Skip to main content

Free Flow Fast Facts: Period Poverty


By Hannah Jackson.

Period poverty affects 1 in 10 menstruators in the UK, whilst only 12% of those who experience periods in India have access to safe menstrual products. There are a number of similarities contributing to the figures from the UK and India, such as cultural taboos and shame, high taxation on period products, and a lack of education surrounding menstruation. Period poverty is absolutely grounded in misogyny and economic patriarchy, under which the tampon tax allows for menstrual products to be taxed as a luxury whilst the so called ‘pink tax’ adds more tax to feminine marketed products such as razors. Although the UK has committed to scrapping the 5% tax on period products from 2021, with the economic fallout as a result of the pandemic many charities have reported a surge in people experiencing period poverty; Leeds based charity Freedom4Girls reported 15 times the usual amount of aid being requested since March, and predict this figure will continue to rise. With this, it is important to understand period poverty, what contributes to it and ways we can all fight it.
 The realities of period poverty are harrowing; from missing school or permanently dropping out, to jeopardizing health by using unsafe products, to having to decide between buying food or menstrual products. Around the world those affected by period poverty are forced to choose between their period and living their life as usual, some whilst not knowing what is happening to them due cultural shame and a lack of education surrounding menstruation. There are a number of ways to challenge this and support those experiencing period poverty, such as donating menstrual products to charities such as Bloody Good Period or supporting social enterprises like ourselves, as well as signing and sharing petitions aiming to make governments aware of the issue and enforce change. 
 Free Flow is committed to challenging all forms of period poverty and bringing about change. This is why we asked our followers for input on the cost of our pads, whilst ensuring our profits would go to supporting menstruators in India. We are proud to be among the companies fighting to change taboos and inequalities surrounding periods.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Transgender Awareness and Period Inclusivity

  Transgender Awareness week is celebrated between the 13 th   and 19 th   of November, culminating in the Transgender Day of Remembrance on the 20 th   of November. It is always a great time to shed light on the topic of period inclusivity, but it is especially so now. Period inclusivity is defined as ‘the recognition that while periods are a biological process, gender isn’t fixed and assigned at birth’. One of the issues that the transgender community faces is exclusionary language and attitudes when it comes to menstrual hygiene, even if this is unintentional.   It is important that we are able to separate gender identity from the strictly biological process of menstruation. Whatever gender an individual identifies as has no bearing on menstruation. The fact is that it is not only women who menstruate and not all women do menstruate. Transgender males, non-binary people, and ciswomen may also menstruate. Transgender women and nonbinary people may not menstrua...
Post a Comment
Read more

Sea sponge tampons – are they safe?

  As we talk more and more about the importance of sustainability, reusable and natural period products gain on popularity, among them sea sponge tampons.  What are the sea sponge tampons?  Also called menstrual Sponges and Period Sponges, they work exactly like traditional tampons. They are worn inside the body to absorb menstrual flow. They are made from sea sponges, which are living organisms, that grow in the oceans. Depending on the flow, one sponge can be used for up to 8 hours.  How to use them?  Always sanitize a sea sponge tampon before the first use and wash your hands before inserting it. Put the tampon in warm often so it gets softer and then squeeze it to get rid of water. When the sponge is soft squish it and carefully insert it.  The sea sponge tampons are easy to put in for majority of menstruating people, but you can add a small drop of organic oil on a sponge to make the process even more comfortable.  How to clean and store sea ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Period Poverty Among Refugee Women

According to the UNHCR there are at least 82.4 million people in the world who are displaced. Of these 20.7 million are refugees and 4.1 million are asylum-seekers. Women make up half of these people. In their struggle to leave their homes for safety, sanitary products are often an after-thought. However, these specific need not be overlooked in emergencies by aid organisations as women do not stop menstruating in a crisis and their needs must be met. Although according to research there is an improvement in the matter, there is still more that can be done, especially with the fact that most decision-makers are men.   A study by Global One found that in camps in Syria and Lebanon, almost 60 percent of women didn’t even have access to underwear, with more yet lacking access to period products. This leads to these women resorting to use alternatives such as old rags or tissue to manage their period. However, the issue is not limited to the lack of access to sanitary products. In such...
Post a Comment
Read more