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Period. End of Sentence: Menstruation in Rural Areas.
By Zoe Duni
August 13th, 2020 at 6:11 PM EST
Most people are filled with confusion and horror when they start their period. They wonder what may be wrong and start to panic.
Any fears are eventually put to rest when a family member explains what changes their body is going through and offers them menstrual products.
Although this may seem like a normal thing to go through, not everyone has the same experience. Many people around the world, especially in rural areas, are not taught enough about periods and are ostracized by their community members.
Period. End of Sentence is a 2018 Academy Award-winning short film directed by Rayka Zehtalochi. This film focuses on the stigma permeating certain communities around menstruation and the efforts being made to counter it. It takes place in Hapur, a rural village in India, where pads are unheard of. Some people interviewed said that they only saw them on TV, and others that did see them in stores said they couldn’t afford them.
One female interviewee described how she struggled with menstruation in school. She explained, “The cloth I was using became so wet, I had to keep going out of my way to change it” (Period. End of Sentence). Since it was so difficult for her to keep changing clothes all the time, she dropped out after a year. If she had just had access to hygiene products, she could have completed her education.
In addition to the costliness and unavailability of hygiene products, menstruation is an uncomfortable topic in those rural areas. For example, the film showed a pit filled with blood-stained clothes that were secretly discarded. Since periods are highly stigmatized, menstruating individuals threw these clothes into the pit at night to avoid detection. One woman mentioned that dogs “dig them out sometimes… It’s very embarrassing” (Period. End of Sentence).
Several women also stated that when pads are sold, it’s awkward to buy them because men are present. It may not seem significant, but in these smaller, poorer places, the topic of menstruation is highly stigmatized and not openly discussed.
In some cases, periods can even be demonized. Menstruating individuals are not allowed to enter temples while on their period, and are told not to pray to the gods. “The elders in the house say that the prayer isn’t heard, no matter how much you pray” (Period. End of Sentence). It’s not fair for them to be barred from praying just because of an uncontrollable, natural bodily process.
Many people in the village are not educated about periods. A group of young boys asked about them ignorantly questioned “...like a class period?” (Period. End of Sentence). People must be informed about menstruation because if they aren’t, it can prevent others who do menstruate from getting the resources they need.
The second half of the film is centered around a company called Fly. Fly is dedicated to bringing more absorbent pads to those in need, whether it’s in stores or in people’s neighborhoods. Lots of villagers were hired to work for the company and they were able to make a living. One woman, Sneha, was eventually able to pay for her training with the Delhi police force using the money she made.
Another woman was able to buy things for her family: “My younger brother came to visit. I bought him a suit and told him, ‘Usually it’s the brother who gives his sister a gift, but today a sister will give a gift to her brother’ ” (Period. End of Sentence).
Men also became more active as some of them started working and making pads as well. The aforementioned woman who had dropped out of school got a job and said, “I gained respect in the eyes of my husband, since I was producing instead of sitting idle at home. It feels good” (Period. End of Sentence).
The power of solidarity cannot be underestimated. When communities come together to help others, the effects are felt everywhere.
One community that advocates for menstrual equity is Period.
Period is a non-profit organization that distributes sanitary products to the less fortunate. It was founded in 2014 by two high school students, Nadya Okamoto and Vincent Forand
As described in the documentary, we stand to educate about menstruation and deliver hygiene products in our own community.
We believe everyone has a right to these products and we are here to help others get any resources required despite the obstacles they face.
Join us and take action with the Montgomery County Period Chapter today!
Graphic by Stella Koch.
Period Poverty is Getting Worse: Here’s Why
By Sadhana Gupta-Pateriya
July 27, 2020 at 12:40 PM EST
On June 27th, members of PERIOD @ Montgomery County gathered to help a cause that has become increasingly more prevalent due to current events: period products, or the lack thereof. Period poverty is an issue that low-income communities have faced for generations. It refers to inadequate access to menstrual products, washing facilities, and ability to dispose of said products. During the global pandemic that we are currently facing, this problem has only worsened.
A study done by the organization Plan International, surveyed health professionals from 30 countries and found that the effects of COVID-19 have been detrimental on period poverty. 73% of the health professionals stated that restricted access due to shortages or disrupted supply chains was the most significant problem. 68% believed restricted access to places to change, clean, and dispose of period products was the most prevailing issue. Finally, 58% stated that period poverty grew during quarantine because the prices of menstrual products increased. This survey is only the tip of the iceberg for the multitude of problems that contribute to an increase in widespread period poverty. This is why organizations such as MoCo Period are becoming more important than ever. It is imperative to raise both awareness and money for the large portion of people who menstruate but lack access to period products.
