Georgia Gilmore
(She/ Her)

Georgia's Story

I initially started researching into representation within menstruation as I have personally struggled with my periods for the last 8 years. After countless trips back and forth to my doctor in hope of receiving help and support to manage my pain and diagnose the issue with little progress, I took to looking online for advice and support. I have always struggled to look at advertisements for menstrual products as they almost always depicted women running around in white shorts that are taking on the world. This left me feeling inferior as I was unable to get out of bed most days due to the pain. This prompted me to consider what I would have liked to see in the media growing up to feel less alone and like it was okay to openly discuss my period without feeling ashamed. 

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As a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community I also noticed the sheer lack of representation for those who do not identify as female, such as Transgender Men, Non-Binary individuals, and those who are Gender-Fluid, that still menstruate. The language used when talking about menstruation is often catered towards cis-gender women and throughout further research even the sanitary products are predominantly designed for women. I was shocked to discover sanitary pads are unsuitable for use with boxer shorts without leaking or feeling uncomfortable.  Learning this further highlighted to me that there is a long way to go for representation within menstruation for full inclusivity. 

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I came up with The Menstruation Conversation as a starting point to advocate for change within how we approach menstruation. I hope that this will help to start open communication about our experiences as menstruators without dismissal, shame, or embarrassment. I started lines of communication with Non-Binary, Cis-Women, and Transgender Men to gain further understanding into how people experience menstruation and whether the lack of inclusivity has a negative impact on their wellbeing. The general consensus was that most gender non conforming individuals felt under represented when it comes to menstruation advertising, products, and general conversations which can sometimes lead to feeling excluded and unable to communicate about their menstruation without being mis-gendered. I was important to me that my images included different gender identities and illustrated different perspectives of menstruating opposed to what is often shown within the media.

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In the future I hope to further develop this campaign and strive towards change. Whilst encouraging others to speak up and ensure everyone's voices are heard.