New Zealand Schoolgirls Skip Class Because They Can't Afford Sanitary Items

[Fweethawt]

Why isn't this stuff free, like, fucking everywhere?!?

 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jul/30/new-zealand-schoolgirls-skip-class-because-they-cant-afford-sanitary-items

 

Schoolgirls in New Zealand are skipping class because they cannot afford sanitary pads and are being forced to use phonebooks, newspapers and rags to make-do during menstruation.

[Daffodil]

I agree with you, but then why aren't glasses and hearing aids free? They're just as essential, more so even. Somebody has to produce the stuff, and they need to get paid for producing it. Sad, though.

[SilentLoner]

I agree with you, but then why aren't glasses and hearing aids free? They're just as essential, more so even. Somebody has to produce the stuff, and they need to get paid for producing it. Sad, though.

Much less of a stigma attached to glasses, you know.

[Daffodil]

 

I agree with you, but then why aren't glasses and hearing aids free? They're just as essential, more so even. Somebody has to produce the stuff, and they need to get paid for producing it. Sad, though.

 

Much less of a stigma attached to glasses, you know.

I'm not disagreeing. Just giving the practical reasons they're not free. There would have to be a government subsidy, and then there would be the question of well, if feminine hygiene products, what about other things that are necessities?

[SilentLoner]

 

 

I agree with you, but then why aren't glasses and hearing aids free? They're just as essential, more so even. Somebody has to produce the stuff, and they need to get paid for producing it. Sad, though.

Much less of a stigma attached to glasses, you know.

I'm not disagreeing. Just giving the practical reasons they're not free. There would have to be a government subsidy, and then there would be the question of well, if feminine hygiene products, what about other things that are necessities?

 

There were free tampon and pad dispensers at the student center at my university. And I do believe there are federal programs in the US that provide free glasses to kids.

[rjn]

 

I agree with you, but then why aren't glasses and hearing aids free? They're just as essential, more so even. Somebody has to produce the stuff, and they need to get paid for producing it. Sad, though.

Much less of a stigma attached to glasses, you know.

 

 

I'm not trying to argue or anything, but I must have totally missed out on this "stigma". It's become a thing among feminists (at least here) to talk A LOT about menstruation the last few years, making a big deal out of how stigmatized it is, but I can't for the life of me remember when anyone said it was somehow shameful or anything along those lines. Do I find it a bit icky? Well, sure, a bit, it's bodily fluids we're talking about after all, but it's not like people tend to think it's troublesome if a woman is on her period. Or do they? Again, I'm not trying to be an asshole, I'm just curious. To me, it's just another biological, bodily function that's part of being human, even though this particular one only affects one half of the population. 

 

I wouldn't mind seeing it subsidized btw. 

[Daffodil]

 

 

I agree with you, but then why aren't glasses and hearing aids free? They're just as essential, more so even. Somebody has to produce the stuff, and they need to get paid for producing it. Sad, though.

 

Much less of a stigma attached to glasses, you know.

 

I'm not trying to argue or anything, but I must have totally missed out on this "stigma". It's become a thing among feminists (at least here) to talk A LOT about menstruation the last few years, making a big deal out of how stigmatized it is, but I can't for the life of me remember when anyone said it was somehow shameful or anything along those lines. Do I find it a bit icky? Well, sure, a bit, it's bodily fluids we're talking about after all, but it's not like people tend to think it's troublesome if a woman is on her period. Or do they do? Again, I'm not trying to be an asshole, I'm just curious. To me, it's just another biological, bodily function that's part of being human, even though this particular one only affects one half of the population. 

 

I wouldn't mind seeing it subsidized btw.

The only thing that makes it a stigma is that no one talks about it and no woman would announce to those around her that she's menstruating. Apart from that, you've got a point - I don't know that I've heard anyone disparage it or even show any interest in the topic at all. What are the feminists saying about it exactly?

[rjn]

The only thing that makes it a stigma is that no one talks about it and no woman would announce to those around her that she's menstruating. Apart from that, you've got a point - I don't know that I've heard anyone disparage it or even show any interest in the topic at all. What are the feminists saying about it exactly?

 

Well, for instance, there's this young media personality who's considered "hip" who wrote a book, "Ja, jag har mens, hurså?" ("Yeah, I'm on my period, so?") and several other feminists who've debated this issue on TV, radio and so on. Again, I may suffer from some sort of male bias, but I've never really thought there was a stigma attached to menstruation. If anything, boyfriends, family members and friends in general tend to be quite supportive when a woman is on her period. I'm not saying SL is wrong, I'm just interested in hearing her point of view regarding this. The only "anti-period" thing that I can think of would be the idiomatic expression "Har du mens eller?" (roughly: "You on your period or something?" I.e: "Why so cranky?"/"What's up with your shitty mood?") which could be interpreted as rather sexistic, but I can't remember the last time I heard it.

