A new student group called Menstruation REDefined is advocating for menstrual equity with chapters in universities across Ontario.
Menstruation REDefined, originally called Menstruation Matters, was founded in October 2019 by Olivia Karp, a third-year political science student at Ryerson.
Karp began partnering with students at other universities to develop a campaign calling for free menstrual products in post-secondary schools. The campaign was set to launch earlier this year in March but was derailed by the pandemic.
In June, new executive team members were hired and the group rebranded as Menstruation REDefined. Now, they’re not only focused on the fight for free period products but advocating for the larger issue of menstrual equity.
“We focus on what menstrual equity is, and advocate, educate, and inform people about it,” says Karp.
They tackle all of the barriers and intertwined issues surrounding menstruation: period poverty, negative societal stigmas around periods, and impacts on marginalized communities.
The group operates by hosting events, leading campaigns and sharing petitions, and due to the pandemic, it’s entirely virtual.
Part of the rebrand included the launch of a chapter program. Now, several universities across Ontario including Ryerson, McMaster, and Guelph, have their own branches of Menstruation REDefined and teams dedicated to the issue of menstrual equity.
“I think it’s really important to give young people a voice,” says Karp. “In a post-secondary institution, students are advocating for this issue and they can bring it into their own community and educate others.”
In addition to a rebrand, the pandemic also inspired a fresh perspective on the issues the group is speaking out about. “We are looking at these topics through a new lens,” says Julie Reiken, a second-year creative industries student at Ryerson and a blogger for the university’s Menstruation REDefined chapter.
“It is important to recognize how the virus has impacted everyone and that because of widespread financial struggles, the issue of period inequity is larger now than ever before,” says Reiken.
A 2018 report from Plan International Canada found that one-third of Canadian women under 25 say they have struggled to afford period products. Many other Canadian advocacy groups such as The Period Purse have spoke out about the need for free period products to be available in all public and workplace bathrooms, emphasizing that they are just as necessary as soap and toilet paper which are already provided for free.
One of the reasons Karp started Menstruation REDefined was the lack of free menstrual products available at Ryerson. Now she hopes to create a Canada-wide database tracking locations that provide free menstrual products.
However, the issue extends beyond accessibility. Larger societal stigmas around menstruation contribute to a culture of shame and disgust around what is simply a biological function. As their name suggests, Menstruation REDefined aims to create a new understanding of menstruation – one that is open, accurate, inclusive, and free of harmful stereotypes.
“Periods are not a ‘dirty thing’, says Reiken. “We intend to make a social impact by breaking down these barriers society has created.”
Karp recalls a friend who experienced excessive bleeding during her period being shamed for it during her middle school years. “It’s not good to shame others for excessive bleeding or if you see blood on their pants,” says Karp. “I really feel for her.”
Karp sees a lack of education around periods as part of the reason why so many misconceptions and negative stigmas still exist around them. Menstruation REDefined’s latest campaign on Instagram called “Spooky Menstruation Myths” aims to debunk some of the false beliefs around periods that have perpetuated negative stigmas.
Open-mindedness is a quality that Karp emphasizes when having conversations about menstrual equity, particularly when it comes to the language we use around periods. This has been a controversial topic recently, with Tampax recently sparking a backlash for using the term “people who bleed” in a tweet.
Reiken says their chapter navigates this by using gender-neutral terms such as “people” instead of “women.”
“It is not just women who menstruate, and it is important to be inclusive,” says Reiken.
Fact: Not all women have periods. Also a fact: Not all people with periods are women. Let’s celebrate the diversity of all people who bleed! ??: @gobeeharris #mythbusting #periodtruths #transisbeautiful pic.twitter.com/5s1416cZBw
— Tampax (@Tampax) September 15, 2020
One of Karp’s priorities for Menstruation REDefined is to continue having conversations about how menstrual inequity is affecting marginalized communities. They are currently organizing a panel that will highlight the experiences of BIPOC and transgender people affected by menstrual inequity.
In addition to expanding Menstruation REDefined’s chapter program to universities across the country, Karp wants to continue fighting for policies and legislation that will increase awareness and equity when it comes to menstruation.
The group is still recruiting volunteers for various roles. Chapters in post-secondary institutions across Ontario are continuing to build their teams and launch initiatives to work towards the mission of redefining menstruation.