Should feminine hygiene products be free?

[PeasOff]

What do you think?

Obviously that would then bring up the logistical side of things such as how to get them/how often you get them ect...

This is not true.

Rather than giving out free sanitary products, girls should be given decent period pants to try during secondary school. Best placed after sex education and contraceptive talks. A bit like the good old bounty packs for pregnancy & birth.

For alone, definitely.

You choose to have children, you don’t choose to have periods.

Period poverty is a real issue, and it should be addressed somehow, even if all they do is provide them for teens on FSMs for example.

Saying that some people should be able to access it for free is not the same as saying all sanitary products should be free. It’s good that in many places, in Scotland at least, it’s freely available to those that need it. But I don’t think it should be free to all. If it were, then it would follow that items such as nappies and toilet roll should also be free to all. And why not food? That’s essential.

Nothing is free so what you are really asking is: Should we pay the government to administer the purchase and distribution of sanitary products for everyone? Would you like this to be funded by a tax rise or should something else be cut in order to pay for it?

My answer would be no. Most people are completely capable of doing this for themselves and for those who are not there are benefits plus other existing services that they can use.

I think all girls in state schools should be given period knickers in year 7 and a mooncup and adult sized periods knickers in year 9. Otherwise no.

No they should not be free. Pads are already very cheap. IME lots of schools have free sanitary products available for those in need, but it would be good to put a proper scheme in place. But for adults, no.

I’ve always thought if men needed a similar product it would be free.

Like shaving foam and razors?

Women use razors too.

No. People don't appreciate what is free and become used to it, then complain about it.

They're already very cheap and we provide benefits to buy these things.

Women need these too…. There’s nothing comparable men need to period products.
I’m sure they’d be available free or there would be some kind of additional benefit for simply being a man if it was needed.

Of course they shouldn't be free. Why on earth should they be. Nor should schools provide them. Yes have a supply for emergencies. In any case not much is free. Somebody somewhere is paying for it.

IMO Sanitary hygiene products should be provided for school aged children because hygiene is essential for their health, dignity, and well-being. Some children may not have access to these basic necessities at home due to financial difficulties or other reasons.

I knew girls at school who would use toilet roll (free in the toilets!) to try and make makeshift pads.

I'm surprised that on a forum for primarily women, women don't think this should be free.

No. Why would it be?

Nope.

And I say that as someone who's suffered extremely heavy periods for the last 42 years, spending an absolute fortune on products.

To be fair women don't 'need' razors, much less shaving foam

I’m more surprised that on a forum of parents, there isn’t more empathy towards all the young girls out there who don’t have supportive parents and/or no access to money who literally have no way to access or buy feminine hygiene products.

Well I'm glad you had the finances to spend a fortune on products.

Neither do men…. Needed just as much as men need them. It’s not strictly a need for either sex.

Agree.

There is already a scheme for school pupils in years 5 to 13. AFAIK reusable products can be included. DC's school offered products to students as part of their food bank during COVID lockdowns. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/period-products-in-schools-and-colleges/period-product-scheme-for-schools-and-colleges-in-england

I think they should be free from certain places yeah. But someone would have to kind of seek them out. Not like vouchers or products sent out to every woman over 12 for 40 years.

But community centres, heath centres, or places where they do stuff for those on low income, benefits, people in social housing, people with disabilities etc. and DV or homeless hostels.

If for some reason it was considered embarrassing or taboo to ask they should just leave them out. Or have a special code word to request it. Not that people should feel that way. But those who may struggle to access it might have barriers relating to misogyny induced embarrassment.