More than 800 million people menstruate daily- take a moment to think about the sheer magnitude of that. Yet, the stigmas and cultural shame still attached to issues surrounding menstruation, as well as the shortage of resources available, stop women from leading life normally while menstruating. This brings us to the issue of “period poverty”, which is formally defined as “the lack of access to sanitary products, menstrual hygiene education, toilets, hand washing facilities, and/or waste management,” (Sanchez and Rodriguez) and it is something that affects more women globally than you might think.
In 2019, 35 U.S states still maintain a sales tax on period products, considering them to be ‘non-essential’ items. 1 in 4 women struggle to manage their periods due to a lack of income, and almost half of low-income women today are forced to choose between a meal and period products. Until 2018, menstrual products were not free to women in federal prisons. While some states have passed laws mandating schools to provide period products to girls, there is still so much work to be done regarding these issues.
The stigma that surrounds menstruation is a large part of the problem. It’s such a taboo topic that we don’t often stop to think about what it’s like for a homeless or low-income women to get their period, and we definitely don’t have conversations about finding solutions to these very real issues.
October 19th, 2019 was the world’s first “National Period Day”. A rally was planned in all 50 states in order to eradicate negative stereotypes surrounding periods, elevate the issue of period poverty, and demand real change regarding accessibility of period products. This rally marked the beginning of what will be a year-long campaign to raise awareness to those who can make a difference about it. This includes making demands for new policies regarding accessibility of menstrual products in public institutions and eradicating the tampon tax in the remaining 35 states. This will be an uphill battle, as governments have yet to prioritize policies regarding menstrual equity.
https://www.direct365.co.uk/blog/whats-being-done-to-end-period-poverty/
In order to make period products more accessible to everyone, we first must eradicate taboos surrounding menstruation. Period shame disempowers women and punishes them for a normal biological process. Then, policy must be enforced in order to make these necessary hygiene products readily and easily accessible for anyone who needs them. Menstruators should be able to feel confident in their ability to thrive within their societies, whether it be here in the U.S or on an international scale.
This is a problem that affects us all- menstruator or not, and it is important that we all unite to be a voice for those who have been silenced. Standing up for this cause is standing up for the greater issues of gender discrimination and inequalities. Period poverty might not be a “sexy” issue, but a necessary one. Sanjay Wijesekera, former UNICEF Chief of Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene, said it best: “Meeting the hygiene needs of all adolescent girls [and women] is a fundamental issue of human rights, dignity, and public health (“What is National Period Day?”)”.
Sanchez, Erica, and Leah Rodriguez. “Period Poverty: Everything You Need to Know.” Global Citizen, Global Poverty Project, Inc., 5 Feb. 2019, https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/period-poverty-everything-you-need-to-know/.
“What Is National Period Day?” PERIOD., Period, Inc., https://www.period.org/nationalperiodday.