Period Poverty is not having access to affordable period products such as pads and tampons. Sometimes kids will miss school due to not being able to properly take care of themselves during menstruation.

Periods have been extremely stigmatized. Most people feel uncomfortable talking about them, and won’t advocate for themselves when they need help relating to their cycle.

Period have also been gendered. The dictionary defines menstruation as “the process in a woman of discharging blood and other materials from the lining of the uterus at intervals of about one lunar month from puberty until menopause, except during pregnancy.” Women are not the only people who experience periods. A lot of AFAB (Assigned Female At Birth) people as well as some intersex people menstruate. The implication that all people who have periods are female is everywhere regarding products and health.

Genderqueer people face a variety of challenges and oppression in their daily lives. This can range from depressing news about bans on gender affirming care, to figuring out how to deal with having a period while using the men’s bathroom.

Due to the cisnormative and societal constructs of gender, genderqueer people often feel their dysphoria and/or depression worsen when on their period. On top of that, they have to deal with having period products and using them in unaccommodating bathrooms. Men’s bathrooms do not have little trash cans in stalls for used products.

Solutions for everyone experiencing period poverty are being introduced. A possible bill in Minnesota (the ‘cannot learn while we are leaking’ bill) would put free period products in school bathrooms for grades 4-12.

Not having accessible period products can lead to unsafe use and possible harm to our bodies. So many people experience period poverty, and as a result damage to their menstrual health. Having access to safe products is essential and a right for everyone.

Putting period products in all bathrooms, including men’s bathrooms, would be great for everyone. Having non-menstruating people see pads and tampons out in plain sight would help to destigmatize periods, as well as open conversations about something so many people experience. There really isn’t any harm to doing this.

Including genderqueer people in the fight for accessible period products is crucial. We need to avoid gendered language such as labeling pads and tampons as “feminine products”, and include everyone who menstruates in this movement.

Schools are a great place to start providing free period products because students shouldn’t have to miss school if they don’t have what they need. Class time should be able to be prioritized above having period products.

I wanted to include a list of books that teach inclusive information about periods, but a quick google search revealed that pretty much all titles are gendered. Most books seem to be something along the lines of “a girls guide to”. Comment if you’ve read anything good and inclusive about periods!