Period Poverty: A Product of Societal Stigma or Economic Injustice?
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Humans have felt the effects of period poverty at different levels around the world since the dawn of time. The issue of period poverty is inextricably linked to menstrual inequality, where on a global scale, there are significant disparities between individuals in terms of access to menstrual education and menstrual hygiene products. This is an issue that has now expanded to touch virtually every society, by means of either archaic cultural ideologies/practices or modern-day economic restrictions such as taxation of these menstrual sanitation products. The effects of menstrual inequalities are felt in MEDCs (More Economically Developed Countries) and LEDCs (Less Economically Developed Countries) alike; however, it is reasonable to conclude that many menstruators living in MEDCs are most frequently subject to the latter hindrances of taxation and wealth inequalities, whereas, in LEDCs, menstruators are still crippled by the incredibly pervasive societal stigmas of menstruation. The persistence of such devastating cultural ideologies poses a barrier to the actualization of menstrual equality for menstruators in societies where the topic is simply taboo, just as economic restrictions, as seen in various parts of the globe, have made it an arduous task for menstruators to have equal access to menstrual hygiene products. Undeniably, when vulnerable menstruators are looked down upon for the natural process of menstruating or they lack adequate access to necessary sanitation products, they are often left with no choice but to forfeit a great deal, including their education which can ultimately mean detrimental consequences for not just any one individual, but rather for the world at large. The effects of these egregious disparities have fueled a contentious debate in regard to how menstruators are to overcome injustices in the modern world.
LEDCs: Cultural taboos & their inherent harms
As aforementioned, societal stigmas surrounding menstruation have led to cultural manifestations in practices that have served as significant barriers to menstrual equality in the world today. Whether or not it is justifiable that such cultural beliefs are put into practice by those who continually hide behind the façade of religion is not the issue, what is indisputable, however, is the effect of these practices and the hindrance they pose to achieving menstrual equality in our world. One of the most notable issues is seen in Nepal, where menstruation is viewed as a taboo topic, as is, unfortunately, the case in far too many nations. Nepal, in recent years, has been in the spotlight for its facilitation of the practice of “chhaupadi” where menstruators are to live in “menstrual huts”, a practice that persists despite ubiquitous condemnation. The practice predominantly occurs in the rural regions of Western Nepal under the flawed justification that during an individual's menstrual cycle, that individual is unholy and therefore must be kept in isolation from the rest of the population. These sentiments have allowed for the widespread ostracization of menstruators undergoing their natural menstrual processes. Such superstitious beliefs are not only oppressive, but they are also indicative of real-life endangerment for the individuals involved. In 2016 alone, two cases received international attention, in which two teenage girls lost their lives succumbing to the harsh conditions after being forced to live in these huts (Shim, 2017). However, this kind of issue is not at all unique to the nation of Nepal alone. This remains a huge obstacle for menstruators living in developing nations who are continuously degraded and shamed for what is both natural and inevitable. These instances are reflective of the broader issue of period poverty in the context of bridging the gap between those who are educated regarding menstrual inequality and those who are not. These cultural taboos surrounding menstruation are so widely believed and shed light on the larger issue that has kept many from understanding the problem in its entirety. Reluctance to address the issue due to the taboo of menstruation has proven to be disastrous in preventing period poverty around the world. Unfortunately, the menstrual taboo will only persist without a multifaceted approach that accounts for such massive disparities that have resulted from the stigmatization of a natural process.
