This International Day of the Girl, we’re talking about period poverty and why it’s an issue of gender equality.
The NDIS revision list has classified period products as "lifestyle-related", alongside vapes, gaming consoles and cinema tickets. This exclusion of period products and reproductive services from eligible NDIS supports not only poses day-to-day complications for people with disabilities to be able to manage their period the way they choose, practice personal care and hygiene and participate in their community, more largely it speaks to the deeply entrenched social stigma around disability and menstruation.
Alternative materials for period management, such as socks, rags or sponges are often unsafe solutions for people, making them vulnerable to severe infection and irritation. They are also less reliable in absorbing menstrual blood, so users often develop anxiety about their menstrual blood leaking through, and staining their clothes, causing people to avoid their day-to-day commitments (such as work or school).
We have also learnt that people will attempt to reuse their tampon by rinsing out the tampon with water, to then reuse it again. Doing this drastically heightens the risk of developing ‘toxic shock syndrome’, a serious and sometimes fatal bacterial infection. In fact, even using a tampon once, as intended, carries risk which is why the recommended use time is strictly no more than 8 hours.
During a menstrual cycle, hormones tend to fluctuate to varying degrees resulting in changes in inflammation, metabolism, muscle activation and body composition. All things that seem to be pretty important to a professional athlete. When combined with cramps and body aches, not knowing the science behind your hormones could make or break a match.
“I didn’t feel like I could talk about why I had to do this. Like so many female athletes I suffered in silence.”
Tampons are designed to expand when they touch liquid, meaning when a tampon is flushed down a toilet, it can expand to multiple times the size of a dry tampon. This can create blockages in the sewerage system, which can not only be expensive to repair but also have serious health implications because of the backflow. Toilet paper is specifically designed to break down almost immediately after making contact with liquid, however, tampons are designed to hold together despite hours of contact with liquid.
“ Just really quickly” my boss says, his eyes flicking to the clock “In a few weeks it’ll be International Women's Day”.
I sighed internally. I really didn't have the energy for what was coming next.
“ Jan, be a sweetheart and get some cupcakes organised again?” He says to me, “We’ve budgeted about $300 for the office.”