Menstruation as a taboo: Millions of women are finally demanding openness!

Menstruation as a taboo: Millions of women are finally demanding openness!

Today, May 27, 2025, marks World Menstrual Day, an occasion that highlights the many challenges women face regarding their periods. A current survey, carried out by Forsa on behalf of KKH Kaufmännische Krankenkasse, shows that the majority of women still consider menstruation to be a taboo topic. 85% of women surveyed believe that there is little or no discussion about menstruation in public. This highlights the ongoing social stigmatization of this natural process.

The survey includes 1,002 women aged 14 to 50 and covers various aspects of the female cycle. 91% of those surveyed consider the lack of information about the influence of menstruation and hormones on health to be worrying. Another interesting result of the survey is that around 60% of women document their cycle, with the proportion of younger women (14-29 years old) being even higher at over two thirds.

Health aspects and cycle awareness

The KKH emphasizes that the first menstruation usually occurs between the ages of 11 and 15. Menopause, on the other hand, usually begins between the ages of 45 and 55. These phases are not only biological, but also have far-reaching health relevance. 76% of women believe that adapting their everyday life to the different phases of the cycle has positive effects on their physical and emotional health. Younger women in particular find this trend, known as cycle synchronization, to be valuable and future-oriented.

Exercise and diet can also be adapted to the cycle, which helps to relieve discomfort associated with menstruation. 80% of those surveyed understand that women have to call in sick due to menstrual problems.

Removing taboos in sport and raising social awareness

In sport, there are increasing efforts to remove taboos around menstruation. Female athletes are open about their cycle and discuss their menstruation in interviews. The German Football Association has also taken an important step towards raising awareness with its slogan “Let’s talk Periods” from 2023.

Visiting platforms that deal with topics related to menstruation and its social taboos, such as Vulvani, shows that awareness of menstruation and its impact on women's lives is growing.

In summary, World Menstrual Day can make an important contribution to promoting the long overdue conversation about menstruation and reducing the stigma associated with it. The survey and the initiatives in sport are steps in the right direction, but there is still much work to be done to enable an open and informative discussion.