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...

But as a human being do you also understand that some women are abused and not given access to money. Some teenage girls do not have parents who will support them with these purchases?

Also, haven’t you ever got your period unexpectedly whilst you’ve been out? Given that people don’t carry cash with them now, if you are in a public toilet and there is a machine that can dispense single products to save your dignity and trousers, then where is the problem in it being free?

Scotland have absolutely got it right on this one. Nobody deserves the indignity of period poverty. All women should understand this.

Ah. Ok. I see that it’s particularly taken up by people under 25.

In England, lots of places now have free period products in their toilets but there usually isn’t much choice.

It’s about access, not freebies. The point isn’t to make sure everyone gets them for free. It’s to make sure nobody has to go without because they can’t afford them.

People who can afford to buy their preferred products will generally continue to do so. Having something freely available doesn’t mean everyone is suddenly going to take advantage of it.

Condoms are available free from sexual health clinics, yet people still buy them. I don’t think it is unreasonable to expect that the same principle to apply to sanitary products if they were made available for free.

Well I do think that if men had periods they would be free. Also, they were classed and taxed as a luxury item until recently - the cheek!

Quote myself "Everyone at some point in their lives needs nappies. Some at both ends of life." End quote.

Now where did I "sail ALL will need nappies in old age...."?

Stop pushing your own words.

I completely agree with this. One of my friends works for our local council, and apparently one of the main groups of people who regularly access the free products are homeless/rough sleepers. I’m happy for my taxes to help these (and all) women.

Misread sorry…not the only one who did either…quite weird because I was sure it said something different but clearly not.

the supermarket own range super ultra plus tampons and pads are exactly the same price as the light/regular ones, so that argument doesn't work. I don't know what magic special stuff you think Always or whatever are made of that makes the difference between a 'cheap basic, one. Do you fall for marketing for everything else you buy as well? They're exactly the same, in some tests the supermarket ones are even better.

Pain medication - ibruprofen/paracetemol is about 30-40p a pack. Again, it's EXACTLY THE same as spending £3 on nurofen.

Why would you need different pants? If you were that poor surely the skimpy thongs would be the additional luxury purchase, as you could wear the big pants all month.

My school offers free protection avaliable to collect which reduces abuse ("free" items are often unvalued; when we offered free fruit, a depressing number of students wasted it by chucking it around outside which stopped when it was paid for in a meal deal) but also gives some provision for monitoring need in event of issues.

A widespread "free" system is more likely to result in a one-size approach that doesn't universally meet needs. We'll have girls in need of heavy duty protection and those that benefit more from smaller, lighter products.

Choice is a part of supply/ demand and product development.

I don't use the basket in the staff toilets because I'm well provisioned in my own reusable products and fortunately can read my cycle. It's nice having an emergency option, and it's good that it's a concept that's become more widespread in the last 10-15 years, but I don't think that all protection should be free by default.

Where the NHS provides prescription continence products, it's often unrealistically stingy in its provision and doesn't meet patients' needs.

No, if they were they’d be like sandpaper

No other essential hygiene products are free.

There's an argument for san pro to be free in public toilets, along with toilet paper, because they're an equivalent product. But people don't get free toilet paper for use in their home so it makes no sense to get free tampons at home either.

They are free at my workplace (a college). I just wish that there were more absorbent options, as not everyone has a light to medium flow!

I can only speak for me personally - and when I was buying products I had no issue paying for them myself - but my preference was Tampax Pearl, and I couldn’t use any scented pads. I also had different pads I wore in bed without a tampon too, massive long “night” ones. My daily pants tend to be thongs, but those are no use with pads. I don’t want to wear big knickers on the daily. Those were my choices - I guess the flip side to that is if you’re poor, you don’t have choices.

Pain medication I’d always buy the generic versions - I am actually a lecturer in marketing!

I’m glad that there are free products available for people who want or need them in Scotland. Being poor is shit.

Yes - a tampon is no different from toilet paper

...which also isn't provided free for in-home use? So surely that negates your argument rather than supporting it?

I'm not convinced they should be universally free but there should be a means to access these products if you are on a very low income. Maybe people who qualify for free prescriptions could get them prescribed? Although that may make them difficult to access for some groups like teenagers or homeless people.

Just want to say that I am so glad that I live in Scotland.
The free period product act was introduced by a Labour MSP.
An opposition MSP.
Not the Government which is SNP.
But they all worked together along with the Scottish Green Party and the Lib Dems to get the act passed.
When you have proportional representation, all the parties work together instead of the back and forth.
It was the same with making hitting your children a criminal offence. They all worked together.
To get a budget passed they all have to come to a consensus. So every voice is heard, though the Tories usually are the argumentative outlier 😅

They’re free practically everywhere where I live (big city in the US).

In offices, in gyms/exercise studios, restaurants, cafes, bars, museums etc.

I can’t remember the last time I paid for a tampon.

No. I don’t think pads should be taxed but everything else is just designed for ‘comfort’ and should be treated like any other product really.

Schools!!! I would have been grateful as a student back in the early 2000s as I had a very heavy flow!

My local town park have toilets that offer free (donated) pads, nappies, wipes etc. Such a fantastic idea.