Professor Winkler has recently published two papers that explore advances and constraints in menstrual policy-making.
Even with menstruation being increasingly addressed in public policies, it remains shrouded in stigma and underlying misogynist attitudes which limit the scope of policies. Across countries, policies focus predominantly on tangible and material outcomes related to menstrual products and sanitation facilities for the ‘hygienic management’ of menstruation. To date, policy-makers seem constrained by the very stigma they seek to tackle, resulting in hesitancy and missed opportunities.
The first paper explores what policies actually cover and seeks to explain the myopic focus on tangible outcomes:
'We like things tangible:’ A critical analysis of menstrual hygiene and health policy-making in India, Kenya, Senegal and the United States. DOI: 10.1080/17441692.2021.2011945
The second paper seeks to uncover where policies fall short and identifies persistent stigma as the main constraint:
The persistent power of stigma: A critical review of policy initiatives to break the menstrual silence and advance menstrual literacy. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0000070