Period Poverty: How My Ex Wardrobe Wants To Help!

Here at My Ex Wardrobe we don’t just care about the environment and eco friendly fashion, we also care about the people around us. It has been a large subject to be discussed everywhere FINALLY about Ladies periods. It has come to light in recent years that there are young girls and women who can’t afford sanitary products, food banks are at an all time low not only with food but with all women’s sanitation items. Girls as young as 12 and 13 are skipping school because they are too embarrassed to go as they are on their period and can’t afford sanitary products.

Some girls and women are using rolled up socks or old shredded clothing to get them through each month. This is not only very unhygienic but also no female should have to go through the worry of if they get their period, how will they cope or hide it. Many are not able to know what to do, so stay home or those who use other means to catch the blood flow often catch infections from using unhygienic cloth or items. Even In adverts selling period products the company’s use a blue liquid to show how effective the sanitary item is rather that a red colour for blood.

Why are we so ashamed?

As women we have our periods every month it is not a new thing, women have been bleeding for years and it is a completely natural process every month so why do we shy away from it? Why are there young girls unable to go to school as they are unable to afford sanitary products? There’s a few things we can do to erase this stigma attached to periods as they are not ‘dirty’ as some people see them and they are nothing to be ashamed of.

 Instead of hiding our tampons or sanitary towel up our sleeve to go and change or take our bags to be subtle…...hold it openly for people to see as if it is any other item like a purse or newspaper. This will help reduce the stigma of ‘Oh my gosh shes holding a tampon while talking to me’ to people not even battering an eyelid (or so we hope).

We can also help these young ladies and women who are stuck for sanitary items…… next time you do your normal food shop add a pack of tampons or sanitary towels to your trolly for the supermarkets food bank. Most large supermarkets have baskets or boxes for this purpose but people think it is just food that can be donated. You can also donate direct to homeless shelters or refuse shelters for women who have escaped domestic violence.

Talk openly about your period even with males present, don’t be afraid to express you are feeling a little achy because you are menstruating. Having periods is as much about life as wearing clothes and caring about the planet.

We invite you to help My Ex Wardrobe raise awareness for the Period Poverty and offer a place for you to come and drop sanitary donations if you are unsure where to take them, or if you are not local google you’re nearest food banks.

Here at My Ex Wardrobe we have many ethical beliefs not just about clothes and fashion but about helping make larger changes, changes that matter for the future.

Jenna x