Rolling out for the first time, October 19th was marked the official day of an annual rally/movement, in honor of the world’s first #NationalPeriodDay, created by PERIOD.org.
PERIOD.org and National Period Day were created to bring awareness to the issue of period poverty and to demand real change to make period products more accessible for all. This day of observance was also created to bring an ending the #TamponTax.
PERIOD.org founders, Nadya Okamoto and Vincent Forand, started this nonprofit so that women can get access to the period products they need to feel confident and clean every menstruation cycle, no matter their income. Now it’s the largest youth-run nonprofit in women’s health.
Check out our 6 reasons to get involved with National Period Day:
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1. Periods are Painful
The prevalence and impact of heavy menstrual bleeding and menstrual pain are often overlooked as normal features of menstruation. Yet uterine fibroids and endometriosis affect over 20 million women in the U.S. It costs the U.S. billions each year in healthcare costs, loss in productivity, and often take years to even diagnose.
2. It Gets Expensive
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Out of 50 U.S. states, 35 still have a sales tax on period products considering them non-essential items. These states need to be reminded that menstrual hygiene is a right and not a privilege.
3. It's Often Overlooked
1 in 4 women struggles to afford period products due to a lack of income. While struggling with homelessness as a teen, co-founder, Nadya Okamoto discovered the biggest challenge of their living situations: “The unaddressed natural need of periods.”
4. Period Products or a Meal?
In the first city-wide study on period poverty, it was found that 46% of low-income young to old women had to choose between a meal and period products.
5. It's Not Talked About
Because of the period stigma that makes menstruation a taboo topic, we don’t often think about what it’s like for a homeless or low-income woman to get their period, and don’t have open conversations about period health or solutions to end period poverty.
6. It's a Movement!
National Period Day isn’t only just a day or rally, it a movement that has, since 2014, been serving menstruators who are in need by distributing tampons, pads and menstrual cups.
By running educational workshops to change the way people think, talk, and learn about periods, this organization is not only paving a new lane in women's health conversations, but is also continuing to lead the fight for systemic change towards menstrual equity.
To learn more about National Period Day, visit PERIOD.org.
Tia Muhammad, BS, is an award-winning freelance content & media creative, copywriter, blogger, digital designer, and marketing consultant. She owns the boutique content and digital media company, jackieGLDN|studio
