Period poverty is a serious problem. Across the world, people of all ages lack access to their basic period needs, and even more have to deal with “luxury tax” placed on period products, making an already costly experience even more expensive.

In 2018, my grad school (Edinburgh Napier University) started a scheme with the Scottish Government and Hey Girls to provide students with free period products, and in 2019 the government elected to have that support extended to all period-havers across Scotland.

But there’s more to eradicating period poverty than handing out a bunch of pads. We also need education and the ability to make informed choices about how to best deal with our periods. One of my favorite aspects of the period product scheme at my school is the ability to make more sustainable choices for my period - both for the environment and for my life. Having the option of not only pads or tampon, but also a menstrual cup and period underwear has changed my life for the better. I love being able to reduce waste and simplify during my period. Now that I’ve tried sustainable period products, I’ll never go back.

Every body and every situation is different. In order to help those still suffering with period poverty, we need to be able to provide choices that will best align with each persons life. For some, that will be pads, and others, menstrual cups.

Access to hygiene is a basic human right. Shame has no place here. Every person with a period deserves access to not only the supplies they need, but the ability to make a choice about what they need.