16.9 Million affected Nationwide: Women's Resource Network Group uplifts Red Tent in North Texas

Yesterday, our Women’s Resource Network, an Employee Resource Group #erg of Parkland Hospital dropped off #donations for a system-wide effort to not only shine a light on #periodpoverty but also support #women who are in #shelters and #schools who are at greater risk.?

What is?Period Poverty??Period poverty?is inadequate access to menstrual hygiene?products.?

#Taboo… Warning: In some countries it maybe taboo to discuss #periodpoverty .

• Support Women, Period. was part of a 30 day campaign in the month of November, attached to our system-wide #strategicplan. As co-chair of the Women’s Resource Network Group, I am beyond excited of the impact that we are able to make in the North Texas #community and to lead such a wonderful group of engaging women and male allies.?It is not just a women's issue and we are proud of our male colleagues, who took time to learn about the issues of our female demographics and were equally involved in making this project a success.

• The project contained the following objectives:
• Education of Period Poverty.?What it is and Why it is important?
• Alleviating the burden of Homeless women?who have to decide between food and hygiene products…and maybe even between feeding their children.
• Alleviating the burden of Young females that skip school because they could not afford feminine hygiene products….
• Reducing poor menstrual hygiene practices that are associated with three common infections of the lower reproductive tract; Bacterial vaginosis (BV), Candida, and?Trichomonas vaginalis?(TV).

According to Medical news today, “There are an estimated 16.9 million people who menstruate living in poverty in the United States. ... Research found that almost two-thirds of women in the U.S. with a low income could not afford menstrual products in the last year, while nearly half sometimes had to choose between buying food or menstrual products.”

In North Texas counties, there are 161,000 female households living in poverty and 2,400 homeless women who are at risk of?or?experience?Period Poverty. A U.S. survey of 1,000 teens (13-19 years old) revealed that economic,?cultural, and?structural barriers lead to inequities related to menstrual health. ?

A study published in May 2021 found that 2 in 5 people struggle with access to period supplies like #pads and #tampons, and that number is up 35% since 2018 (reported on Texas Public Radio).

In addition to the physical and emotional impact, the inability to purchase these kinds of products can have social and economic implications, as it may cause people to miss work or school attendance, substitution of?items such as paper or old clothes instead of traditional products, prolonged use?of products for more than the recommended timeframe, social and psychological effects, and risk taking behavior?to obtain money to buy menstrual products.?Twenty percent of survey respondents either struggled to afford period products?or were not?able to purchase them at?all,?and 84% either missed or knew someone who missed class because?she?did not have access to period products.?

There are also #racialdisparities for #menstrualequity. A quarter of #Black and #Latina people with periods strongly agree that they've struggled to afford period products in the past year, according to data from the Alliance For Period Supplies.

The #pandemic proved to be another roadblock in the struggle to #access period products. Twenty-seven percent of respondents said #COVID made it difficult to gain access to supplies, and two-thirds found it difficult to purchase products. The Kotex Period Poverty study referenced is linked below.

In addition to the cost barrier of the products alone, in Texas these products are taxed.

We hope our work helps to educate others and encourages others to take action.

Quick Steps to take action:

1. Creating Care Packages with sanitary napkins in your car to distribute to young homeless women.
2. Dropping off period products to your local shelter and/ or junior high school/ high school.
3. Doing a local drive at your own office or community organization.
4. Contacting your local representatives to discuss the issue and concerns.

https://cdn.b12.io/client_media/HJ1wIVtI/1d8564dc-bf10-11eb-9c7a-0242ac110002-U_by_Kotex_Period_Poverty_-_PPAW_Data_Set.pdf