MEDCs: Economic barriers & how they are failing menstruators
In contrast, for much of the Western world, menstruators are spared from the more outright forms of oppression, however, everything is not what meets the eye. Although there is no presence of rampant menstrual shaming, the silence that has been created by society has nonetheless contributed to menstrual inequality, and by extension, period poverty. The hesitation to have an open conversation regarding the issue has left far too many in the dark, the consequences of which have become incredibly apparent in modern times. In England, the Oireachtas women's caucus has been pushing for a reevaluation of the classification of items like tampons as “luxury items” for VAT (value-added tax) purposes, as they have also been fighting for free access to menstrual sanitation products in public facilities (The Times, 2019). This narrative is indicative of the larger issue of menstrual inequality, one where sanitation products that are necessary for survival are still perceived as a product for the affluent in the eyes of the legislative process, when menstruation impacts people of all kinds, regardless of social class, race, or any other extraneous attributes. In supplement, Scotland has become the very first nation to provide unrestricted access to menstrual hygiene products, citing a study that found that 1 in 4 menstruators attending schools had trouble accessing such products prior to the change to offer the items free of charge (Berger, 2020). This demonstrates a common theme seen across MEDCs where more primitive practices like chhaupadi are not an issue, however, while the conversation has shifted for the better, the economic disparities in regard to access to sanitation products have yet to be adequately addressed. Even in the Western world where the standard of living is much higher, the wealth gap is still crippling communities. A study based on U.S. data that was conducted by Harris Insights & Analytics found that “of 1,000 teens ages 13 to 19 found 20% — one in five — of teenage girls surveyed can’t afford to purchase menstrual hygiene products” (De La Rosa, 2019). In a nation as “economically self-sufficient” as the United States, menstruators are forfeiting their education, one of the most vital commodities in today’s day and age, all because of economic barriers to access to menstrual sanitation products as seen in the “Tampon Tax” that is in effect in various states across the nation. Furthermore, the same U.S. study found that 83% of teens find that the conversation in relation to access to menstrual hygiene products is lacking, and without meaningful conversation and action, this narrative is not likely to ever change in the status quo.
Reflection: Where do we go from here?
In summation, both societal stigmatization and economic restrictions that are superimposed on LEDCs and MEDCs respectively, greatly contribute to the issue of menstrual inequality on a global scale. Although I was born in the United States, which might have predisposed me to the notion that the issue of menstrual inequality was more born out of social disparities than anything else, I am the child of Nepalese immigrants. This led me to make the conscious decision to pursue this topic because I am acutely aware that the only thing that separates me apart from the young menstruators on the other side of the globe that are losing their lives to complications of menstruation is nothing more than a mere predicament of fate. Prior to conducting research on this issue, I held the belief that the patriarchal sentiments that run rampant in underdeveloped nations contributed the most to menstrual inequality. However, upon conducting more research on the topic, I’ve realized that the reason that I held this preconceived notion to begin with is because of the inherent bias that is portrayed in the Western media that I am so often exposed to. These sources depict menstrual inequality as some far off, distant issue that is dealt with by the less fortunate; however, what they fail to mention is that the problem hits a lot closer to home than one might imagine. In the second perspective discussed above, data from the United States which is supposedly the world’s leading superpower, illustrates the widespread disparities that have been facilitated by the reluctance to address the issue right here in the nation that preaches the philosophy of equal opportunity. Nonetheless, I retain the belief that menstruators in LEDCs who fall victim to the cultural stigmas and taboos of menstruation are most vulnerable to menstrual inequality and the dangers it poses for young menstruators’ education, rights, and in some extreme cases even their lives. However, my eyes have since opened to realizing that this is an issue that is not unique to underdeveloped nations alone, but rather it affects the entirety of the world population. If there is anything this article unveils, it’s the fact that be it cultural taboos or economic barriers, be it LEDCs or MEDCs, one thing is evident, with the way that things stand today, we are currently failing menstruators around the world & it is absolutely imperative that we do better.
References
Berger, M. (2020, February 26). Scotland moves to become the first nation to make pads and tampons free. Washingtonpost.com. Retrieved from Gale in Context: Global Issues database.
Chhaupadi and menstrual taboos. (2020, March 25). Retrieved March 31, 2020, from https://www.actionaid.org.uk/about-us/what-we-do/womens-economic-empowerment/chhaupadi-and-menstruation-taboos
De La Rosa, S. (2019, October 21). Report finds 'period poverty' a top reason girls miss school. Retrieved March 31, 2020, from https://www.educationdive.com/news/report-finds-period-poverty-a-top-reason-girls-miss-school/565424/
Nepal bans isolating women in 'menstrual huts'. (2017, August 10). UPI News Current. Retrieved from Gale in Context: Global Issues database.
Period poverty; Letters to the Editor. (2019, March 18). The Times (London, England), p. 16. Retrieved from Gale in Context: Global Issues database.
Rueckert, P. (2018, May 30). Why periods are keeping girls out of school & how you can help. Retrieved April 6, 2020, from https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/menstrual-hygiene-day-education/
