Blobbing Along: A Reflexive Review on How Menstruating During Fieldwork Affects Practice

This article examines the intersection of menstruation, productivity, crip theory, and fieldwork, highlighting a gap in existing literature that focuses on the physical implications of menstruation in field-based disciplines but neglects the psychological effects, particularly premenstrual syndrome (PMS), on qualitative research methods. This oversight reflects a broader issue: the tendency to frame menstruation within a neoliberal productivity discourse that prioritises efficiency and output over well-being. The author advocates for a paradigm shift that includes menstrual leave, greater menstrual literacy, and prioritising rest. Through a reflexive analysis of the author’s own fieldwork notes, the article offers a personal narrative exploring how menstruation influenced research practices. This reflection aims to encourage other menstruators to examine their own experiences, challenge the pressures of productivity, and adopt a more holistic, ethical approach to academic work. Ultimately, the article calls for a rethinking of how menstruation is understood in academia, emphasising care and ethical responsibility over mere productivity.