Period poverty and not being able to afford sanitary products

[youdothebestvoices]

I recently saw something somewhere about the tax that is on feminine hygiene products (tampons, pads) and although the tax has been scrapped, this was never reflected in the cost of the products, and therefore the companies are just making more money without benefits being passed on to the consumer. This is unfair, of course.

This prompted a wider discussion around period poverty, and I suggested people try to switch to reusables if possible. Better for the environment, better for your pocket long term. I've been using them for about a year and I've probably saved around £70 this year and they're all going strong, no staining, I'll probably have them for several years before I need to think about replacing. I got a bit of stick for this saying how are people meant to be able to afford reusables if they can't afford disposables.
I think a starter pack of reusable pads will cost around £30 - £40, which includes everything you generally need for one full period, and individuals will cost somewhere in the region of between £3 - £7. There is also the option of making your own. A box of disposables will be somewhere between £1 - £7 depending on the brand you choose.
A reusable cup is circa £20 and there are other options too.

I really don't care if somebody chooses to use disposables, I opted for reusables once I realised how much I'd save long term, that I could get them customised for my flow (meaning I use three times less pads per day), better for the environment, less likely to give you thrush. Regardless of this, they aren't for everyone, that is fine.

But here is a serious question, and I am sorry if this comes from a place of privilege. Has anyone ever met anyone (in the uk) that cannot afford sanitary products? I am sure that there are people that can't, but how common is period poverty?

I can't say that I have met anyone who struggles to afford them. We are a working class household, I know several people that are on UC and receive other benefits, but none of them have ever said they struggle to buy sanitary products (this does include households with multiple women in), several of them have also opted for using period pants, cups, or similar, because they feel the initial cost is worth it longer term. Some that use disposables have just said they buy extra when they are on offer.

I'm really sorry if this is a thoughtless post and I also know that not everyone will chat to people about how easy they find it to purchase feminine hygiene products but I genuinely want to know how common this is, because I don't think I actually do know.
If you are somebody who has struggled to purchase these in the past, or now, I don't want this post to cause any offence as I genuinely want to understand if this is a common issue.

If you want to vote:
YABU - period poverty is really common
YANBU - I don't think I have met somebody who struggles with purchasing these

Period poverty isn't just about lack of money like all poverty it is complex yes you are coming from a place of privilege and ignorance not everybody wants to faff about with "reusables" .

Every few hours is what's expected as general use isn't it 😂 the OP hasn't got a clue and I would strongly suspect is male from their responses

I completely understand the washing issue! Is the OP going to support provision of mattress protectors too?

*But why? What's your goal? Do you work for the government and can action a policy to directly help women and girls in period poverty? Are you and activist organising a campaign?

Or do you just want to lord your environmental awareness superiority over them?*

Because awareness of these issues is important? I tend to buy extra things to leave in the food bank collection bit of our supermarket, usually cupboard staples because I always see them in there so I assume they are needed. If I understand this issue more than I can drop off some extra bits, when I can afford to do so. If I genuinely wasn't aware of it, then there will be other people out there that aren't too, so if more people are aware more can be done to support people that might struggle.

What is it that you are asking/wondering then?

I can afford tampons. I cannot afford £40 up front for reusables. I'm certainly not alone there.

I believe plenty of people addressed this in your last thread.

Every few hours is what's expected as general use isn't it 😂 the OP hasn't got a clue and I would strongly suspect is male from their responses

So I actually have 4 gynae issues which require maternity pads that you would wear if you had just given birth. Generally I have to change these between work appointments, meaning they are sodden after 2 - 3 hours. No, I am not male. My fucked up uterus can attest to that!

It is an extra cost if you are female that males don't have so if on benefits for instance you will struggle more than a man. Quite unfair really.

I believe plenty of people addressed this in your last thread.

I don't have another thread on this but apologies if there has been a similar one that I have missed.

Sanitary products are one of the items always of the shortage list at my local food bank, every month I buy a bag full for them but that doesn't go far when spread across hundreds of packages. If you can't afford £1 for a loaf of bread, you can't afford it for pads or tampons.

In which case what about any of this are you not understanding?

This is reminiscent of a poster on a similar thread who suggested free mooncups to homeless women and was offended when people thought it was a ridiculous idea.

Genuine question but would you mind explaining more about working in a hygiene bank. Sounds like the sort of thing more of us ought to be aware off

I never thought about donating

So your idea of “raising awareness” is to post on MN asking people to vote on the fact that like you, they’ve never actually met anyone who has struggled to afford sanpro. Ergo, it’s not really a big issue, is it? 🙄

A lot of people who support food banks check the list of what’s needed - so don’t worry, it’s on there. Which frankly should have sorted out your “understanding” problem anyway.

