Toolkit: Toolkit for portrayals of menstruation in television programming

The Geena Davis Institute’s report, Period Pieces: How TV Shapes Teens’ Understanding of Menstruation, examines how real-world teens and parents perceive menstruation, how often it occured in television
scripts from 1950 to 2018, and the nature of how it appeared in teen programming in 2018 and 2024.

The data examined includes surveys conducted by 423 parent-teen pairs in the United States, 59,313 television scripts from 1950-2018, and 313 teen television episodes. This report illustrates that
television portrayals of menstruation can act as a catalyst for parent-teen conversations about the
topic. However, the topic itself is rarely a part of television programs.

HOW TO CITE THIS STUDY:

Terán, L., and Conroy, M. (2026). Period Pieces: How TV Shapes Teens’ Understanding of Menstruation. Geena Davis Institute.