Dr Bee Hughes
Humanities and Social Science
Faculty of Arts Professional and Social Studies
Email: B.Hughes@ljmu.ac.uk
Telephone: 0151 231 5028
Website
ORCID
Dr Bee Hughes (they/them/theirs) is an interdisciplinary artist and researcher, and Senior Lecturer in Media, Culture & Communication. Bee’s recent research explores embodied experiences of gender through themes including menstruation, everyday rituals and routines, and the feminist tradition of self-examination. Their recent practice-led works examine repetition, cut-up methods and menstrual normativity encountered through online medical advice, considering how these frequently visited sites of medical authority now form part of the everyday experience of menstruation.
Bee has presented their research and exhibited in the UK and internationally, completing their interdisciplinary practice-led PhD ‘Performing Periods: Challenging Menstrual Normativity through Art Practice’ 2020. Bee has published on a number of topics, including criticality in illustration, the visual culture of Dracula (Stoker, 1897), and most recently menstrual normativity and menstrual art and policy-making. Bee’s curatorial work includes collaborative works with Eva Petersen, such as Comfort Zones (2017), CoLab (2018) at Liverpool School of Art & Design, and Periodical (2018), an exhibition of menstrual art and UK menstrual product advertising as part of Being Human festival of the humanities. In 2020 Bee was Artist in Residence at the Centre for Contemporary Art and Institute for Gender Studies at the University of St Andrews.
Bee is a founding member of the UK's Menstruation Research Network and a member of the Society for Menstrual Cycle Research.
Degrees
2020, Liverpool John Moores University, United Kingdom, PhD
2012, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom, MRes Art & Design
2011, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom, BA (Hons) Graphic Arts (Illustration)
Certifications
2014, Higher Education Academy, York, United Kingdom, Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
Academic appointments
Senior Lecturer in Media, Culture, Communication, Liverpool John Moores University, 2022 - present
Lecturer in Media, Culture, Communication, Liverpool John Moores University, 2020 - 2022
Sessional Lecturer in Media, Culture & Communication, School of Humanities & Social Science, Liverpool John Moores University, 2018 - present
Assistant Lecturer in BA (Hons) History of Art & Museum Studies / BA (Hons) Fine Art / MRes Art & Design, Liverpool School of Art & Design, Liverpool John Moores University, 2015 - present
Associate Lecturer in Contemporary Art History & Theory, School of Art, Design & Performance, University of Central Lancashire, 2013 - 2013
Sessional Lecturer in Graphic Design & Illustration, Liverpool School of Art & Design, Liverpool John Moores University, 2012 - 2015
Highlighted publications
Hughes B. 2025. Conceptual Framings of Menstruation in 20th-Century British Menstrual Product Advertising: Visible Stigma, Invisible Bleeding Women's Reproductive Health, DOI Publisher Url Public Url
Hughes B. 2024. Who's looking at who? Author Url
Hughes B. 2024. Blood, Thread, and Lockdown: Being a Menstrual Artist in Residence during a Pandemic Experiences of Menstruation from the Global South and North Towards Visualised, Inclusive, and Applied Menstruation Studies :216-218 Oxford University Press, USA 9780197267578
Hughes B. 2022. Expanding menstrual normativity: Artistic interventions in the representation of menstruation rees E. The Routledge Companion to Gender, Sexuality and Culture :130-144 Routledge 9780367421359 DOI Publisher Url
Røstvik CM, Hughes B, Spencer C. 2022. The Red Gown: Reflections on the In/Visibility of Menstruation in Scotland Open Library of Humanities, 8 DOI Publisher Url Public Url
Hughes B, Dann C, Ravenscroft MD, Nixon PG, McArdle J, Arias T, Rayment-Jones H, Hansen N, DeDauw E, Boon S, Dominique C, Churm A, Bayer HR, Wierzchowska J, Flanagan B. 2021. TALKING BODIES III Transformations, Movements and Expressions Ravenscroft MD, Dann C, Nixon PD, Hughes B. University of Chester Press. Chester 9781910481141 Publisher Url
