Fifteen percent of girls in Wales aged 14 to 21 have been unable to afford period products at some point. Male volunteers are changing this scenario.
Male volunteers in schools around Cardiff have been crucial in a new campaign associated with period poverty. Many have also assisted with menstruation education in primary schools across Cardiff, helping every school find the best way to use the Welsh Government’s Period Dignity Scheme for their students.
Love Your Period’s purpose is to remove period poverty for all over the UK and eradicate period stigma globally. It was started in 2019 by a young school girl who found herself at the centre of criticism when she began talking about period poverty.
With a following of over 4000 on Instagram, the campaign is gaining popularity amongst locals. “We’ve had many trans men volunteers who have actively worked in schools. The support from male staff in schools has also been amazing. I was shocked by how happy they were to receive products to give out to pupils in need,” said founder, Molly Felton.
Drawn from personal experiences, Felton believes that access to menstrual products should be a right and not a privilege. “I was told speaking about period poverty was inappropriate, and I realised that stigma was that barrier to solving this poverty once and for all,” she said.
Most of the campaign focusses on sanitary pad collection drives, providing hygienic reusable products for NHS staff throughout the pandemic, and support for the LGBTQIA+ community.
“Periods are normal and no matter how much we try to ignore them, they’re not going to go away. So, the best thing that we can do is accept them and learn to love them. This campaign is not going to stop until we reach our goal,” said Felton.