Destigmatizing Women's Menstrual Health: A Case Study on Love and Deepspace's Period Tracker Feature Among Female Indonesian Players

Abstract— Menstrual stigma in Indonesia is a social issue that is prevalent across the country, with varying levels of depth depending on sociocultural elements an individual experiences throughout life. This is an issue to be investigated as associating menstruation with negative views and beliefs creates barriers for women to access information, assistance, and understanding the biological process within themselves, causing potential problems that affect their well-being. This study aims to investigate the effects of Love and Deepspace's period tracker and how it aids in the process of destigmatizing menstrual stigma among female players through a mixed-methods approach. The results obtained through both quantitative and qualitative paths found that Love and Deepspace’s period tracker positively impacted player’s perception of menstrual stigma. Although they might not outwardly showcase their comfort and openness regarding the topic to general Indonesian society, players find that it serves as a source of emotional fulfillment which players might not find outside of the game, as well as a useful tool to assist in predicting monthly cycles. Through this research, we can see the deeper impact that features like this have the potential to push positive change for women, improving their well-being amongst the existing stigma towards menstruation in Indonesia. Of course, broader change across society is necessary to truly build a better environment for women to feel comfortable in their daily lives, but this type of approach can serve as a step towards the right direction. Keywords—Menstrual Stigma, Menstrual Health, Indonesia, Love and Deepspace, Destigmatization