Like a star above a Christmas tree, the term period poverty begins to twinkle across our landscape. So why not take advantage of all these holiday collections to reach out to star fairies who live in vulnerable situations? Aren’t menstrual products essential goods? In times of inflation, a teenager or a woman can deprive herself of an outing to the restaurant. But can she do without sanitary pads or tampons when the blood is flowing between her thighs?
During the last Night of the Homeless, the Montreal Support Network for Alone and Homeless People organized a collection of menstrual products. On October 21, as a volunteer, I took it upon myself to distribute the collected menstrual products. A little uncomfortable, some women hid their menstrual products under their coat, because they did not have a bag to carry them. All took the trouble to carefully read the labels on the packaging. Most of them opted for sanitary napkins rather than tampons. A few talked about their periods without any embarrassment. Others whispered. Women were even looking for products for urinary leakage.
All that to say that toques, mittens, overcoats, foodstuffs will always be welcome. But that you have to be open to other needs. I therefore invite you to place sanitary napkins and tampons in your sled and direct your team of reindeer to the premises of an organization at the head of a collection not too far from your home.
In 2023, will Quebec establish free menstrual products, like Scotland? We could perhaps start by ensuring free menstrual products in public institutions, centers that help women who are homeless and those who survive on income security benefits.
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