Don’t backtrack and present yourself as some kind of social campaigner for starting this thread - you’re just embarrassing yourself further.

If you really wanted to highlight the issue you’d have posted one of the easily found links on the topic from Google with “AIBU to share my newfound knowledge and ask you to pop some tampons into the foodbank box?”

Instead you wanted a vote on it 🙄

OP, I live in Scotland.
Several years ago, ( 2017?) following a long campaign from a Labour SNP, a bill was passed to provide free (disposable) period products in all council / government controlled public buildings, including schools, as period poverty was recognised as a significant issue in prevent women, young and older, from reaching their potential.
The SNP have a history of offering freebies as vote- getters, but the fact that all parties recognised this as an issue in one part of the UK, suggested it is not at all unusual.
Long time ago, as a teenager in an all-women household, things were very tight for my DM keeping 3 daughters and herself in supplies. Of course it’s an issue.

It's not period poverty, it's poverty. If you've no money, you can't buy anything - cheap pads (not cheap to you, you have no money!) reusables or anything else.

This is reminiscent of a poster on a similar thread who suggested free mooncups to homeless women and was offended when people thought it was a ridiculous idea.

I haven't seen that post. Wouldn't have been me anyway as something like a mooncup isn't suitable for me at all with all of the issues that I have, so it wouldn't be a suggestion that I would make. From people that I know that use these, they would be possibly be difficult for homeless women to clean out properly, nor would they want to do that in public toilets or similar. In these situations I can completely see why disposables are always a better option.

Have you ever met someone that can't afford sanitary pads?
yes me, in the not too distanced past.
Luckily not any more.
People will likely not tell others when they have this problem.
Ps. I use reuseables but haven't always.

*So your idea of “raising awareness” is to post on MN asking people to vote on the fact that like you, they’ve never actually met anyone who has struggled to afford sanpro. Ergo, it’s not reallya big issue, is it? 🙄

A lot of people who support food banks check the list of what’s needed - so don’t worry, it’s on there. Which frankly should have sorted out your “understanding” problem anyway.

Don’t backtrack and present yourself as some kind of social campaigner for starting this thread - you’re just embarrassing yourself further.

If you really wanted to highlight the issue you’d have posted one of the easily found links on the topic from Google with “AIBU to share my newfound knowledge and ask you to pop some tampons into the foodbank box?”

Instead you wanted a vote on it 🙄*

Jesus christ, I enabled voting because not everyone wants to type out replies to a thread and it's easier for some people to just click a button. Clearly this is a more common issue than I realised and I thank those who have replied to help me understand this issue properly rather than just having a go.

Those who are having a go at me about this thread might want to look at other people that have now said they didn't think about donating pads to food banks, or would like to learn more about working in a hygiene bank...
Instead of just assuming I'm here to gloat about something which is the OPPOSITE of my intention.

This is why I think it’s really thoughtless when people suggest that disposable pads should be banned. They’re easier to obtain than reusable washable period pants.

Just because you (general you) can afford some period underwear and have no problems with affording to wash them, doesn’t mean an 80p packet of sanitary pads should be banned. Or some free pads behind the counter in Morrisons. Or free pads in the school nurse’s office.

Period poverty will be even worse if we get rid of disposable ones just to make the I’m alright Jacks happy.

The way I think of it is if we lost our jobs or our health and had to manage on benefits, all the bills and mortgage and car payments, everything in a contract like phones and internet would still go out wouldn't they?

So whatever we'd get in benefits would be swallowed up and we wouldn't have money for anything at all.

So the money in my purse would go on food for the kids and I'd shove loo roll in my pants at TOTM.

My friend was out of work during the pandemic and she got about £600 a month Jobseeker's Allowance plus some money off her council tax and that was it.

I was drunk talking once with a very senior woman at work who told me about her upbringing. Her parents did not give a shit and from age 11 she had to 'source' her own sanitary items.

She's earning 6 figures now, but unless told, would never had her down for experiencing this.

Step out of your bubble OP.

I can't answer properly as both statements can be true.
I'd be surprised if anyone I knew personally struggled to afford San pro (although I doubt anyone would be in a rush to disclose it)
...but my own family and friends are not representative of the entire population.

I use a menstrual cup. Iirc it cost about £18-20. I think it paid for itself over the course of about a year. However a) it worked for me and b) I had £18 available to but it in the first place.
If I only had £2 left I couldn't save it and in 10 months I'd have enough....because what would I do in the mean time?

Chalk this thread up to a lesson in mumsnetting