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Distant reading case study "menstruation awareness" ​

Menstruation as a social sciences concern ​

Menstruation is an interesting topic for feminist and intersectional analysis because it links issues of gender, social justice, and bodily autonomy. In different time periods and places, menstruation was and is stigmatized and marginalized. Therefore, examining menstruation experiences and perceptions can reveal how societal attitudes shape health experiences, access to menstrual products, and overall well-being. An intersectional approach draws our attention to additional factors such as race, class, disability, and geography. For instance, access to menstrual hygiene products varies significantly worldwide, and debates about the provision of menstrual products in schools and companies highlight that menstruation is not just a personal issue but has systemic impact.

Data sets related to menstruation debates can help us explore how and societal attitudes towards menstruation and female bodies differ across various societies and historical periods. We can also ask what policy changes successfully address menstrual inequality and improve access to health resources. And we can critically assess the role of media and pop culture in creating and/or fighting menstruation myths.

Podcasts fostering menstruation awareness ​

Many podcasts worldwide are now contributing to menstruation awareness, and the reviews that listeners leave can give us insights into the opinions of both people who menstruate and those who do not have any first-hand menstruation experience. In the Apple store, the following menstruation podcast have a considerable number of ratings and reviews, focussing exclusively on the menstrual cycle:

Exploration in Voyant Tools ​

To give you a starting point for your data exploration in Voyant, I have already scraped reviews for three relevant podcasts that you can explore as one data set or in comparison. Many other podcasts also cover menstruation in a single episode, but filtering reviews on just that topic can be difficult. So sticking with podcasts that focus on this particular topic is best.

In your data analysis, you can try and follow the steps outlined in Skill 2.1. Voyant Tools and Skills 2.2. Case Study.