Our club has achieved both during the lockdown, as we had our first packing party of menstrual products on the morning of the 27th. Ensuring the safety of those present came first; masks, gloves, and social distancing were mandatory. The packing party was a success, with MoCo Period packing upwards of 200 bags! Each bag had six pads, nine tampons, and a personalized note to humanize the person who would receive it. Every single one of these bags has gone to homeless shelters and those who need menstrual products the most.
Graphic by Stella Koch.
The Forgotten DISREGARDED Members of the Menstrual Community
A phrase that speaks volumes by acknowledging not all who menstruate
identify as “female”.
(Image: @thisisatampon via Instagram)
By Obse Abebe
July 13, 2020 at 1:00 PM EST
Despite what society has led you to believe, cisgender women aren’t the only ones who menstruate.
To be cisgender, or cis, means to identify with the gender you were assigned at birth. However, not everyone is cis. Some individuals identify as transgender, non-binary, agender, genderfluid, etc. Although these phrases mean different things, they all represent individuals who have embraced their true gender identity. Not only do these individuals fall under the umbrella term of “genderqueer,” but some also menstruate!
In our world today, there is already a great deal of stigma surrounding menstruation. However, even when menstruation is discussed or advertised, there’s still a severe lack of inclusivity. Under the original stigma around menstruation, there lies an even more insidious stigma against genderqueer individuals who menstruate.
Many advertisements for menstrual products only depict what seems to be cis females using menstrual products. Then in the media, when menstruation is finally mentioned, it’s mostly associated with cis females. There are even companies producing menstrual products with images that are associated with the female gender, such as the female sex symbol. This gives people who menstruate and don’t identify as female a sense of gender dysphoria.
It has also conditioned us to disregard the genderqueer individuals who menstruate. And while some are unintentionally ignorant, others are blatantly intolerant. J.K. Rowling, the author of Harry Potter, falls in this category as shown by her recent tweets from June 6, 2020. Rowling wrote: “‘People who menstruate.’ I’m sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?”
Despite the backlash Rowling received, she still stood by her words in an online essay and supported “single-sex spaces.” She refused to acknowledge the other members of the menstrual community such as transgender men, non-binary people, genderfluid people, etc. This intolerance of hers fed into the disregard and stigma against genderqueer individuals who menstruate.
That’s why it’s imperative that the menstrual or “period” movement is inclusive and fights for everyone who menstruates. We can’t combat menstrual poverty and/or menstrual stigma until we acknowledge that blood has no gender. This can be done in many ways:
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Use gender-neutral language when talking about menstruation.
Don’t refer to menstruation as a “female thing” or a “woman thing” and don’t say “female hygiene products.” Use gender-neutral language and/or don’t even mention gender. You can say “period products” or “menstrual products.” And despite J.K. Rowling’s tweet, say “people who menstruate” or “individuals who menstruate.” This may be hard at first, but keep correcting yourself and others.
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Promote gender-neutral menstrual products and call out companies.
Some individuals, such as transgender men and non-binary people, experience gender dysphoria because of their menstruation. That’s why we must promote menstrual products that lack the female sex symbol and other excessive features alluding to the female gender. And especially spread the word about inclusive menstrual products, such as boxer-styled menstrual underwear. Also, make sure you call out certain menstrual product companies. Call out companies that only advertise their menstrual products with cis female models or actors. Call out companies that decorate their menstrual products with the female sex symbol or other excessive features alluding to the female gender. Make petitions against them, criticize them publicly, start hashtags, boycott their products, etc. Get your peers, friends, and family to help you check companies that aren’t being inclusive. This will work because it’s been done before! In June 2019, a teenager named Ben Saunders called out the Always brand for their placement of the female sex symbol on their menstrual products. Saunders succeeded because Always removed the female sex symbol from their products. This proves that speaking up, whether to promote products or to call out companies, can accomplish great things.
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Advocate for more inclusive menstrual legislation.
Proposing and passing laws is one of the most effective ways to create the change we wish to see. That’s why we must advocate for more inclusive menstrual legislation. This doesn’t just mean proposing and/or advocating for laws that remove taxes on menstrual products. It also means advocating to make menstrual products more accessible to everyone who needs them. We must propose and/or advocate for laws that require buildings to put free menstrual products and sanitary bins in bathrooms. And make sure the products aren’t only available in the female bathrooms, but also in the male bathrooms and gender-neutral bathrooms. This ensures anyone, regardless of gender, can still access menstrual products.
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Respect boundaries.
