Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

VIEWPOINT: Menstruation Deserves Attention. Period.

When you see a person begging on the street, how do you feel? Most of us are able to empathize, at least on some level, with being cold or hungry. But how many of us can sympathize with the feeling of blood soaking our underwear?

Nearly half of the global population will never have a period, and even many of us who do still often fail to realize the full ramifications of periods for many women. Once a month, homeless women have to devise a way to address their periods.  Some will choose between buying food or a tampon.  Those who cannot afford tampons frequently use socks, cardboard or newspaper in place of a pad. Practices like these are not only extremely dangerous to their health but are also debilitating and humiliating.

All women should have access to feminine hygiene products that are safe and effective. Currently, those who are poor or homeless are disproportionately affected by the consequences of poor access to these key medical supplies. As such, the Georgetown Period Empowerment Project is dedicated to not only raising awareness around “period poverty” but also to providing clean and safe feminine hygiene products to the homeless population of Washington, D.C.

Access to feminine hygiene products — and the knowledge about how to use them safely — is not a luxury but rather a right. Yet it is impossible for us to advocate this cause effectively if our nation continues to shy away from publicly discussing this topic.

One of the most significant obstacles to tackling this issue is the stigma against the topic of menstruation in modern American culture; our country’s disdain for discussing periods has kept us from addressing many of the issues that surround feminine hygiene.

For instance, the Food and Drug Administration does not legally regulate the safety of the materials used in pads and tampons. Without proper regulation, these products could pose serious dangers to the health of women, such as greater risks of toxic shock syndrome, a condition that occurs when toxic chemicals in tampons are absorbed into the bloodstream.  In this way, the FDA signals its apathy to the health of female consumers, and we, as a nation, are too shy to speak out about the issue and effect change.

The lack of regulation is not the only way in which the market disadvantages women on their periods. The tampon tax is another issue that has gained awareness in the past few years. Many states that levy a sales tax exclude certain items, such as food and medical necessities, from being taxed. Tampons, however, fall into the “luxury” category and are thus not exempt from this tax. As a result, women are currently forced to pay sales tax on feminine hygiene products in 38 states and the District of Columbia, though D.C. will begin exempting feminine hygiene products from sales tax beginning next month. The office of California Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia, who has led the charge against the tampon tax, estimated that the tax brought approximately $20 million into the state annually.

Although the complexities of the tax code make this issue difficult to address, the mere fact that tampons have been categorized as a luxury — rather than as a medical necessity — shows where our nation stands in regard to the experience of menstruation.  Women should not have to choose between paying extra or forfeiting their right to a product that will keep them clean and safe.

Nevertheless, the issues of the tampon tax and nonexistent FDA regulation are largely irrelevant to women who cannot afford these products in the first place. A lack of access to feminine hygiene products undoubtedly feeds into the cycle of poverty and homelessness. Because she does not feel comfortable going outside with blood staining her pants, a homeless woman might skip out on a week’s worth of potential job interviews. She might spend her entire life savings on a medical bill to treat toxic shock syndrome from using a sock as a pad. She might be arrested for illegally selling her food stamps for cash to purchase tampons.

Each of these scenarios inhibits a woman from ascending out of poverty, and each can be avoided if we accept the necessity of safe, accessible feminine hygiene products. First, we have to learn how to talk about periods. Only by breaking this cultural stigma can we make work to solve the injustices associated with periods.

The Georgetown Period Empowerment Project hopes to take the first steps to address this stigma on Saturday, Sept. 30 in the Kennedy Multipurpose Room, where you can help us pack feminine hygiene supplies for D.C. homeless shelters.

Piper Donaghu is a senior in the College.

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