves until it ends. When Dinah's cousin Tabea gets her first period, she's treated as disgusting and locked up in a dark hut by herself, without even being told what's happening to her. Dinah is horrified by this, as her immediate family's culture view menstruation as [[InvertedTrope something to be celebrated]]; although the women still have to isolate themselves in the titular Red Tent, this is a time for them to relax, bond and share traditions, more so than something shameful and punishing. They see it as a gift of "periodic renewal" from the goddess Innana.

[[folder:Film - Live Action]]

* ''Film/PitchBlack'': When it's revealed that Jack is [[SweetPollyOliver a teenage girl]] (disguised as a boy for protection while she travels) and is on her period, thus drawing the creatures to their location, Johns gets especially angry and crudely snaps at Jack to "put a cork in it". While the situation is far from ideal and Jack could've mentioned it earlier, it's hardly Jack's fault she got her period at the worst possible time and the other characters are more sympathetic to her, as she's distraught enough already. Even Riddick simply points out the practical problems rather than blaming and insulting Jack for it, underlining that Johns is even worse than Riddick. Johns then suggests [[WouldHurtAChild using Jack as bait]] for the creatures to save his own skin. 

* ''Film/Carrie1976'' adapts the scene where Carrie gets her first period pretty faithfully; [[TeensAreMonsters the girls]] jeer at Carrie, throw sanitary products at her and chant "Plug it up" while she cowers and cries for help. When Carrie asks her mother why she didn't tell her about periods, Margaret just slaps her and preaches about menstruation being a punishment for sin, claiming that if Carrie "had remained sinless, the curse of blood would never have come upon her" and that she must pray for forgiveness. [[AlphaBitch Chris]] plays a cruel prank on Carrie by rigging the prom votes that that Carrie will be crowned prom queen, then dump a bucket of pig’s blood on her just to remind everybody of her traumatizing shower incident. Needless to say, [[RageBreakingPoint this was the last straw]] [[TheDogBitesBack for Carrie.]]

* ''Film/Carrie2002'': Like its source material, Carrie is tormented by her peers when they notice her getting her first period as she showers; she cowers on the floor as the other girls slam against the shower walls chanting “Period!”, until the gym teacher storms in and orders them to GetOut. In this version the bullies go as far as to vandalise Carrie’s locker, writing “period” on the door and filling it up with tampons, then laughing their heads off when she discovers the ‘prank’. When Carrie asks her mother why she never told her that all girls go through menstruation, her mother [[BaitTheDog seemly soothes her]], but then punishes Carrie for “sinning” and locks her up in a closet. Once the prom disaster happens, several people laugh at Carrie being drenched in blood, while others react with horror or shock. Carrie’s fragile mental states leads her to believe they’re all laughing and unleashes her powers on them.

* ''Film/Carrie2002'': Like its source material, Carrie is tormented by her peers once she notices her first period as she showers. She’s reduced to falling to the floor as the other girls slam against the shower walls chanting “Period!” until the gym teacher storms in and orders them to GetOut. But it doesn’t stop there; the bullies go as far as to paint Carrie’s locker with the words period written on the door and filled it up with tampons. Everyone watching this (except [[TokenGoodTeammate Sue Snell]]) laughs their heads off over poor Carrie’s predicament. Carrie begs her mother over why she never told her that all girls go through menstruation m, and her mother seemly soothes her sadness… until she punishes Carrie for “sinning” and locks her up in a closet. Once the Prom disaster happens, several people either laugh at Carrie drenched in blood, react with horror, or didn’t laugh at all but Carrie’s fragile mind broke beyond repair to recognize some of the laughter was all imagination, then proceeds to unleash vengeance against all of her peers.

* ''Film/Carrie1976'' adapts the scene where Carrie gets her first period pretty faithfully; [[TeensAreMonsters the girls]] jeer at Carrie, throw sanitary products at her and chant "Plug it up" while she cowers and cries for help. When Carrie asks her mother why she didn't tell her about periods, Margaret just slaps her and preaches about menstruation being a punishment for sin, claiming that if Carrie "had remained sinless, the curse of blood would never have come upon her" and that she must pray for forgiveness. [[AlphaBitch Chris]] plays a cruel prank on Carrie by rigging the prom votes that that Carrie will be crowned prom queen, then dump a bucket of pig’s blood on her just to remind everybody of her traumatizing shower incident. Needless to say, [[RageBrakingPoint this was the last straw]] [[TheDogBitesBack for Carrie.]]

* ''Film/Carrie1976'' adapts the scene where Carrie gets her first period pretty faithfully; the girls jeer at Carrie, throw sanitary products at her and chant "Plug it up" while she cowers and cries for help. When Carrie asks her mother why she didn't tell her about periods, Margaret just slaps her and preaches about menstruation being a punishment for sin, claiming that if Carrie "had remained sinless, the curse of blood would never have come upon her" and that she must pray for forgiveness.
* ''Film/Carrie2002'': Like its source material, Carrie is tormented by her peers once she notices her first period as she showers. She’s reduced to falling to the floor as the other girls slam against the shower walls chanting “period!” until the gym teacher storms in and orders them to GetOut. But it doesn’t stop there; the bullies go as far as to paint Carrie’s locker with the words “period” and filled it up with tampons while everyone (except [[TokenGoodTeammate Sue Snell]]) laughs their heads off over poor Carrie’s predicament. Carrie begs her mother over why she never told her that all girls go through menstruation m, and her mother seemly soothes her sadness… until she punishes Carrie for “sinning” and locks her up in a closet. Once the Prom disaster happens, several either people laugh at Carrie drenched in blood, react with horror, or didn’t laugh at all but Carrie’s fragile mind broke beyond repair to recognize some of the laughter was all imagination, then proceeds to unleash vengeance against all of her peers.

* ''Film/Carrie2002'': Like its source material, Carrie is tortmentee by her peers once she notices her first period as she showers. She’s reduced to falling to the floor as the other girls slam against the shower walls chanting “period!” until the gym teacher storms in and orders them to GetOut. But it doesn’t stop there; the bullies go as far as to paint Carrie’s locker with the words “period” and filled it up with tampons while everyone (except [[TokenGoodTeammate Sue Snell]]) laughs their heads off over poor Carrie’s predicament. Carrie begs her mother over why she never told her that all girls go through menstruation m, and her mother seemly soothes her sadness… until she punishes Carrie for “sinning” and locks her up in a closet. Once the Prom disaster happens, several either people laugh at Carrie drenched in blood, react with horror, or didn’t laugh at all but Carrie’s fragile mind broke beyond repair to recognize some of the laughter was all imagination, then proceeds to unleash vengeance against all of her peers.

** One of the earliest scenes involves the title character getting her first period in the school shower and being brutally mocked for it by the other girls, including the girls flinging tampons and pads at her and chanting at her to "plug it up". It's made worse by the fact the highly sheltered Carrie has no idea what's happening and is terrified. [[AbusiveParent Carrie's mother]] later locks her into their prayer closet and orders her to pray for forgiveness because she [[TheFundamentalist believes menstruation is sinful]].