[florduh]

I know this sounds crazy, but if you can't afford to provide for kid's needs then why have them? Why do parents expect other people to provide food and other necessities and even non-essentials (band instruments, uniforms, sports equipment) for their children? Yes, I feel sorry for kids who lack the necessities, but their parents are at the root of the problem, not society. Efforts to stop irresponsible breeding would do more than any bandaid measures after the fact.

[Daffodil]

Well, we are cranky as hell that time of the month! You would be too if you were bleeding and in pain for three or four days every month, and it's considered a "natural" part of life! When else is bleeding and pain "natural"? I do understand the annoyance with saying, "What's wrong with you? You on your period or something!?" The answer may be yes, but it also may be no, you just pissed me off. So I get that part of it.

[rjn]

Well, we are cranky as hell that time of the month! You would be too if you were bleeding and in pain for three or four days every month, and it's considered a "natural" part of life! When else is bleeding and pain "natural"? I do understand the annoyance with saying, "What's wrong with you? You on your period or something!?" The answer may be yes, but it also may be no, you just pissed me off. So I get that part of it.

 

It appears you misinterpreted my post (or perhaps I'm misinterpreting your post?). I think I made it very clear I'm not endorsing that expression or that kind of attitude, I just brought it up as a bit of trivia. I don't think anyone in their right mind would disrespect a woman because of a very natural (don't see no reason for quotation marks there, it IS natural, regardless of our feelings towards it) process. 

[Daffodil]

 

Well, we are cranky as hell that time of the month! You would be too if you were bleeding and in pain for three or four days every month, and it's considered a "natural" part of life! When else is bleeding and pain "natural"? I do understand the annoyance with saying, "What's wrong with you? You on your period or something!?" The answer may be yes, but it also may be no, you just pissed me off. So I get that part of it.

 

It appears you misinterpreted my post (or perhaps I'm misinterpreting your post?). I think I made it very clear I'm not endorsing that expression or that kind of attitude, I just brought it up as a bit of trivia. I don't think anyone in their right mind would disrespect a woman because of a very natural (don't see no reason for quotation marks there, it IS natural, regardless of our feelings towards it) process.

No I didn't misinterpret it. I know you're not endorsing that attitude, I was just agreeing that it is a bad attitude to have. Sorry if I came off some other way. Personally, I find nothing natural about it whatsoever and I've been experiencing it for 37 years now, hence my use of the scare quotes! But yes, it is completely natural, sadly for us.

[Lilith666]

It's true that women don't really announce when they're on their period, but do people usually announce (outside of to close friends they have an "open" relationship with and not around strangers or acquaintances) when they just pooped or peed? It's not polite. If women do talk about their periods, it's usually to other women, but men don't normally tell women about their erections. There's a "stigma" around lots of things: people may not discuss them in everyday conversation, but that doesn't mean there's a general societal attitude that those things are unnatural or bad.

[Daffodil]

It's true that women don't really announce when they're on their period, but do people usually announce (outside of to close friends they have an "open" relationship with and not around strangers or acquaintances) when they just pooped or peed? It's not polite. If women do talk about their periods, it's usually to other women, but men don't normally tell women about their erections. There's a "stigma" around lots of things: people may not discuss them in everyday conversation, but that doesn't mean there's a general societal attitude that those things are unnatural or bad.

That's why I was wondering what the feminists are actually saying about it. Is there some movement out there to deny women access to feminine hygiene products that I'm not aware of?

[rjn]

 

It's true that women don't really announce when they're on their period, but do people usually announce (outside of to close friends they have an "open" relationship with and not around strangers or acquaintances) when they just pooped or peed? It's not polite. If women do talk about their periods, it's usually to other women, but men don't normally tell women about their erections. There's a "stigma" around lots of things: people may not discuss them in everyday conversation, but that doesn't mean there's a general societal attitude that those things are unnatural or bad.

That's why I was wondering what the feminists are actually saying about it. Is there some movement out there to deny women access to feminine hygiene products that I'm not aware of?

 

 

No, not that I know of. It's not like I mind their calls for increased sex-ed about menstruation or access to hygiene products, that I fully support, I'm just curious about the supposed "taboo". 

[SilentLoner]

 

 

I agree with you, but then why aren't glasses and hearing aids free? They're just as essential, more so even. Somebody has to produce the stuff, and they need to get paid for producing it. Sad, though.

Much less of a stigma attached to glasses, you know.

