Tabu menstruacyjne: analiza typologiczna
A Typological Approach to Menstrual Taboos

Summary/Abstract: This article addresses the cultural taboo surrounding menstruation. It presents findings from a study aimed at identifying and describing the experiences of young women and men in relation to menstrual taboos. The research was conducted using the qualitative strategy based on in-depth interviews. The study made it possible to identify culturally- and socially-constructed beliefs about the experience of menstruation as well as the ways in which young women and men understand and define it. The analyses revealed the specific characteristics of menstrual experiences among young women and men. Separate typologies of the formation of menstrual taboos for women and for men were developed, each reflecting gender-specific differences in experience. The analyses conclude with a typology of experiencing menstrual taboos that highlights similarities in this regard between women and men. The collected research material indicates that experiences of menstrual taboos vary not only between genders but also within gender categories. It was also established that menstruation is tabooed to varying degrees in the experiences of both women and men, and that the strength and significance of this taboo are both embedded in gender-related narratives.

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