| Sumario: | In recent years, there has been a rise in political polarisation globally, with the far-right movement in Europe threatening gender equality and the rights of minoritised communities. This article applied an intersectional framework to analyse political discourses in Flanders surrounding one of the most polarising issues today: sexual and reproductive health and rights, with a specific focus on menstrual health. Through critical discourse analysis of elite interviews, parliamentary meetings, and election programmes of Flemish political parties, the study examined how these narratives reinforce or challenge power structures and inequality. Results indicated that, while the three most left-wing parties incorporated elements of menstrual activism – such as existing shame and taboo surrounding menstruation; the individual mental, social and physical health risks related to poor menstrual health; and the underlying gender inequality – they failed to consider intersectional, structural inequalities in the prevalence and form of period poverty. In contrast, the four most right-wing parties adopted a neoliberal stance, opposing government funding and emphasising individual responsibility. Moreover, the findings show discursive changes across time, indicating a polarisation on gender-related topics like menstrual health.
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