 

 

I'm not trying to argue or anything, but I must have totally missed out on this "stigma". It's become a thing among feminists (at least here) to talk A LOT about menstruation the last few years, making a big deal out of how stigmatized it is, but I can't for the life of me remember when anyone said it was somehow shameful or anything along those lines. Do I find it a bit icky? Well, sure, a bit, it's bodily fluids we're talking about after all, but it's not like people tend to think it's troublesome if a woman is on her period. Or do they? Again, I'm not trying to be an asshole, I'm just curious. To me, it's just another biological, bodily function that's part of being human, even though this particular one only affects one half of the population. 

 

I wouldn't mind seeing it subsidized btw. 

 

 

The very article cited by OP makes a point of mentioning period stigma. Yeah among adult women its less of a big deal and more talked about these days, but I remember when I was a kid it was mega embarrassing to have to talk about it, heck, we were afraid someone would overhear the crinkle of opening pads from a bathroom stall - and yes girls would laugh if it was heard. Lucky you if you got to miss all of that. Not to mention not every country is so open about topics like bodily fluids.  

[SilentLoner]

If anything, boyfriends, family members and friends in general tend to be quitesupportive when a woman is on her period.

 

In other words you've never had to experience it. And I can tell you you're making quite a generalization in that last sentence there. I had a friend who started her period and had no idea what it was (thank you catholic upbringing), her mother only found out when she did the laundry a few days later, just to call her an idiot and hand her some pads. Another friend of mine had a (funny in hindsight) story about getting a period unexpectedly during a road trip and asking her (now ex) boyfriend if he could run into the store to get the items for her, he basically acts all grossed out and asks if she can't just "hold it in" while they shop, which led to a pretty big fight. Like I said, funny in hindsight, but when that story gets told I always find a lot of women with similar experiences.

 

Period taboos might not be as strong as they once were, but are still pretty commonplace. Sure, we don't have to buy pads and tampons in brown paper bags anymore, but that doesn't mean its a comfy topic. You think kids would be resorting to phonebooks as pads if it were?

[Fweethawt]

I made a 90 mile trip once to get a change of clothes and pads for my then girlfriend's daughter while she was in school.

 

I didn't complain, get grossed out or make fun of her.

 

When I handed her the stuff I said, "I brought your coochie puffs!" and we had a good laugh.

[florduh]

Her period is what made my wife a hero, at least to me.

 

A few years ago (obviously) she wanted to pick up some tampons before going to work. She took them to the register at the drug store and the power suddenly went out. The young guy behind the counter said he couldn't sell her anything while the registers weren't working. She put more than enough money on the counter and said she had to go. He reiterated that he couldn't let her have any products without ringing them up. She looked him in the eye and said, "Do you see what I'm buying? Do you see my money? Do you see my face? Do you think I give a fuck if your register works or not?"

 

The kid didn't have any idea of the force he was messing with.

[rjn]

 

If anything, boyfriends, family members and friends in general tend to be quitesupportive when a woman is on her period.

 

In other words you've never had to experience it. And I can tell you you're making quite a generalization in that last sentence there. I had a friend who started her period and had no idea what it was (thank you catholic upbringing), her mother only found out when she did the laundry a few days later, just to call her an idiot and hand her some pads. Another friend of mine had a (funny in hindsight) story about getting a period unexpectedly during a road trip and asking her (now ex) boyfriend if he could run into the store to get the items for her, he basically acts all grossed out and asks if she can't just "hold it in" while they shop, which led to a pretty big fight. Like I said, funny in hindsight, but when that story gets told I always find a lot of women with similar experiences.

 

Period taboos might not be as strong as they once were, but are still pretty commonplace. Sure, we don't have to buy pads and tampons in brown paper bags anymore, but that doesn't mean its a comfy topic. You think kids would be resorting to phonebooks as pads if it were?

 

 

No, of course I have never had to experience it (you know, being male and all that), nor did I claim to have any special insight into the matter. I was just curious about the supposed taboo surrounding it. I don't deny such a thing exists, I've just never seen it "in action", which is why I asked. Indeed, I even admitted that I might be limited by some sort of male bias. I'm sure it's worse in the States than over here though, since we do not really have any prudish Christians around who would object against sex-ed and so on. 

[Daffodil]

I still don't get the stigma. Maybe I'm being especially obtuse about this, but as Lilith pointed out, none of the bodily fluid topics are fun and interesting to talk about. To use your adolescent bathroom example, SL, to this day if I feel an especially unpleasant poo situation about to occur in a public place, I find myself desperately hoping no one else will be in the other stalls when I go in there. There are some sounds and smells that are unmistakable, if you know what I mean (I'm embarrassed to even be typing this!). If your point was that it is especially embarrassing and traumatizing for adolescent girls, what isn't at that age!? My goodness, having a bad hair day can cause trauma to a teenage girl!