Written by: Tutors Hsieh Yu-Chu, Lü Yun-Ting, Lin Hung-Yun, Chen Pin-Jen, Chang Hao-Chuan, Peng Yu-An, and Hsu Yung-Chen
Honors College was honored to invite Professor Yun-Ju Huang from National Taiwan University to share with us the groundbreaking course “Unboxing Asia’s First General Education Course on Menstruation.” This innovative course at NTU features an interdisciplinary team of instructors from various fields and institutions. For example, a professor from the Department of Veterinary Medicine explains menstruating species, while an economics professor discusses policies such as subsidies for sanitary products. The course also includes guest speakers like Wei Lin, founder of the NGO “Little Red Hood,” which advocates for ending period poverty. She personally demonstrated the proper use of tampons during the session, among other topics.
Menstruation" has long been a topic that women of past generations could not speak about openly in public. Even today, many people still hold biases against menstrual products, feel uncomfortable taking out a sanitary pad to walk into the restroom, or are unsure whether taking painkillers during menstruation may negatively affect their health. However, menstruation is a natural process that most women experience monthly — often for nearly 40 years of their lives. In addition to the regular cycle, many women suffer from menstrual pain, which includes not just abdominal cramps but also breast tenderness, lower back pain, and diarrhea. These are all challenges that come with menstruation. While menstruation marks a woman’s growth, it can also be a stumbling block on the path to that growth.
This lecture not only allowed us to explore topics related to menstruation, such as the relationship between the lunar cycle and menstruation, and the economic measures related to menstrual products, but the innovative course design also left a strong impression on me. It showed that any topic can be discussed from various perspectives and disciplines. I believe that as more and more people start talking about "menstruation," it will raise awareness of related issues and influence more people. As the speaker conveyed, "Menstruation is not just a physiological phenomenon; it involves medicine, biology, law, and gender equality. By discussing menstruation, we can find connections to our own life experiences and develop empathy for others.
Coinciding with International Women's Day on March 8th, in an effort to address the issue of "period poverty" among women, the Ministry of Education will implement a plan starting August 1, 2023, to provide a variety of menstrual products in a more supportive and accessible manner. This program will distribute diverse menstrual products to students in disadvantaged situations across all levels of schools, respecting students' preferences for the types and materials of menstrual products they use, and planning a suitable, friendly distribution method. Furthermore, the Taipei City Department of Education will include female students in upper elementary and junior high schools in the subsidy program, providing two vouchers per month. Students can redeem these vouchers at convenience stores for menstrual products of their choice. As society progresses, the rights of more individuals are being recognized, and we hope that in the future, we can approach the topics of menstrual equity and respect for gender differences with a more positive and open attitude, breaking down social stigmas and misconceptions about menstruation.
