Trans, Nonbinary, and Genderqueer Menstruation Related to Self-Objectification and Menstrual Cup Attitudes 

Emma Shay ’25

Faculty Mentor:  Dr. Richmond

What is the broader impact of your summer research? That is, why should the world care about your work?

Menstruators who do not identify as women are left out of the already stigmatized cultural discourse surrounding menstruation. Their experiences, which I aimed to explore through my work, deserve to be heard and validated. My study explored levels of self-objectification, gender dysphoria, and attitudes toward menstruation among non-cisgender participants and examined the extent to which these variables connected to participants’ awareness of and willingness to use a menstrual cup. Overall, I contributed to the very limited presence of non-cisgender perspectives within menstrual research.

What has summer research taught you about yourself and the field that you researched and/or studied?

I learned the importance of working efficiently without overworking. Often during an independent project, I aim to complete all tasks as fast as I can, even if this causes stress. My advisor helped me pace myself, showing me the importance of laying out tasks productively but not overwhelmingly. Both by examining background sources and by developing a manuscript, I became deeply familiar with the expected format, length, and tone of published psychology research. I now have a better grasp on what will be expected when I prepare similar works in graduate school and in my intended psychology career.

What advice would you give to students considering a future research opportunity similar to the one you participated in?

Meet with your advisor before you commit and discuss a tentative plan and necessary steps. This way, you can budget your time well and get excited about the work you will be doing.