A holistic and intersectional approach to defining period poverty

Define

Period poverty is a global issue affecting all those who menstruate and even those who do not. It is experienced by those who cannot afford or access safe period products due to social, political or financial constraints and therefore cannot menstruate with dignity.

It defines the struggle of affected populations to acquire menstrual products like tampons, menstrual cups, sanitary napkins, underwear and hygienic services as well as functioning toilets, clean water, or even coping methods used to alleviate pain like medicines. It also speaks of the financial fragility of menstruators who not only have to account for the economic burden of affording period products and services, but also have to account for days of lost labour or school due to complications and pain while menstruating. It affects the most marginalised in society; those affected by homelessness, in coercive, controlling and violent relationships and those with other health conditions. Trans and nonbinary menstruators face difficulties and heightened stigma in accessing period products.

Period poverty looks different all over the world. In some communities even before speaking about adequate period products, period poverty includes barriers to sex and menstrual health education and basic hygiene requirements like a functioning toilet with water. In other communities, the struggle could be but is definitely not limited to accessing safe, environmentally-friendly, affordable period products, and financially accounting for the days of lost labour while menstruating. Furthermore, in many parts of the world, certain products, diva cups, tampons, etc are not culturally relevant; in other under-resourced communities there is not consistent access to sanitation or clean water, making reusable items inappropriate and unhealthy. One size does not fit all when it comes to tackling period poverty. Solutions will look different everywhere and models should be locally designed and culturally rooted.

There are five essential elements to achieving period dignity, something that is intrinsic to human dignity for all menstruators. These are:

Affordability of period products
Safe access to period products
Adequate education about menstruation
Product choice
Combating myths and stigmas

Not all women menstruate, and not all people who menstruate are women

Now that we have spoken about period poverty and how it impacts the community we live in, it is important to define who are the ones who are menstruating. ‘Menstruation is a process in which the uterus sheds blood and tissue through the vagina.’ Now this may lead you to believe that only women and girls menstruate, but we believe Kenny Ethan Jones said it best when he said that “Not all women menstruate, and not all people who menstruate are women.” Being a girl/women is a constructed gender identity, not a biological sex, and it is our biological sex that determines wether we menstruate or not. The presence of a uterus determines one's ability to menstruate, and that means that people who identify with any gender identity not just girls/women - in short whoever has a uterus can menstruate.

Non binary, trans men, intersex, queer( please do correct us if we’re not being rightly inclusive) people can mentruate and their gender identity does not interfere with their ability to menstruate.