Pain, Warfare, and Commodity: Metaphorical Renderings of Dysmenorrhea and the Female Body in Young Women’s Narratives

In China, nearly half of women have experienced dysmenorrhea. However, the articulation and management of this female-specific pain remain constrained. By conducting a critical metaphor analysis of interviews with 33 young Chinese women experiencing dysmenorrhea, this study seeks to uncover the nuanced layers of meaning enmeshed within their discourse regarding dysmenorrhea and their bodies. Our examination unveils four metaphors entwined with dysmenorrhea: the curse upon women, the sentinel of the female body, the codewords of emotional bonding among women, and the exclusive dividend of womanhood. Simultaneously, four metaphorical representations of the female body enduring dysmenorrhea emerge: the machine experiencing component breakdowns, the hidden jail, the vessel of sexuality and reproduction, and the product under male gaze. Notably, despite advocating for gender equality, many women strategically appropriate stereotypical gender roles to secure short-term gains. The female body assumes a dual role as both a battleground for power struggles and a commodified entity, where health issues intertwine with gender hierarchies, parent-child relationships, and workplace dynamics, collectively shaping women's self-awareness and paradoxical responses to dysmenorrhea.