Together with our collaborator Tijn de Jong, a trans educator and activist, and Trans United we opened up a space for non-cis experiences of menstruation to be shared with 6 trans and non-binary participants. Through creative interventions, such as the creation of a word web, and table conversations we explored how menstruation is experienced by genderqueer people and what needs to change to create safer, more inclusive spaces. Our conversations centered around three main topics; the taboo surrounding menstruation for genderqueer bodies, the knowledge gap that currently exists and how bathrooms can be spaces of tension or safety. One of the most prominent themes that came up in discussion was how contemporary visual culture considers blood as the defining image of menstruation, ignoring all the other experiences that come with a cycle.
The session concluded with a collage making session where participants, inspired by their own experience with menstruation, used cut outs from magazines to make their own collage. This proved to be a great creative translation of what we discussed during the session, with each collage illustrating the versatility of experiences when talking about cycles.
28.05.2026
Trans United, Amsterdam
