Revisiting the PMS Myth
by Kelly
Remember my highly controversial post about the Myth of PMS? After a resurgence of debate, I decided to take a little time out of my work day to link several academic references supporting my opinion. Since, you know, haters gonna hate.
REFERENCES:
The Social Construction of Premenstrual Syndrome
Rodin, M.
Sot. Sci. Med. Vol. 35. No. I, pp. 49-56, 1992
(link)***
“Conceptual and methodological problems inherent in contemporary biomedical re-search on PMS are cited as examples of how medical knowledge is informed by Western beliefs and expectations about the relationship between the menstrual cycle and ‘irrational’ and ‘uncontrollable’ behavior in women.”
“A discourse analytic approach to women’s experience of Premenstrual Syndrome”
Swann, C. J.
Journal of Mental Health
1995, Vol. 4, No. 4 : Pages 359-368 (Link)
“Challenging the Positioning of Premenstrual Change as PMS: The Impact of a Psychological Intervention on Women’s Self-Policing”
Ussher, J. M.
Qualitative Research in Psychology, Volume 5, Issue 1 January 2008 , pages 33 – 44
(link)
Unfortunately some of these are not free articles, but with some sleuthing, or perhaps through your library or college, you should be able to view them fully.
***highly recommended reading
I do recall some articles from my anthropology studies about this. To some, PMS is a scapegoat enabling women to be open about feeling stressed, frustrated, pissed off, etc. In our society, “good girls” can’t complain without being labeled as bitches, and “good moms” can’t admit to being overly stressed without being called unfit mothers. PMS is a cultural tool to excuse women’s “unladylike” behavior. So, if a woman yells at her husband for leaving his dirty laundry everywhere, she can blame it on PMS without being labeled as a harpy wife.
It’s like this one Indian culture I read about (wish I had the reference still), where lower class people would “lose consciousness” and yell at their bosses and anyone who had done them wrong. They got to express their frustration, without fear of retaliation, since they couldn’t be held responsible for their psychic fit. Sometimes I wish I could do that at work. ha.
Anyway, I love the blog!