User:Dlschutte/sandbox

Social Implications
The pathologisation of an inherently female experience such as PMS (as with PMDD) attracts criticism for perpetuating hetero-patriachal constructions of menstruation and femininity. Such negative constructions of pre-menstrual changes can have significant impacts on the subjectivities of women 'suffering' from PMS. For example, constructions of pre-menstruation in Western culture as a time of "psycholgical distrubance and debilitation" in contrast to the idealised image of femininity as being calm and passive not only leads to women expecting negative behavioural change in themselves, but also legitimises patriachal attempts to limit women's access to equal opportunity in areas such as the workplace. Alternatively, the subjectification of pre-menstrual mood changes among women in lesbian relationships is found to be more positive, as female partners are less likely to costruct pre-menstruation as a negative phenomenon than male partners. This positive change in the subjectivity of PMS is mirrored in cultures such as India, China and Hong Kong where menstruation is viewed as simply a naural event(not pathological), with women rarely reporting negative pre-menstrual moods despite frequently reporting physical changes such as pain and fatigue.