"It's Just an Excuse to be Bitchy": Male and Female Perceptions of Premenstrual Syndrome

Abstract

My interest in studying perceptions of pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS) largely came from personal experiences with overhearing or being subject to accusations of it being “that time of the month” during interactions with less than cheerful women. Not only did these types of situations frustrate me, but they made me want to investigate how men and women are socialized to think about PMS and how the ways in which they are socialized can negatively impact all women in their personal and professional lives. In this paper, which was written for a Sociology seminar in mental health, I was able to explore the topic through questioning my peers about their perceptions of menstruating women and PMS. My goal in carrying out this research was to show how pre-existing negative ideas about menstruation and PMS influence the way in which both woman and men view, explain, or excuse women’s behavior in general.