“Just Put a Towel Down:” Approaching Conversations About Period Sex with an Intimate Partner

Abstract

Despite its stigma, menstrual sexual activity is fairly common. The present study investigates the topics and attitudes surrounding conversations about menstrual sex that take place between intimate partners in which one or more may menstruate. Participants included 136 people who either identified with the experience of being a woman or had female sex assignment, of diverse gender and sexual identities. Findings suggest that across the gender spectrum, most people feel positively or neutrally toward menstrual sexual activity, and are generally satisfied with their interpersonal conversations about the subject. Many conversations about menstrual sex revolved around planning and negotiating the “messy” aspects of the sex act. Importantly, participants who were transgender or gender non-conforming identified that feelings of dysphoria may inhibit desire for menstrual sexual activity if they were the one menstruating, but they did not have negative feelings toward menstrual sex in general, and were generally happy to participate if a partner was the menstruating body. Findings and implications for perceptions of menstrual stigma’s filter on interpersonal communication and consequences for sexual communication are discussed.