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.

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