Make Them Free!
(written by Hailey and Gracie)
published 12.04.20
Hailey:
About 10% of people in the UK have been unable to afford period products, 15% have struggled to afford them, and 19% have changed to a less suitable product due to cost. Scotland has become the first country in the world to make period products free. In the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde area, anyone who wants free condoms can ask for them in locations including pharmacies, colleges, and universities, or they can fill out a request on a card so they do not have to ask verbally. A similar scheme for period products has raised concerns, so that arrangement has been removed from the bill. In some places, including a number of bars and restaurants, they are already provided free of charge by the owners. It’s a gesture of goodwill more than a requirement. Right now, pads, tampons, and some reusable products are financed in schools, colleges, and universities in Scotland!
More countries need to follow Scotland's example and make period products free. Many people who cannot afford products make their own, which can be very unsanitary; no one asked to have a period, so why should we have to pay expensive prices for something outside of our control? The Urban Institute estimates that 3.5 million people, including 1.35 million children are homeless during a given year -- many homeless people and people who are struggling financially do not have enough money to buy these products.
Gracie:
Menstruation, or in other words having a period cycle, is something that over 50% of the population faces. Menstrual products are essential to a woman's health and productivity. Much of the population of menstruating people are forced to stay home from work or school simply because they do not have access to such products vital to their health-- period products. This is primarily a result of economic constraints that so many people face.
This is especially hard on the homeless population. They may very likely have to spend their last $10 on these necessities rather than buying food-- an unfortunate fact that should not be the case. Making tampons/pads free and available is a matter of economic justice and public health. If toilet paper is free and available in public spaces, why shouldn't tampons/pads? Now, of course there are multiple places here in the U.S that do, in fact, provide these things for free, but the fact is that most do not.
FreeTheTampons.org has a great piece written about the counterargument.
"Much of the backlash against free or tax-free menstrual care typically falls into four categories: 'Worry about more important things,' 'Tampons and pads aren't that expensive,' 'It would be too expensive for the government to supply,' and 'Why should taxpayers fund a luxury?'"
"'That's like saying diarrhea is a luxury,' says Nancy Kramer, founder of Free the Tampons, a national initiative to make menstrual products free and accessible in all bathrooms."
So, to that we say: Make them free!
If your workplace, school or institution does not have them free and available, do something about it! Tell someone in power and educate them! Start a petition and have people from there sign it! Making period products free and available is a long-lasting endeavor, but it all starts with a couple of smaller changes. We can do it!