Did you know that in the US, one in five girls has left school early or missed a day because they have not had access to period products?
Did you know that while Viagra is taxed in only one US state, tampons are taxed in 33 states?
Did you know that low-income women often struggle to have to choose whether to buy food or menstrual products and resort to using cloth, paper or even cardboard instead?
These are all issues that PERIOD, a non-profit movement found by Nadya Okamoto in 2014, addresses. The goal of PERIOD is to end period poverty and period stigma by three pillars – community service, education, and advocation. The movement has for example distributed period products to people in need as well as organised workshops.
Although originating from the US, today PERIOD chapters can be found in 30 countries. On October 19th2019, the movement organized the first-ever National Period Day, which saw 61 rallies in 50 US states and 5 countries. What’s more, on November 7th, the ‘tampon tax’ – sales taxation on menstrual products – was removed in Ohio, thanks to the menstrual movement. With all this, it’s clear that PERIOD has the power to make history. That’s why a PERIOD chapter is being launched in Tokyo as well.
Marina Yoshimura is the President of PERIOD @ Tokyo, and answered a few questions about the movement for us!
How did you hear about PERIOD for the first time?
I heard about PERIOD on Instagram. I was scrolling through the MAKERS Women’s Instagram page (@makerswomen) when I found their feature of Nadya Okamoto, PERIOD’s Executive Director, and PERIOD.
What motivated you to join the movement?
PERIOD’s focus on “education, advocacy, and service” through the menstrual movement motivated me to join. Although periods are part of so many of our lives — it’s universal — they can also be personal and feel isolating, whether it’s a stigma or a lack of access to menstrual products. As someone who has experienced her fair share of period disasters (!), I know the struggles that come with having periods. Much of society still views periods as somehow shameful. But the PERIOD movement turns obstacles such as period stigma into opportunities. The movement demonstrates that by accepting and embracing biology, we can better appreciate ourselves for who we are. Nadya’s story and PERIOD’s mission are extraordinary.
Why do you want to bring the movement to Japan? And why now?
By discussing periods openly, I believe that women in Japan can live more safely and confidently. Bringing this movement to Japan is to introduce a culture of open-mindedness and empowerment that we deserve.
In a patriarchal society like Japan, a narrative against women prevails: that we are not in control of our own bodies and that we are at fault if they are sexually assaulted or objectified (although this is not always explicitly acknowledged.) But this PERIOD movement sends a powerful message that we, women, are in control of our bodies, decisions, and lives. No matter how society overhauls a system, ultimately, it’s our mindset and culture that will make a difference. And that’s why we need this movement to come to Japan.
What plans do you have for the Tokyo chapter? What do you hope to achieve?
Through PERIOD @ Tokyo, I plan to work with my team to host conferences and workshops to raise awareness about periods and the PERIOD movement. With our team, I also plan to cut the tampon tax by changing the law; currently, menstrual products are not part of the reduced tax rate. The Japanese government should really cut the tampon tax…before we bleed on them.
For Waseda, I also hope to establish a women’s center in which we can have access to free menstrual products and other resources. It’s something I had access to when I studied abroad, which was reassuring and empowering.
At the end of the day, I hope people can feel confident about discussing periods and feel empowered as we learn about our bodies. And this is not just for women; periods are important to discuss no matter our gender!
How can someone join the movement?
They can reach me, Marina Yoshimura, at myoshimura@akane.waseda.jp.