Interview with Eira Nylander, Program Director of the PERIOD Movement
A period, in written language, indicates the end; simultaneously, a period is merely a fragment of time. But for females, a period serves as a rite of passage, signifying the dawn of her beautiful blossoming into womanhood. Unfortunately, society has suppressed any interest towards menstruation by impressing a sense of disaster upon the topic. With the public’s continued negligence of menstrual education and discussion, periods have unwillingly become a degrading stain on the fabric of society. Standing during shark week may be risky, but stand we must against the stigma surrounding periods.
We reached out to Eira Nylander, the national chapter manager of the PERIOD Movement, to learn about the lack of menstrual equity. She voiced her frustration towards the absence of menstrual education in schools, revealing that “...in high school, my teacher decided to skip over the reproductive system… because she didn’t feel comfortable teaching teenagers about reproductive health. I was absolutely appalled,” When menstrual education is not universally communicated, people will not only be denied crucial facts, but misinformation and ignorance will also enhance the stigma surrounding periods.
Pads and tampons are a basic female necessity, yet because they’re often categorized as grooming and hygiene products, over half of our states tax them as luxuries. According to Bloomberg News, “...before you’ve reached for your wallet, thirty percent of your tampon budget goes to taxes.” Despite this, some men’s products, such as Viagra, an erectile dysfunction prescription drug, aren’t taxed because they’re considered “medical necessities”. Diane Yetter, from Sales Tax Institute, argued that the taxes are imposed because "menstruation isn’t considered a disease or illness.” But wait, if involuntary circumstances make prescriptions tax free, shouldn’t the same principle apply to feminine products? Did women choose to cramp and bleed for half their lives?
Catching the flow is especially difficult for those in poverty or prison, as sanitary products aren’t prioritized as items that women require. Eira noted that, “A lot of people have to choose between feeding their families or menstrual products.” In dire situations, makeshift toilet paper pads and wadded socks are used as common alternatives, which can lead to vaginal infections that may later affect the bloodstream. Why is this our reality? With the absence of period conversation, the plights of many suffering women have fallen on deaf ears.
Unlike the vulgar stigma that surrounds periods, a flower’s stigma, located at the center of female flowers, exists to welcome pollinators and help reproduce. Rather than classifying periods as an awkward topic of discussion, we must accept them as a flower would. To shame such a natural process of curiosity and growth will only continue to harm both menstruators and non-menstruators of all backgrounds. And that’s on period.