Films, books, podcasts, reflective exercises… all about periods!
Our resource corner is designed to spark reflection, encourage open conversation, and help readers explore their own experiences. Alongside stories and interviews, this includes films, podcasts, books, and other media provided to us by our partners or discovered during our research, all supporting our mission to make information accessible and challenge period stigma.
Read, Listen, Watch
Period. End of Sentence. — Rayka Zehtabchi — 2018, India
A short documentary following Indian women challenging menstrual stigma by producing low-cost sanitary pads.
A Bloody Taboo — Sybilla Patrizia — 2021, Japan/Austria
A documentary exploring several women’s rights topics related to period stigmatisation, the tampon tax and the wider discussion of gender discrimination in Japan through intimate testimonies.
Padman — R. Balki — 2018, India
A feature film inspired by period-poverty activist Arunachalam Muruganantham and the fight for menstrual access.
Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. — Judy Blume — 1970, USA
A coming-of-age novel about puberty, identity, religion, and a young girl navigating her first period.
Little Miss P — Ken Koyama — 2017, Japan
A comic series that uses humour and illustration to explain menstruation.
Revenge of the Red Club — Kim Harrington — 2019, USA
An empowering novel about friendship, menstruation, and standing up against stigma.
My Time — Giulia Gandini — 2018, UK
A short film portraying a schoolgirl experiencing period leakage and the shame surrounding it.
Growing Up: It’s a Girl Thing — Mavis Jukes — 1998, USA
A book series explaining puberty and menstruation in a clear, reassuring way for young readers.
WOMENstrutate — Lauren Anders Brown — 2019, UK
A documentary following women in Africa as they speak openly about menstruation and menopause.
It’s Only Blood: Shattering the Taboo of Menstruation — Anna Dahlquist — 2018, Sweden
A global exploration of how menstruation is understood, feared, and controlled across cultures.
Menstrupedia Comic — Aditi Gupta — 2012, India
An educational comic designed to teach children and families about periods without shame.
The Gynae Geek: Your No-Nonsense Guide to ‘Down There’ Healthcare — Dr Anita Mitra — 2019, UK
An accessible, evidence-based guide to periods, hormones, and gynaecological health that debunks myths and empowers readers.
Turning Red — Domee Shi (Pixar) — 2022, USA
An animated coming-of-age film using metaphor to explore puberty, periods, big emotions, and intergenerational expectations.
28ish Days Later — BBC Sounds — 2022, UK
In this award-winning podcast, India Rakusen explores the menstrual cycle beyond periods, unpacking hormones, health, and science in ways that can change how you understand your body.
Activities
Write a Letter to Your Younger Self
With the help of this book and everything your body has taught you through puberty and menstruation, ask yourself: what are the things you wish you learnt sooner? How would you explain menstruation to your younger self?
Write a letter exploring your thoughts and fears, pleasant surprises, and the anticipation of starting menstruation. As if you’re talking to a younger sibling or friend, what are the things they might experience? What is some the information that might be useful to know beforehand?
5 Whys
An exercise designed to help you break down and understand the root of a situation. (2 players)
Instructions:
a. Define a problem (i.e. I am not being able to use tampons).
b. Ask ‘why’ to the previous response and repeat this five times (i.e. Why can’t you use tampons? )
c. Read the answers back to them and come up with a solution.
This simple exercise works best in pairs. The first person asks “Why?” and writes down the answers the second person gives. Make sure you don’t interrupt or disturb the person thinking or answering!
Here’s an example:
1.
Why are you not able to use tampon?
Because my mum is scared if I use a tampon, it will mean that I am no longer a virgin.
2.
Why is your mum scared it about your virginity?
Because she believes that tampons can ‘break’ your hymen.
3.
Why does she think tampons would break your hymen?
Because no one told her it was a myth and she was taught this growing up.
4.
Why did no one tell her it’s a myth?
Because she didn’t have menstrual education at school.
5.
Why didn’t she get menstrual education at school?
They didn’t think it was important or were too shy to talk about it in public.
Once all 5 Whys have been asked, read the answers back to the person and come up with a possible solution to the problem. Every time you mention periods, it can help the subject become less of a taboo. If you can, try to have a dialogue with your mum or an older family member about menstrual education to overcome misconceptions together.