Hughes B. 2018. Challenging Menstrual Norms in Online Medical Advice: Deconstructing Stigma through Entangled Art Practice Feminist Encounters: A Journal of Critical Studies in Culture and Politics, 2 DOI Publisher Url Public Url
Hughes B, Rostvik CM. Menstruation in Art and Visual Culture Ross K. The International Encyclopedia of Gender, Media, and Communication John Wiley & Sons DOI Publisher Url
Hughes B, Downes G. Gender, Sexuality and Education Kassem D, Taylor E. Key Issues in Childhood & Youth Studies
Books (edited)
2026. The SAGE Encyclopedia of Menstruation and Society Hughes B, Standing K. 1 SAGE
Key Issues in Childhood & Youth Studies Second Edition Hughes B, Taylor E, Kassem D, Harrison J. Taylor & Francis
Journal article
Hughes B. 2025. Conceptual Framings of Menstruation in 20th-Century British Menstrual Product Advertising: Visible Stigma, Invisible Bleeding Women's Reproductive Health, DOI Publisher Url Public Url
Røstvik CM, Hughes B, Spencer C. 2022. The Red Gown: Reflections on the In/Visibility of Menstruation in Scotland Open Library of Humanities, 8 DOI Publisher Url Public Url
Hughes B, Standing KE. 2018. Menstrual art: why everyone should go and see it The Conversation, Publisher Url Public Url
Hughes B. 2018. Challenging Menstrual Norms in Online Medical Advice: Deconstructing Stigma through Entangled Art Practice Feminist Encounters: A Journal of Critical Studies in Culture and Politics, 2 DOI Publisher Url Public Url
Hughes B. 2017. A Lost World: The Missed History of Illustration The International Journal of the Image, 8 :69-75 DOI Publisher Url
Internet publication
Hughes B. 2024. Who's looking at who? Author Url
Standing K, Hughes B. 2022. Menstrual art: why everyone should go and see it Publisher Url
Hughes B. 2022. Paula Rego: why the Portuguse artist’s work remains relevant in the fight for abortion rights Publisher Url
Hughes B, Standing KE. 2019. How cultural attitudes to menstruation have finally started to shift Publisher Url Public Url
Chapters
Hughes B. 2024. Blood, Thread, and Lockdown: Being a Menstrual Artist in Residence during a Pandemic Experiences of Menstruation from the Global South and North Towards Visualised, Inclusive, and Applied Menstruation Studies :216-218 Oxford University Press, USA 9780197267578
Hughes B. 2022. Expanding menstrual normativity: Artistic interventions in the representation of menstruation rees E. The Routledge Companion to Gender, Sexuality and Culture :130-144 Routledge 9780367421359 DOI Publisher Url
Hughes B, Rostvik CM. Menstruation in Art and Visual Culture Ross K. The International Encyclopedia of Gender, Media, and Communication John Wiley & Sons DOI Publisher Url
Hughes B, Downes G. Gender, Sexuality and Education Kassem D, Taylor E. Key Issues in Childhood & Youth Studies
Hughes B, Downes G. Intersectionality, Democracy and Education Kassem D, Taylor E. Key Issues in Childhood & Youth Studies (second edition)
Conference publication
Hughes B. 2023. Queer Communities: Developing LGBTQIA+ Inclusive Spaces in LJMU's School of Humanities & Social Science UCU's 7th LGBT+ research conference Proceedings, Proud/Loud/Heard... ? Exploring LGBT+ identity, being and experiences: UCU 7th Annual Equality Research Conference Publisher Url Public Url
Books (authored)
Hughes B, Dann C, Ravenscroft MD, Nixon PG, McArdle J, Arias T, Rayment-Jones H, Hansen N, DeDauw E, Boon S, Dominique C, Churm A, Bayer HR, Wierzchowska J, Flanagan B. 2021. TALKING BODIES III Transformations, Movements and Expressions Ravenscroft MD, Dann C, Nixon PD, Hughes B. University of Chester Press. Chester 9781910481141 Publisher Url
Thesis/Dissertation
Hughes B. 2020. Performing Periods: Challenging Menstrual Normativity through Art Practice Hassan N, Fallows C, Lincoln S. Public Url
Book review
Hughes B. 2019. The Shocking History of Procter & Gamble’s Rely Tampons Women's Reproductive Health, 6 :222-224 DOI Publisher Url
Other
Hughes B, Johnson M. Autographic Zine Workshop - Antiuniversity Now Festival Author Url
Performance
Johnson M, Hughes B. Underlining Austerity Author Url Publisher Url
Exhibition
Hughes B. Periodical Exhibition Publisher Url Public Url
Hughes B, Petersen E. Comfort Zones Author Url
Highlighted activities
Conference presentation:
