The 21st Biennial Conference of the Society for Menstrual Cycle Research
Menstrual Health and Reproductive Justice:
Human Rights Across the Lifespan
Thursday June 4th
9:00-10:30am Welcome and opening Plenary
Welcome
Chris Bobel and Amy Agigian
Opening Flash Plenary Session
Nine different speakers and performing groups comprise this plenary session and they include a wide range of academics, practitioners, advocates, activists, and performers. Each speaker/performer has 3-5 minutes to present and they will be talking or performing about a variety of topics related to menstruation, women’s health, reproductive justice, and human rights – each with their own style. Individual presentations will include information on menstrual rights, media representations of menstruation, the history of SMCR, the medicalization of women’s health, new SMCR initiatives, bike tours, menstrual jokes, alternative health education, and much, much more! There will be a question and answer period after all 9 flash presentations are completed. We hope this flash plenary session will lead to a lively opening discussion and set the stage for a great conference!
Panelists:
Spokeswoman from Sustainable Cycles
Alice Dan – Menstrual Cycle Researcher and Founding Director of the Center for Research on Women & Gender at Univ of Illinois, Chicago
Jax Gonzalez – Menstrual Activist
Sharmila Murthy – Legal Scholar, Researcher of Water and Human Rights
Sharon Powell – Chicago-based Artist/Educator, SL Powell Public Affairs Services; Adjunct Faculty, Columbia College
Joan C. Chrisler – Feminist Psychologist and Menstrual Cycle Research
Arpan Yagnik – PhD Student in Media & Communications, Bowling Green State University
JoAnn Loulan – Psychotherapist & Author: Period: A Girl’s Guide
Crimson Wave – Menstrual Comedy Duo
Moderator: Heather Dillaway
12:30-2:00pm Lunch and Film Screening & Discussion
Menstrual Man
MENSTRUAL MAN tells the inspiring story of an unlikely hero who stood up for India’s ignored. A critical and audience favourite, the film underscores the importance of empowering women to combat poverty, and the power in every individual to make a difference.
2:00-3:30pm Plenary
Menstrual Hygiene Management Across the Globe
Panelists: Leeat Weinstock (Grand Challenges Canada), Sinu Joseph (Myrthi), Murat Sahin (WASH in Schools, UNICEF), Archana Patkar (Water Supply and Sanitation Coordinating Council),
Beverly Mademba (WASH United)
Moderator: Megan White Mukuria (ZanaAfrica)
3:30-5:00pm Film Screening & Discussion
Things we Don’t Talk About: Women’s Stories from the Red Tent
Things We Don’t Talk About: Woman’s Stories from the Red Tent is a groundbreaking 72-minute documentary film by award winning filmmaker Isadora Gabrielle Leidenfrost. The film weaves together healing narratives from inside the Red Tent to shine a spotlight on this vital, emergent women’s tradition. The film provides us an opportunity to remember, to listen, to know, and to find what it is we need to bring back to our communities to help awaken the voices of women.
5:00-7:00pm Poster Presentations & Menstrual Art Exhibit
Poster Presentations
Knowledge, Practices and Restrictions Related to Menstruation Among Adolescent girls in the Buea Health District
Ettamba Agborndip & Domin Sone Majunda Ekaney
Breaking the Silence 2015: Empowering girls and women and involving boys and men on menstrual hygiene management
Urmilla Chanam
Queer Periods: Attitudes toward and Experiences with Menstruation in the Masculine-of-Centre Transgender Community
Joan C. Chrisler, Jennifer A. Gorman, Jennifer Manion, Michael Murgo, Angela Barney, Alexis Adams-Clark, Jessica R. Newton & Meaghan McGrath
Eco Femme: action research for holistic menstrual health programs
Ilana Cohen
First Blood: Women’s Recollections of Menarche
Kimberly Koerth
Menstrual Abnormalities, Perceived Femininity, and Intimate Relationships in Adolescence and Young Adulthood
Eunhye Lee
Memories of Menarche and Attitudes Towards Menstruation: Data from Mexico and USA –
Ma. Luisa Marván, Kristian Jasso, Joan C. Chrisler, Jennifer A. Gorman & Angela Barney
Menstrual Blood Art and Self-Identity –
Sadie Mohler & Stephanie Dragoon
Age at menarche and self-assessed health and well being among Icelandic girls –
Herdís Sveinsdóttir & Rúnar Vilhjálmsson
Menstrual sex and the taboo of menstrual blood –
Crystal Zaragoza
Menstrual Art Exhibit – “Beyond Menstruation Bathroom”:
Stimulating Social Change Through Visualizations of Gendered Blood
Curator: Jen Lewis – Beauty in Blood
Featured Artists:
Diana Álvarez – Socially engaged art & radical self love
Gabriella Boros – Female impurity, menopause & Jewish tradition
Ingrid Goldbloom-Bloch – Humor & serious issues; menstrual repulsion
Lucy Madeline – Menstrual reactions, esteem & education
Kyle Peterson – Gender dysphoria, menstruation & mental health
7:00-7:30pm Evening Break
7:30-10:00pm Dinner and Sustainable Cycles Event
A Bikes and Periods Party
Join us for a potluck dinner, a cross-country story share and an alternative menstruation raffle to support the Sustainable Cycles bike tour.
