I think there is one thing we can all agree on: periods are the worst. The cramps, the zits that come along, the mood swings, and the fact that periods can be used against women to shame them for being too “emotional.”
But for some, periods can be a lot worse than a few jokes or the incessant craving for chocolate that comes along at that time of the month. Many people do not have access to menstrual products or are not able to talk about their periods at all. That is where PERIOD comes in.
Credit: innovationlabs.harvard.edu
PERIOD is an all-inclusive non-profit aimed at communicating and serving the underprivileged. PERIOD has clubs all over the nation and the country but up until last year, Boston University did not have a PERIOD club. That is until Samira Saran saw the need for PERIOD and brought it to BU.
Samira Saran is a sophomore studying political science and international relations. She wanted to bring PERIOD to Boston University because she saw that no club was specifically dedicated to menstrual health and because she believed that periods were not talked about enough.
Samira grew up in Taiwan, Vietnam, and Hong Kong. In these countries and others as well, anything to do with menstruation or periods is taboo. It is something that is dealt with behind closed doors and not discussed or celebrated.
In the United States, it is less taboo but periods still pose serious challenges. People who are homeless do not have access to feminine hygiene products so they resort to using unsanitary products like socks and plastic bags. PERIOD tries to help with this problem by having ‘packing parties’ where club members pack one month of feminine hygiene products to be then distributed to women’s shelters.
Credit: evensi.us
Samira recalls one memory when she and the other members of PERIOD brought products to the shelter. She could feel that she was saving lives because of the women’s faces and reactions. They were so surprised that the products were for them. The lack of access to sanitary products is not talked about enough so people do not realize the impact of this issue.
Since they do not have access to a lot of money, homeless women may keep their tampons in for too long to attempt to save money. But this action could cause Toxic Shock Syndrome and be potentially life-threatening. PERIOD is so important because they are making products accessible and also educating people about this problem.
PERIOD has a program called Cup & Cloth and its goal is to educate people about menstrual health and to promote conversation about periods so that there will no longer be a stigma surrounding menstruation.
PERIOD is also working to get free menstrual products in college bathrooms.
Samira wants people of BU and the Boston area to know that “we’re here and we’re here to stay.” PERIOD @ Boston University will always work to aid people in need. For all BU students, look out for PERIOD tabling in the GSU!
As for what you can do, you can donate online. It only takes $2 to cover an entire menstrual cycle. You can join PERIOD or make your own like Samira. You can go to one of the events like Period Con or State of the Period. PERIOD also has an online store so you can get some period-inspired merch!
Just keep talking about periods and menstrual health! If we don’t have conversations, then we are never going to fix the problem or end the stigma.
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