Yeah, periods suck. They make you nauseous, light-headed, moody, but most importantly BLEED.
As a woman, I’ve grown accustomed to the term period all my life. The menarche of a child or teenager signifies their first menstrual cycle. Sometimes they may panic in fear thinking “Oh no!” and stand in a state of loss. I know the exact feeling, trust me. Although I was a baby chic when facing the concept of a period; my mother guided me along the process with the necessary feminine products for a period. Why do I explain all this? I want to emphasize the fact that as a child growing up, I was privileged. Privileged due to my accessibility to such feminine products during my monthly menstrual cycle.
Many women do not have access to such products. For example, a recent study from 2018 about period poverty by “U by Kotex”, a feminine hygiene brand reported that 1 in 4 women struggled to obtain feminine hygiene products (Gaines). Those who were unable to purchase period products felt feelings of embarrassment and shame (Gaines). Various factors may play a role in their inability to obtain the product such as environment, social or economic status, etc. In lower-income communities, countless women turn to unhygienic substitutions for feminine hygiene products during their menstrual cycle which can lead to infections or abnormal health problems. In Philadelphia, countless women wake up to the nightmare of zero sanitary products in their drawer. Such matters are taken lightheartedly, but women today are facing a period crisis. A period is not a random so-called cycle but an essential cycle for a woman and her body. Although low-income individuals may be a part of the Supplemental Nutrition Program (SNAP) or Medicaid, products such as pads or tampons are not covered within such benefits.
So, what can we do to help?
Reach out to your local women’s health community center. Many of these facilities already have a donation for feminine hygiene products and essentials and will be happy to hear about your initiative to help. In the city of Philadelphia, there are donation drives such as the partnering of the Center for Global Women’s Health with Cycle Sisters in order to provide menstrual hygiene products. Don’t stop there, PERIOD The Menstrual Movement also provides recourses in education and advocating for the period crisis.
An individual like yourself can get involved in the movement online from the comfort of your own home. It’s that easy.