Food or tampons: what would you do if faced with this choice? Would you rather starve or rather bleed? A dilemma that affects too many people in Germany. Period poverty touches on a taboo subject that deserves more attention.
For years there has been a figure in the media about how much a menstruating person’s period is supposed to cost in the course of their life: around 20,000 euros. Other estimates come to around 15,000 or 7,000 euros. The basis for these numbers is shaky, but the fact remains: menstrual periods cause costs – in the form of tampons, sanitary towels, pads, menstrual cups, sometimes painkillers and the odd new pair of underpants.
For most of those affected, it is no big deal to put a pack of tampons for 3 or 4 euros in the shopping basket. But there are people in Germany for whom 3 or 4 euros make a difference. People who live on basic security or unemployment benefit 2 or people without a permanent address, for example. The latter in particular can often hardly afford menstrual products.
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Period poverty affects millions
“For these people that means having to make the decision: Can I buy food, use the emergency shelter for the night or do I prefer to buy menstrual products?” Explains the psychologist Gesa Luise Rittinghaus. She is co-founder of the association Periodic System eVwho campaigns against period poverty. The mission: “End period poverty”.
Period poverty is often made worse when people feel ashamed to ask for help. (Photo: CC0 Public Domain / Unsplash – Annika Gordon) Rittinghaus and her colleagues do educational work on the topic of cycle and period, but above all distribute tampons, sanitary towels and incontinence pads to women in emergency shelters. They assume a roughly estimated 2,500 menstruating homeless people in Berlin alone. Even if it is extremely difficult to record, extrapolations range up to 100,000 people affected across Germany.
Period poverty affects millions of people worldwide – with far-reaching consequences. Because they do not have access to sensible hygiene products or clean water, around millions of girls are regularly forced to absent from school and thus ultimately have fewer opportunities for education. In addition, there are health consequences for menstruating who cannot use hygienic period products.
The period as a health risk
The latter problem in particular also affects people in this country who do not have access to period products. The main factor is that they simply have no money for tampons or sanitary towels. The social taboo of the topic of menstruation makes it more difficult – and leads not only to the homeless, but also to schoolchildren and people with low incomes, that they have to get by without the right products.
“There are people who make do with handkerchiefs, rags, towels or even socks during their period,” says Rittinghaus. “Or they leave tampons in the body for far too long.” That alone is unhealthy; In addition, hand washing is not always possible for the homeless (which is why menstrual cups are less suitable than sanitary towels). So the period becomes a health risk for some people affected. Rittinghaus tells of menstruating with infections and toxic shock syndrome.
Hygienic period products are essential, as is water for hand washing. Not having access to it poses a health risk. (Photo: © Colourbox.de) Period poverty is a problem that largely takes place in secret. On the one hand, the people who are most likely to have difficulties with this do not have a strong lobby – for example, the homeless, poor people and schoolchildren: inside. On the other hand, menstruation is rarely talked about in public in 2021, as the topic is still fraught with disgust, shame or simply disinterest.
When Scotland announced 2020To offer free period products in public facilities, quite a few cis-men expressed their indignation online: Where are the free razors for men? This shows a fundamental problem of perception: hygiene products are a (often time-critical) necessity for menstruating, such as food, water and toilet paper. They aren’t razors.
“Tampons should be as normal as toilet paper”
In addition to supplying people in need with period products, the Periodic System Association also advocates clarification, normalization and de-tabooing of the topic of periods, gives workshops at schools and offers information online. Because only both together – removal of taboos and access to free or inexpensive menstrual products – can end period poverty at some point. In addition to Scotland, New Zealand and France are also doing the latter: with free period products in public toilets, in schools or universities.
Free pads and tampons in public toilets could help end period poverty. (Photo: CC0 Public Domain / Pixabay – Irina Ilina) Gesa Luise Rittinghaus also wants tampons and sanitary towels in schools free of charge. And not just there. She finds:
“It goes without saying that every toilet should have tampons and sanitary towels. You don’t expect guests to bring their own toilet paper either. Tampons should be as normal as toilet paper. “
Petition against period poverty
The periodic table is not the only organization that publicly fights against period poverty: the aid organization Social Period from Berlin also supplies the needy with period products – with the help of donation boxes in drugstores and supermarkets in Berlin.
Social period even has a petition launched – for free access to menstrual products in public places. The appeal: “We demand from the Federal Minister for Women, Franziska Giffey, that menstrual products are freely available in all public institutions in Germany!”
Read more on Techzle.com:
- Usually better: Alternatives to ob, Always & Co.
- Nutrition in the cycle: the right nutrition for every phase of the cycle
- Period underwear: how recommendable are period panties?
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