Dr. McLaren and I first discovered the Society for Menstrual Cycle Research’s biennial conference while we were in India conducting our research on menstrual hygiene management through Rollins’ student-faculty collaborative program. Like probably most people who first encounter the conference, or the society hosting it, our first reaction was one of disbelief: we couldn’t believe that such an institution and gathering existed. Our second reaction was one of complete excitement and awe at the serendipitous coincidence of discovering the upcoming, niche conference while we were still in the midst of our project. Our research, which we had spent nearly the last year designing, preparing and conducting, was centered on the state of the menstrual health and menstrual hygiene management movement in India and how local, grassroots organizations navigate dominant approaches and ideas to find what works best for them. The theme of SMCR’s 2019 conference? Traversing the Ridge: Connecting Menstrual Research and Advocacy. As soon as we returned from our travels, we submitted our abstract to the conference and were accepted to present our paper.

For me, my excitement was two-fold. Of course, I was ecstatic about the opportunity to present, for the first time, my work at an academic conference. Yet I was most looking forward to being surrounded by fellow menstrual activists, researchers, psychologists, and health professionals, all of whom, across their interdisciplinary fields, were engaging in exciting, innovating, and feminist work. As someone who has been fascinated by and involved in menstrual issues such as sustainable menstrual products, access and education, and the negative perception of menstruating bodies, I was excited to meet and learn from these individuals, many of whom were authors whose names I recognized and whose work had shaped my own thinking. I think the individual conversations and interactions with these scholars and organizers were some of the most impactful moments from SMCR’s conference, as these discussions exposed me to distinct ways to approach or think about menstruation and introduced me to new issues and written pieces that I cannot wait to delve into in my future work.