Challenging Menstrual Norms in Online Healthcare Advice, Improving and Understanding Health: PhD Symposium 2018, Liverpool Medical Institute, Oral presentation. 2018
Periods are Normal! There are no Normal Periods!, Feminist Art Activisms and Artivisms, Middlesex University, Poster presentation. 2018
Challenging Menstrual Normativity through Autobiographical Art Practice, Early Stage Researcher Conference - Material: Creative Approaches to Research, Bath Spa University, Oral presentation. 2018
Menstrual Culture: Personal Ritual and Performance, Menstruation Symposium, University of St Andrews, Oral presentation. 2018
Professional activities
Conference organisation:
3rd Annual Menstruation Research Network conference: Inclusive Menstruation: Practice, Research, Action., Organiser, https://menstruationresearchnetwork.org.uk/. 2024
Other Professional Activity:
External Examiner - University of Lincoln, BA (Hons) Media Studies. 2024
A Bloody Good Show! Adventures in Menstruating Comedy Performance by Chella Quint & Panel Discussion organised by Kay Standing & Bee Hughes as part of Being Human festival of the Humanities 2018. 16 November 2018, The Casa, Liverpool. Chella Quint’s bloody funny, five-star taboo-breaking comedy ‘Adventures in Menstruating’ combines humour, science and craftivism to promote shame-free period talk for audiences of all genders. This delightfully high-energy interactive performance is followed by a panel discussion with the event organisers, menstrual activists, academic researchers, and representatives from The Homeless Period Liverpool and #periodpositive. Panel Chaired by Kay Standing. Panel members: Natalie Denny, Bee Hughes, Chella Quint & Sarah Zipp..
Blood Rituals: Light Night 2019 In collaboration with Dignity Without Danger, we present a collaborative multi-part installation examining rituals surrounding menstruation. Blood Rituals combines virtual reality, photography and film exploring menstrual experiences in Nepal with material from LJMU’s Femorabilia collection, artworks by Bee Hughes and Poloumi Basu and craft activities with Period Project Merseyside to reflect on menstrual stigma in the UK and globally..
How can we challenge cultural attitudes about periods? British Academy Summer Showcase was a free two-day festival of ideas for curious minds, held from 21-22 June 2019. Throughout history, our attitudes to menstruation have been shaped by cultural, medical, and media representations. These contribute to the stigmatisation of menstruation, period poverty and harmful practices and restrictions that impact on the everyday lives of people who menstruate. Through their work in the UK and Nepal, this exhibit invites visitors to challenge preconceptions and misconceptions about periods. Explore and reflect on historical and contemporary ideas about periods, make your own activist badge and challenge age-old negative associations..
Award:
APSS Excellence in Teaching Award - Equality, Diversity & Inclusion, Faculty of Arts, Professional and Social Sciences, LJMU. 2023
Postgraduate Researcher Outstanding Communicator Award, LJMU doctoral Academy. 2020
PGR Amazing Communicator, LJMU Doctoral Academy. 2020
Amazing Teaching Awards: JMSU President Award, John Moores Student Union. 2019
Media Coverage:
Inclusion in Beyond Blood's article on menstrual art past and present. (opens in a new tab) 2021
The Conversation -menstrual art, why everyone should go and see it 12/11/18 (opens in a new tab)
Conference presentation:
Challenging Menstrual Norms in Online Healthcare Advice, Improving and Understanding Health: PhD Symposium 2018, Liverpool Medical Institute, Oral presentation. 2018
Periods are Normal! There are no Normal Periods!, Feminist Art Activisms and Artivisms, Middlesex University, Poster presentation. 2018
Challenging Menstrual Normativity through Autobiographical Art Practice, Early Stage Researcher Conference - Material: Creative Approaches to Research, Bath Spa University, Oral presentation. 2018
Menstrual Culture: Personal Ritual and Performance, Menstruation Symposium, University of St Andrews, Oral presentation. 2018
A Lost World: The Missed History of Illustration, Fifth International Conference on the Image, Freie Universitat, Berlin, Oral presentation. 2014