Period Poverty: That Time of The Month

By Ruth Rubin, one of our reporters abroad

“'That time of the month, women's troubles, and her special visitor.”  These are just some of the many euphemisms used to describe the basic, bodily function most women deal with every month:  menstruation.  

But why is there so much secrecy, shame and stigma?  As far back as Biblical times, menstruating women have been regarded as dirty, impure, and social outcasts.  {see “Leviticus 19”.}  In countries such as India and Nepal, some menstruating women are shunned and forced to live outside the family household and cannot even touch food or come into contact with men.  

Sadly, menstruation is still often surrounded by mystery, ignorance, fear, and shame.

As if this is not enough, women's hormonal changes are fobbed off as mere moodiness and an overreaction.  Even today problems like *PMS and *PMDD are not widely recognized.  I should know because I suffer from extreme hormonal mood swings and have been prescribed Valium for my menstrual anxiety.  

Thank God today menstruation and the menopause are becoming less taboo.  Even in the United Kingdom, the National Health Service is wakening up to the fact women need cheaper *HRT and understanding.  There are even attempts being made to allow women menstrual and the menopause leave in the workplace.  About time too!

But what about “period poverty?”  Periods can be embarrassing, painful, and expensive.  Do people really take this into consideration?  Some experts say the average woman in the U.K. spends roughly 5000 pounds in her lifetime on sanitary products.  Of course, female sanitary products are a necessity and not a luxury!  Many women cannot afford sanitary products which are heavily taxed in some countries, including many states in the U.S.A.  

What do women such as the homeless have to do?  Well if they are lucky they have to use toilet paper, paper napkins pilfered from McDonalds or some other establishment, or even just plain rags…

With no access to proper cleaning facilities, many women are forced to use baby wipes.  The limited access and prolonged use of the same sanitary products can lead to infection and even *Fatal Shock Syndrome.  

This is disgraceful! And it could be avoidable—if women could be given dignity and respect!

Recently I watched a documentary on Facebook about women menstruating in the Nazis death camps.  A woman's period is a deeply personal and spiritual time and those women were dehumanized and deeply humiliated.  Rags became like gold dust.  

When I visited the Soviet Union in 1988 I was advised by teachers and friends to take a decent amount of good quality products because they would be hard to come by.

You would think that by 2023 things had moved on!  But “period poverty” is still a global issue.  Women need to be able to manage their periods with dignity.  They need access to cheap or free menstrual products; safe, hygienic spaces to use them; and a society free of shame and stigma. 

With the cost of living crisis, female sanitary products have become more expensive.  It is estimated that over 137,000 young women in the U.K. avoided school last year due to “period poverty,” according to one charity.

Since 2004, many countries have abolished or reduced sales taxes for tampons and pads, including Kenya, Canada, India, Colombia, Australia, Germany, and Rwanda.  Many activists argue the so called “Tampon Tax” discriminates against women.  Periods are not cheap.  

However, in the U.K. on January 1st 2021 Rishi Sunak the then-Chancellor of the Exchequer scrapped the 5% Value Added Tax (VAT) rate on tampons.  There is now a zero rate of VAT applying to women's sanitary products in the U.K.  In other countries campaigns in favor of the abolition of the Tampon tax are gathering momentum.  More policies are aiming for gender equality and protection of the poorest.  

As I have said, sanitary products are a necessity and not a luxury!

It makes me proud to be Scottish, knowing with the introduction of the “Period Products Free Provision Scotland Act of 2021,” everyone in Scotland who menstruates can have reasonably convenient access to period products, and free of charge, available when they are required….

Local councils provide free products in a range of locations, such as schools, colleges, universities and wider public places.  “The Scottish government believes being able to access period products is fundamental to equality and dignity,” declares an official Scots Government declaration.  Even since 2018/2019 the Scottish government has put in place policies to support equality, dignity, and rights for those who menstruate.

I always make sure I donate sanitary products, wipes, and even underwear to the local food bank.  

A few months ago I went on a trip to Glasgow and I felt very guilty when I passed by a homeless woman sitting in a crowd.  I actually had a packet of sanitary towels in my bag and I could have offered them to her.  However, I was very stressed in that throng of people, so I did not.  I believe free sanitary products should be more readily available for women in hospitals, pharmacies, and public toilets.  

The cynical among us might suggest this availability could be abused, but we have yet to see a black market in stolen sanitary products!

When I was 16 years old my first job was working in my uncle's pharmacy.  I can remember for the first few days I was very embarrassed to sell sanitary products but the customers were also embarrassed to purchase them.  I'd always put the products in a paper bag so the customer would be spared any shame!  

Gradually I ended up talking about periods with the women and they really appreciated this.  Periods can be another bonding experience for women.  We can help each other.  

All of that was back in the 1980's.  There is now more awareness and education about these topics and troubles.  Men can even comfortably buy period products to give to women in their lives.  And adverts on the TV for period products are more real.  How times are moving on!  The taboo is fading!

So the next time you pass by or meet a homeless lady then perhaps offer her some sanitary products, underwear, and soap.  These are light to carry and would be greatly appreciated.

What’s more, giving these items to a woman in need shows how much you care!

We all need dignity and respect when menstruating.  But don't get me started on men because I feel sorry for men too.  Razors and shaving equipment are not cheap either and men need help too.  

Personal hygiene is a basic human right !

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Definitions: 

Fatal Shock Syndrome: a condition caused by bacterial toxins… Symptoms may include fever, rash, skin peeling, and low blood pressure…TSS is typically caused by bacteria of the Streptococcus pyogenes or Staphylococcus aureus type, though others may also be involved (Toxic shock syndrome - Wikipedia).

HRT: Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) is a treatment used to relieve symptoms of the menopause. It replaces the female hormones that are at a lower level as you experience the menopause (Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) | NHS inform).

PMS: Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a disruptive set of emotional and physical symptoms that regularly occur in the one to two weeks before the start of each menstrual period (Premenstrual syndrome - Wikipedia).

PMDD: Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is a mood disorder characterized by emotional, cognitive, and physical symptoms that cause significant distress or impairment in menstruating women during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle (Premenstrual dysphoric disorder - Wikipedia).