Scotland at the forefront of the fight against precarious menstruation

Text by: Assa Samaké-Roman Follow

Having your period has a cost: thousands of euros are spent each year on tampons, towels and other essentials. Far too heavy a cost for many women. Three years ago, Scotland became a pioneer by providing - free of charge - periodical protection in all educational establishments, from primary to university. The government is now considering free access for all.

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On February 25, the Scottish Parliament will debate a subject that still generates embarrassment or disgust: the rules. Specifically, from the bill by MP Monica Lennon , also spokesperson for the Scottish Labor Party on health issues. If approved by Parliament, then Scotland will become the first country in the world to make periodic protections universally free, for anyone who requests it.

This is not an anecdotal subject: it is about respecting the dignity of women. According to studies, almost one in five women in Scotland has ever found themselves in a precarious menstrual situation, forcing them to miss school or work, not to leave their house, or to improvise a plan B with handkerchiefs or toilet paper. Add to that a stigma and embarrassment to talk about menstruation, and it generates a feeling of shame, isolation and anxiety for those who undergo it.

Self-service tampons, pads and menstrual cups

Scotland is ahead of most countries on this subject. At the start of the 2018 school year, girls and young women in school were able to have free access to menstrual protection in their school or university campus, following an investment of 5.2 million pounds (6.2 million euros) from the Scottish government. " I did not experience menstrual precariousness myself ," explains Antonia, 23, a journalism student at the University of Aberdeen. But it's so handy to have these products in every restroom in college. It happens to everyone to be surprised by their rules and not to have protections on themselves. "

At the University of Edinburgh, which has 40,000 students, Andy Shanks, the director in charge of student welfare, oversaw the implementation of periodic protections on campus. There are now 75 points, distributed among the 500 buildings owned by the university, in which students and staff can find tampons, towels, and even menstrual cups that are reusable and significantly reduce waste. " At first, I thought it would be very complicated ," he says. But everything went very well, and the system works by itself. All this would not have been possible without the cooperation of the cleaning staff, who replenished the stock of menstrual protection at the same time as the soap or toilet paper . "

A good example in other public places

After universities, other public establishments have started to do so: now, at Edinburgh and Glasgow airports, it is normal to find tampons and towels available. At the Glasgow Public Library, there are even basic spare pants, wipes and self-service deodorant for those who need them. This gradual normalization has also prompted many bars, restaurants, concert halls and other places frequented by the public to get in tune.

The football stadiums were trained in this movement by three young supporters of one of Scotland's biggest clubs, Celtic in Glasgow. Erin, Orlaith and Mikaela, aged 22 and 31, launched the “On The Ball” campaign in 2018. As a result, eight of the biggest Scottish clubs, starting with their own, along with 108 others worldwide, have joined the initiative.

" Football is a sport that has a huge platform ," says Mikaela. By participating in the debate on menstrual precariousness and by providing free protections, football sends a strong message. It is perfectly normal to have toilet paper and soap in the stadium toilets. Having tampons and towels should also be, ”said the young woman.

No longer be afraid of the word "rules"

Much remains to be done to eradicate menstrual precariousness. It could start by no longer being afraid of the rules, and daring to talk about them. “ It's still taboo. I had to start On The Ball to talk about the rules with my father for the first time, ”says Mikaela. For Andy Shanks too, working on menstrual precariousness was a learning process. “ Many men are uncomfortable with the rules and don't want to talk about them. I find that this debate allows men who are interested in equality and women's health to gain confidence and participate, ”he believes.

It is precisely to combat this taboo that the campaign "Let's call periods, periods" was launched at the beginning of the year by the Scottish government, explains Minister Aileen Campbell, in charge of local authorities. . “ We shouldn't have to use expressions or euphemisms to talk about the rules. Let us have confidence and discuss it openly, without being ashamed, "she said, however, believing that Scotland has already made enormous progress.

His party, the Scottish National Party, which has been in power for almost 13 years, ended up supporting the Labor opposition bill. " We did not think, while we are still developing the policy put in place a few years ago, that we had to legislate again ," she explains. " But next Tuesday, we will vote for the principle of the law. We will then have to see how it will be applied ”.

►Read also: France: the government tackles menstrual precariousness

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