“What a Young Woman Ought to Know:” Changing Methods in Education

How did you learn about menstruation? Before disposable feminine hygiene products entered the market, women almost always learned about menstrual health and hygiene from other women. Pads and their paraphernalia turned menstruation into a public health concern that required public educational materials. Consumers had to be instructed on how to use these new products to manage their bodies the modern way. By the 1960’s, most educational materials were published by corporations. They attempted to cultivate consumers who were loyal to the product brand. Other companies, such as American Girl and Lammily, whose missions are centered around empowering young girls, have since jumped on the corporation-as-teacher bandwagon.