Gender and Belief about Menstruation and Academic Performance

Abstract Menstruation is a natural process for women that shows a healthy female reproductive system, yet women are stigmatized during this experience. A woman’s physical, mental, and social well-being are significantly impacted by menstruation. Thus, menstrual disorders are widespread and are a major social problem. There have been variations in people’s perceptions of menstruation and gaps in research comparing gender and beliefs about menstruation and its impact on academic performance. This study investigates gender and beliefs about menstruation and how it affects academic performance and social life using a self-administered online questionnaire that inquires about general knowledge of menstruation, participants’ beliefs and experiences with menstruation, participants’ academic performance and demographic questions. Participants responded using a 5-point Likert scale, showing that 40.44% of the respondents’ knowledge and understanding of menstruation have positively influenced over the years. Furthermore, the results from the chi-square analysis revealed an association between men’s and women’s perceptions of menstruation. Interestingly, women stated that menstruation has no effect on their academic performances, but on the other hand, men were indecisive about its impact on women’s intellectual tasks. Also, 28.72% of respondents reported that they find studying and excelling during menstruation uneasy. The result shows that women can excel at any task, even during menstruation. Knowledge of menstruation is essential in furthering a better understanding of women’s health, demystifying menstruation myths, and advancing the social well-being of this gender.