Menstruation and Sustainability Conference, 26 May 2023

Menstruation and Sustainability conference will take place on Friday 26 May 2023, hosted by the School of Modern Languages. 

Massachusetts-based artist Jay Critchley will give the public keynote presentation and perform as Miss Tampon Liberty in a costume made from washed-up tampon applicators. Everyone is welcome to the keynote and performance; for registration to the full conference and programme see here: https://menstruationresearchnetwork.org.uk

This is the Second Annual Conference of the Menstruation Research Network UK, a Wellcome Trust-funded network of researchers in Critical Menstrual Studies. We are expecting 50 academics, charity workers, activists, artists, policy makers and entrepreneurs from Kenya, the US, Canada, Europe, Thailand, Taiwan and elsewhere.

Sustainability is the latest trend in the field of menstrual activism and research, with many consumers and legislators waking up to the environmental pollution caused by single-use tampons and pads. Period underwear, reusable cups, washable and compostable pads are gaining public acceptance and are even becoming lifestyle choices in many countries and contexts. But the same old menstrual stigma and capitalist exploitation quickly attaches itself to even the most well-meaning attempts at promoting more environmentally friendly ways of managing menstrual bleeding. This conference aims to become aware of such patterns and critically think through the chances and challenges of moving menstrual activism, art, policymaking, innovation and research towards greater sustainability. It also allows space for a wide variety of other current research into menstruation throughout the lifecycle, menarche and the menopause to give a real sense of the breadth of the current state of the field.