When the body causes discomfort: Menstruation as a gendered boundary in Physical Education
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https://doi.org/10.17979/sportis.2026.12.2.12533Abstract
This study addressed the social and physiological constructs surrounding menstruation that influence the participation of girls and adolescents in physical education classes. The objective was to understand this phenomenon based on the perceptions and experiences of physical education teachers working in central Chile. Using a qualitative-interpretive approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 female teachers, applying content analysis to construct emerging categories from their discourse. The results show a systematic absence of menstrual education in the school curriculum, along with the persistence of barriers to participation linked to fear, misinformation, modesty, and sociocultural stigmas associated with menstruating bodies. Based on the analysis, two main dimensions were identified: a) Menstruation in the Physical Education Curriculum, which reveals a lack of teacher training and pedagogical guidance on the subject; and b) The experiences of menstruating students in Physical Education classes, which show strategies of concealment, discomfort, and exclusion from physical activities during the menstrual period. The study concludes that it is urgent to integrate menstrual education explicitly and transversally in schools, promoting a comprehensive understanding that articulates the social and physiological aspects to foster more inclusive motor experiences. It also notes that menstruation remains a taboo subject, invisible both in pedagogical planning and in everyday school relationships.
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