Menstruation and Period Poverty Information Resources for Your Community

Posted by Bobbi Newman on May 1st, 2024 Posted in: Blog
Tags: aunt flow, know your flow, menstruation information, menstruation resources, period poverty

The societal taboo surrounding menstruation, often referred to as period stigma, is a widespread issue transcending cultural, economic, and geographical divides. This natural biological process, experienced by half of the world’s population, has historically been obscured by secrecy and cultural taboos. Various factors, such as cultural norms, religious beliefs, and societal expectations, have perpetuated myths and negative perceptions about menstruation, characterizing it as unclean, shameful, or even sinful.

This stigma has profound consequences, notably leading to period poverty, where individuals lack access to menstrual hygiene products due to financial limitations. Particularly in low-income communities, many struggle to afford these products, resulting in unsanitary practices and potential health risks. Period poverty not only reinforces gender disparities but also impedes educational and economic opportunities for affected individuals. Alarmingly, a quarter of young people who menstruate miss work or classes due to insufficient access to menstrual health supplies.[1] It’s critical to recognize that essential support programs like food stamps or WIC do not cover menstrual products.

Efforts to address period stigma and period poverty encompass not only providing affordable menstrual products but also fostering open dialogues to challenge societal norms. Education plays a vital role in dispelling myths and dismantling taboos surrounding menstruation. Initiatives advocating inclusivity, gender sensitivity, and policy changes are crucial steps toward breaking the silence around periods, ensuring that menstruating individuals can manage their menstruation without stigma or hardship.

Attend this upcoming webinar on May 22, 2024, to learn more about the Know Your Flow partnership between the NNLM Region 6 Ohio State Advisory Group and Aunt Flow to help everyone access quality health information and free period products. Together, we can reduce stigma and promote menstrual equity. Learn how you can help. Join the campaign! Register here

Projects

Period Poverty from the NNLM Discovery Podcast. This podcast series explores how the Network of the National Library of Medicine engages with communities to provide access to trusted information to improve public health.

• Short Video Version

Celebrating Moon Times: Flipping the Script on Period Poverty and Standard Puberty Education – NNLM webinar recording

Ohio Menstrual Health Equity Project – a funded project.

Information Resources

Menstruation

• Menstruation
• Period Pain
• Premenstrual Syndrome
• Primary Ovarian Insufficiency
• Vaginal Bleeding
• About Menstruation Also in Spanish
• Menstrual Cycle Also in Spanish
• Menstrual Cycle: What’s Normal, What’s Not Also in Spanish
• What Are Menstrual Irregularities? Also in Spanish

Information for Children

• All about Menstruation (For Children), Also in Spanish
• Five Things to Know about Periods Also in Spanish
• Getting Your Period
• Pads and Tampons Also in Spanish
• When Will I Get My Period? (For Kids) Also in Spanish

Information for Teenagers

• All about Menstruation (For Teens) Also in Spanish
• Stacey Missmer on Painful Periods in Teens Also in Spanish
• Female Athlete Triad, Also in Spanish
• Irregular Periods Also in Spanish
• Menstrual Disorders in Teens Also in Spanish
• Period Products: Using Your First Tampon Also in Spanish
• PMS, Cramps, and Irregular Periods Also in Spanish
• Problem Periods
• Toxic Shock Syndrome (For Teens) Also in Spanish
• Your First Period
• Your Menstrual Cycle

Information For Parents and Caregivers

• Menstrual Problems (For Parents) Also in Spanish
• Talking to Your Child about Menstruation Also in Spanish

[1] girls inc. (2023, February 15). 5 Things to Know about Menstrual Equity and Period Poverty. Girls Inc.

ABOUT Bobbi Newman
Bobbi Newman (MLIS, MA) is the Community Engagement and Outreach Specialist for NNLM R6 at the University of Iowa. She is the author of Fostering Wellness in the Workplace: A Guide for Libraries. She developed the popular NNLM course “Wellness in the Library Workplace.” Bobbi is a mindfulness student and a member of Association for Size Diversity and Health (ASDAH). She currently serves as a member of the Advisory Board for Let’s Move in Libraries. She divides her time between her dog, reading fantasy and nonfiction, playing video games, crafting, kayaking, biking, and gardening.

Email author View all posts by Bobbi Newman