Purity, Power, and the Tampon: How Religion, Culture, and Products Shaped Menstrual Stigma

At first glance, a tampon might seem like a small, practical invention. But dig deeper and you’ll uncover a story that connects religion, societal control, and modern marketing, all wrapped up in how we treat menstruation.

Let’s break it down.

The Roots of Menstrual Stigma: Religion and "Impurity"

Not all cultures view menstruation negatively. For the Beng people of West Africa, it’s seen as a symbol of fertility and vitality.

In Western societies, however, menstruation has long been framed as something shameful and Christianity played a huge role in shaping this view.

The Bible’s Book of Leviticus refers to menstruation as “impure,” setting up a framework that would cast menstrual blood as something dirty or sinful. Over centuries, these religious teachings became embedded in Western culture, influencing not just attitudes but laws, healthcare, and even product design.

From Religious Law to Everyday Shame: Foucault’s Theory in Action

French philosopher Michel Foucault explained how societies move from juridical power (laws controlling behavior) to biopower (societal norms shaping how we see ourselves).Menstruation is a perfect example:

• First, religious laws framed menstrual blood a unclean.

• Today, social expectations, subtle but powerful, tell women their periods must be hidden, controlled, and managed.

This shift means even without explicit "rules," the shame persists through culture, advertising, and everyday life.

Blood and Power: The Double Standard

Here’s where things get even more frustrating.In Christianity, male coded blood specifically the blood of Christ is seen as pure, sacred, and redemptive.

Meanwhile, women’s blood (menstrual blood) is seen as impure and shameful.

This gendered double standard still shows up today: violent blood (think action movies, sports injuries) is splashed across our screens without a second thought. But period blood? Only recently has it even appeared in adverts and even then, it’s often shown in a sterile way.

When Bodyform’s Blood Normal ad depicted realistic period blood in 2017, it faced massive backlash, proof that menstrual stigma is alive and well.

The Tampon: Liberation or Concealment?

Tampons revolutionised menstrual management in the 20th century, but their history is complicated.

Early on, tampons were controversial. People worried they would "break" a girl’s hymen and threaten her virginity (a concept heavily policed by religious and social norms).Companies cleverly adapted, marketing tampons as “slender,” “delicate,” and "virgin-safe." These reassurances helped tampons go mainstream but also reinforced the problematic link between a woman’s value and her virginity.

At the same time, tampons were sold as tools of freedom: you could swim, wear a bikini, or go about life without anyone knowing you had your period. Freedom through invisibility, a mixed blessing. On the one hand, tampons gave women more independence. On the other, they reinforced the idea that menstruation should stay hidden at all costs.

The Culture of Concealment

Today, most sanitary products still push the message that periods must be managed quietly and discreetly. Tampons especially embody this: they work inside the body, absorbing blood without it being seen, felt, or acknowledged.

Research shows that this culture of concealment doesn’t just protect women from stigma, it teaches women to police themselves, feeling ashamed of a normal bodily function.We internalize the belief that menstruation is dirty, embarrassing, and something to hide, often without even realising it.

Why This Matters

By understanding the long history of menstrual stigma, from religion to advertising, we can start to question why we feel the way we do about periods.

The good news? Change is happening. Campaigns are starting to show real period blood. Social media movements are pushing for more openness and honesty about menstruation. People are challenging outdated ideas around virginity, purity, and female bodies. And Bloody Nice Pants is a perfect example of this!