The conversation around period poverty has never been more frank. From MP Daniella Rowley announcing she was on her period in the House of Commons (amen), to the Girl Guides introducing their first ever period poverty campaign badge. And with local supermarket giants Tesco and Waitrose dropping the 5% tampon tax, menstruation is clearly having a mainstream moment.
Driven by young female activists, such as Amika George, the 18-year-old behind the dynamic #FreePeriods campaign (who ELLE interviewed last year), there are now many ways to fly the red flag. With one in ten young women aged 14 – 21 unable to afford sanitary protection, this is just the beginning of the conversation around periods, and a wider acknowledgment of the true cost of being a woman.
As well as donating sanitary products to your local food bank, there are other ways you can get involved with the fight to end period poverty. We’ve rounded up the events that are helping smash the stigma around women talking openly about their bodies.
Period Poverty: A Bloody Big Issue
2 North Down in Kings Cross, London
11th August 1-4pm
Ever feel like you don’t fully understand the facts and why there’s still stigma surrounding period politics? This is the place to go and get clued up. Expect a line-up of interactive pop-ups giving advice on how to engage with campaigns and drop-in workshops - including how to make a reusable sanitary pad. Also go see a panel discussion from some of the UK’s biggest campaigners, such as Hey Girls!, The Red Box Project, Bloody Good Period and Girlguiding. Run by the youth-led Restless Development group, the Bloody Big Issue event is free, but donations are welcome.
Register here.
Freedom 4 Girls: Sanitary Kit Making
Inkwell Arts, Leeds
First Saturday of every month
This one’s all about going with the flow and combining your handy skills with creative flare to make reusable sanitary kits for those who can’t afford them. Think arts and crafts meets women on a mission. Tina Leslie, founder of Freedom 4 Girls explained how simple the process is, so you can’t be put off: 'No sewing experience necessary,' she says, 'We make up and sew the kits in advance so people can just cut out, iron, pack, and put press-studs [the sticky label fastenings] on to finish.'
Not only do Freedom 4 Girls make these reusable sanitary kits for young women in the UK, but they also send them abroad, so your efforts will be felt overseas too.
More details can be found here.
The Bloody Big Brunch
Manchester
8th September
If you love to brunch, then this is definitely for you. An afternoon at the Bloody Big Brunch consists of cocktails – Bloody Mary’s, of course – drag acts and DJs, all yours in exchange for sanitary products, so you’re essentially ‘paying with pads’. The Big Brunch works in partnership with Hey Girls!, a buy-one-give-one sanitary towel social enterprise, that helps disadvantaged girls and young women, by donating a free box of towels for every box sold.
Event organiser Lee Beattie is on a mission to end the stigma around periods by simply having a brunch, 'Aunt Flo, the blob, on the rag – we all have our nicknames for that time of the month. But it’s time to remove the taboo of talking about periods so we can talk about period poverty.'
And there’s more to come with plans to announce an ambassador and a wider national campaign at their Manchester event. Look out for where the Bloody Big Brunch will pop up next…
Follow @BloodyBigBrunch on Twitter for the latest on their next event.
Every Month: A Bloody Great Campaign
Manchester
20th September, 4pm
After two years creating up to 300 period packs per month for food banks, Every Month is throwing its own party to celebrate registering as an official charity this summer. As well as appearing at The Bloody Big Brunch, they’re also setting up an alternative freshers’ fair to tie in with the start of term for curious students to get on board with the campaign. Sign up for donations or offer up your time to join this most excellent cause.
Get involved here.
