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Power! Honest!
Yesss!
A year ago, I never would’ve made a social media post about it. I wouldn’t have been ashamed or anything—maybe a little embarrassed. I would’ve thought it was too private to talk to anyone but my girl friends about. But in 2019, Scotland became the first country in the world to make period products free.
They’re still on shop shelves, of course. You can still pay to have your favorite brand. But they’re available for free in bathrooms and on campuses across the country. This is a major step up from other countries—in the US, for instance, pads and tampons have only recently been considered “daily essentials” instead of “luxuries” in state taxes.
Making period products free does more than just save people some money or some stress. First, it’s a step toward ensuring that people from low-income brackets also have what they need. Second, it’s a step in making it less taboo to talk about. Periods happen. Half the population has one (or has had one) every month. So why is it still embarrassing to talk about for so many people?
On campus at my school, period products aren’t hidden away in a bathroom or a supply closet. They’re displayed prominently when you walk in the door, stacked neatly on a bright white set of shelves that makes the red and gray packaging pop. There’s no hiding, no shame, and no cost. You can take as many as you want of whatever product you want. There are options.
I used to try to be discreet about buying pads or tampons in a grocery store. I’d put something over it, or hide the label, and look for a female cashier. But after living here with period products free and out in the open, I don’t feel that urge anymore. Taking care of your body means not being ashamed of it, and that’s something that people with periods have dealt with for too long.