Happy #menstrualhygieneday! I first learned about period poverty when I was sixteen. I had never thought about it before, as I was privileged enough to have secure access to period products. It was a big wake-up call for me to hear directly from homeless women about their experience using things like toilet paper and socks to take care of their periods. It filled me with so much curiosity and even anger on the issue. Throughout my advocacy journey since then, I was often met with doubt that true menstrual equity could exist. Yes, fighting for menstrual equity also requires dismantling misogyny, patriarchy, and deeply ingrained period stigma. But even in the last year, we have seen that it is possible. For example, Scotland recently passed legislation that made period products free for everybody. Under the legislation, the government will set up an initiative to allow anyone who needs free period products to get them. New Zealand now provides free period products in schools. The United Kingdom has eliminated the tampon tax and reallocated the 47 million pounds raised from it. Now, that money helps charities working with vulnerable menstruators and addressing period poverty in local communities. This World Menstrual Hygiene Day, I invite you to join me in highlighting and supporting grassroots organizations that continue to fight period poverty and stigma every day: @periodmovement @no_moresecrets469 @ourcodered Pictured here with my PERIOD co-founder @forandvincent, who embarked with me on starting what is now @periodmovement in 2014. AND I’M SO EXCITED BECAUSE VINCE IS COMING TO VISIT ME TODAY!!! Excerpt from my latest @asweatlife #periodpoverty #menstrualcycle #menstrualcup #menstrualmovement #periods #periodpoverty #periodstigma #genderequality https://www.instagram.com/p/CPbNcl_nYFf/?utm_medium=tumblr