Keep in mind that not everyone wants to talk about this topic. There are individuals, such as transgender men and non-binary people, who experience gender dysphoria due to their menstruation. Because everyone has different feelings about their menstruation, we must respect boundaries. If you discover that someone doesn’t want to talk about their menstruation, then leave them alone. And even if someone is willing to talk about their menstruation, don’t make any disrespectful remarks. Be cautious of your words and actions. More importantly, if you yourself struggle with menstruation and don’t want to talk about it, inform people of your boundaries. You know your comfort zone and if anyone intrudes upon it, check them.
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EDUCATE YOURSELF.
This can’t be emphasized enough. The only way to be a true ally and a true menstrual activist is to educate yourself before educating others. You can’t advocate for anything if you’re ignorant. Read and learn more about gender dysphoria, the menstrual health of the LGBTQIA+ community, etc. Keep educating yourself because you will never be a complete genius who understands everyone. Times change, people change, and menstrual experiences change. Just keep up with that evolution and empower everyone in the menstrual community regardless of their gender identity.
Society’s disregard towards genderqueer individuals who menstruate isn’t new. Activists, some of which are part of the LGBTQIA+ community, have been combatting this issue for a while now. We must join them and lead the menstrual movement towards a more inclusive path. As a cis female myself, I haven’t experienced severe disregard and discrimination like some marginalized members of the menstrual community. But I stand with them and you should too.
I urge you readers to step up and use whatever platform you have to draw attention to this issue. Call out companies. Write articles like this to spread awareness. Check your own implicit bias and ensure others check theirs. Correct ignorance even if it’s your own. Whether you are a MoCo PERIOD member or someone else who stumbled upon this article, be an ally!
Blood has no gender and neither does the menstrual movement. PERIOD.
Graphic by Ting Ting Li.
Period Products Need to be Provided in Public School Bathrooms
By: Sanjana Surendran
One of the most prominent issues faced by those who menstruate is the lack of access to period products. Period poverty is a term used to refer to the inadequate access to period products, including pads, tampons, and menstrual cups. Period poverty also refers to a lack of access to clean water, toilets, and even menstrual hygiene education.
Period products, which include menstrual hygiene products, are essential to those experiencing menstruation; however, many low-income families often struggle with purchasing these products as they can be quite unaffordable. Menstrual hygiene products are also not covered under the U.S. Government’s grocery assistance program, called SNAP, making it even more difficult for low-income families to overcome period poverty. As a result, many of those that need these fundamental items do not have access to them.
Oftentimes, those that don’t have access to standard menstrual hygiene products are forced to use toilet paper, socks, cotton balls, rags, brown paper bags, or anything else they can find to take care of their menstrual needs. This can be extremely detrimental to one’s own health, because period products are essential in maintaining proper menstrual hygiene. Studies have shown that poor menstrual hygiene can lead to reproductive problems and urinary tract infections. Many of those that don’t have regular access to period products may be forced to use limited available period products for long stretches of time. The overuse of a disposable period product can also result in a higher risk for cervical cancer and toxic shock syndrome.
A lack of access to period products can also be a hindrance to a person’s education as well. According to the latest Always Confidence & Puberty Survey, 1 in 5 girls in the United States reported to have left school early or missed school entirely due to a lack of access to pads or tampons. When those that menstruate aren’t able to attain period products, they find it easier to stay at home, which takes time away from their education and ability to reach their full potential at school. Natural processes should not dictate whether a teen has the ability to go to school or not. Periods are a part of being human, and should be looked at as such. Having access to essential period products should be regarded as a human right provided to all of those who menstruate.
Due to these reasons, it is imperative that public schools across America should provide free menstrual hygiene products in their bathrooms. When necessities like toilet paper, hand soap, and paper towels are provided in school bathrooms, it’s only fair to extend that to providing period products as well. States like California, Illinois, and New York have already passed laws making it mandatory for public schools serving grades 6-12 to provide free menstrual products. Thus, the rest of the nation should follow suit, as providing free pads and tampons in schools is a major step in ending period poverty. Those that do not have access to menstrual hygiene products at home would be able to function normally due to the supply at school. Students contemplating whether to sacrifice their education because of a bodily function that they have no control over would benefit from this action. By simply stocking up on pads and tampons in bathrooms, students would be able to practice proper menstrual hygiene without sacrificing their education.
It’s important that we address this issue and show how negative the effects of period poverty can be. Providing period products to those who menstruate is a human right, and period products should be as readily available for free use as toilet paper is. Providing free period products in schools is a simple, yet effective, solution that ensures that all students can practice proper menstrual hygiene and attend school regularly without having to worry about their period.
Sources:
https://always.com/en-us/about-us/end-period-poverty
https://blogs.worldbank.org/education/globally-periods-are-causing-girls-be-absent-school
https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/period-poverty-everything-you-need-to-know/