[ad_1]
Birmingham, 25 January (Dialogue) More than 2.8 billion people lack access to safe sanitation. One-third of the world’s population does not have a toilet.
This broad international problem is related to poverty, deprivation and environmental risks. It also provides context for the struggles of women and girls around the world coping with their periods. At least 500 million women and girls lack access to adequate menstrual management facilities.
“Period poverty” describes the barriers, ranging from the cost of hygiene supplies and access to toilets, to being excluded from activities ranging from classes to sports. But the challenges don’t stop there.
Research shows that menstruation is still considered a taboo topic in communities shaped by repressive patriarchal systems. Shame and embarrassment ensues. Also, when you’re young and just getting used to menstruating, as Australian communication design expert Jane Connory demonstrates, commercials that are sexually overt or imply the need to keep your period a secret can be detrimental of.
Why free products are only part of the solution
In the UK, it is estimated that as many as 49% of girls are out of school due to menstruation. This seems to be mainly related to the cost of regular products. The simple solution here is to make this content accessible and free.
Of the four countries in the UK, Scotland in particular is taking steps towards this. Following a successful pilot scheme in Aberdeenshire, the Scottish Government made menstrual products free to people from low-income households across the country in 2018.
However, research shows that money is only part of the problem. Many women and girls are socially disadvantaged and there is a severe lack of information and education about menstruation.
When shame about an issue causes people to be reluctant to search for the information they need, to their own detriment. The embarrassment is compounded by a lack of adequate sex education, which is usually only taught to girls.
Up to half of girls in the UK are embarrassed about their periods and lack support from schools, research has shown.
According to Sex Education Forum, a charity that focuses on relationships and sex education, a quarter of young women don’t know about their period until they get it, and that number appears to be rising. This could be further impacted by the pandemic lockdown and resulting school closures.
As taboos and entrenched stigma persist in wider society, girls and women may be forced to lie about their periods in order to avoid certain activities, such as gym class. This seems to stem from a time in history when it was considered a medical problem rather than a positive sign of the reproductive system and the body’s natural functioning.
Opening up trans dialogue in relationships and improving sex education in schools is critical. But businesses also have many questions to answer.
How Companies Can Make Things Worse
Misleading ad campaigns that seem designed to break down stigma often inadvertently contribute to it. This exacerbates the stigma surrounding periods.
In November 2022, Tampax US deleted a tweet from its official account apologizing for “messing up” and disrespecting others while promising to “do better.”
The tweet read: “You’re in their DM. We’re in it. We’re not the same,” which was particularly infuriating because it appeared to sexualize tampon use, citing a post on social media. A metaphor for “sliding into” someone’s DMs – messaging them directly as a flirting tactic.
The news was reminiscent of a Dr White’s ad from the 70s, in which women wore bikinis and underwear to promote hygiene products. In the ’80s, Tampax used scantily clad preteen girls to advertise its products.
Decades passed, and in 2015, advertisers for Thinx period pants opted for images of half-grapefruits and runny eggs that suggested female anatomy.
Ads that try to make hygiene products fun and edgy often link menstruation with sex. That’s because periods are lucrative for companies that make disposable products like tampons and pads, as well as sell sex products.
However, some girls start menstruating as early as age 9, making this sexualization of period products even more damaging. Research has shown that the common age at which menstruation begins is indeed very early, anywhere from ten years old.
What’s more, this type of ad uses language that empowers women and girls, thereby making it clear that menstruation is something to be ashamed of. It also neatly steers clear of low-cost products like menstrual cups, washable pads and period pants.
A common misconception is that period poverty is only a problem during menstruation.
Many men and those who do not menstruate are also affected, either through the financial impact on household budgets of purchasing disposable products, or the indirect impact of missed school and workdays on the wider class or workforce.
For many women and girls, menstruation can lead to isolation and negatively affect their sense of self-esteem and dignity. Free period products and being able to process your period without shame or restrictions should be a basic human right. (dialogue)
(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from a Syndicated News feed, the content body may not have been modified or edited by LatestLY staff)
[ad_2]
Source link