Ludmela Volosevych

Abstract

Menarche is a salient moment in young girls' lives. Past studies have focused on how women reflect back on menstruation, but have not examined the critical stage just post menarche. These studies have asked women to share about their menarche experience decades after its occurrence and to reflect on how they regard menstruation later in life, but the narratives of girls at menarche have been left out of literature. My aim is to introduce and uplift the voice of girls at this critical stage in their lives. This study investigates the experience of young girls at this stage, focusing on the shift in presentation of self, the process of learning about menarche, and the process of internalizing the new perceptions of themselves. In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with 10 girls between the ages of 12 and 14 that were within one year of their first menstrual cycle. I found that young girls do not strictly associate menarche with womanhood, but with adulthood and maturity, generally. There was a clear shift in presentation of self as girls began to fit themselves into a new, more mature identity. This identity shift was shaped by self-imposed expectations, as well as by messages from peers and parents. Girls reported actively adjusting their behaviors and physical appearance to comply with new expectations. Most notably, this included managing their impressions on peers and being more self-aware. Additionally, I found that menstruating girls exhibit in-group behavior, that serves to create a supporting community post menarche but also excludes those not yet menstruating. Implications of this study include re-examining menstrual education, as well as reframing the way we interact with menarche.