Shame about Periods makes it Harder to Bleed in Poverty

Jess Helicopter - 20 May 19

What is Period Poverty?

Period Poverty is when you simply can’t afford sanitary protection during your period. You basically have nothing to mop up the blood with. We now live in an economic climate where people have to rely on food banks to meet their basic needs. So if people are hitting food banks for the food on their plate, where are they getting sanitary pads and tampons? Simple answer, they’re not. They’re staying at home missing out on education or work or even just a normal social life, that those not in poverty take for granted.

This is your friend being held back from a full education because she has to stay home one week, once a month. This is your colleague getting a disciplinary because she can’t come to work on those days. This is ridiculous.

Sanitary protection should be free. Toilet paper is free, so why aren’t pads? Every public establishment you go into has is toilet paper. Loos in shops, pubs, theatres, beaches, parks, museums. The toilet paper is free. Why aren’t pads and tampons? *someone whispers* because men don’t need them???

Period Shame.

As young girls we are taught about periods either from our mums, care givers, teachers or girl friends. It was always in hushed secret tones, a thing of privacy and embarrassment. One of my mortal fears as a teen was leaking in class. And I was in a girl’s school!  I would desperately clutch at the back of my skirt every time I stood up to make sure that the slightly damp feeling was sweat and not the dreaded blood! Imagine having getting up in a classroom filled with boys with BLOOD ALL OVER YOUR BUM!

Teenage girls find all sorts of ridiculous things embarrassing, your dad doing the Floss, people who still like Zoella, your favourite 90s boy band etc. But they sure as heck don’t need to be thinking a normal bodily function is embarrassing.

I am going to say a Feminist cliché thing, but bear with, the reason is: internalised misogyny. Men want women to look pretty and smell nice. ALL of them. This is also why there is an entire supermarket aisle dedicated to feminine products to make the foof more palatable. For them. Because there aren’t any “balls and bum crack” hygiene aisles as far as I know?

Men’s opinions of women’s hygiene (and perceived lack thereof) is a big part of why period shame exists. We are taught to think it’s gross and smelly. And I will be super honest here….I thought this too. But I’ve got over myself. I’ve realised we’ve been conditioned to think it’s grim and I am not putting up with it!

Luckily there does seem to be a growing awareness of the problem. The BBC recently reported on it  and there are increasing numbers of charities popping up to help address the problem.

There are ways YOU can help too. You can donate sanitary products, most supermarkets have a big food bank donation bin near the exit. If you’re interested in donating more than that, head over the Red Box Project to find out more.

And there are also lots of companies who make fantastic reusable cloth pads which not only tackle long term cost but also are much more environmentally sound. Laura from Proud Pad’s says that for every 5 pads she sells, she donates one. And Becca from Silly Panda Co, ever mindful of trans awareness, points out that she has pads that discreetly popper into boxers because not all bleeders are women, which is a brilliant point.

So my plea to you is, next time you’re doing your weekly shop, please consider donating some products to the bleeders who are housebound and missing out on work/school. And perhaps challenge yourself to view periods as just a thing that happens, that can be sore or inconvenient but not a gross.

We will overcome period shame and period poverty so that future generations of bleeders don’t even think twice about it.

Jess Helicopter

Jess is a wine-addled, social media tart, feminist (does this need to be said?!) and chronic over sharer. She lives in Cardiff with her husband, children and some cats. Half heartedly trying to carve out a career by fancying herself as a bit of writer.

View profile for posts, events and more info