Period Poverty

[TheDevil]

Every school and college can now get free period products

Movements for women's sanitary.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51167487

[jennyjoan]

I don't understand where the period poverty comes from when there's no poverty re their mobile phones.

[sanmac]

And surely if you or your parents can afford college or university fees you can afford to buy those products.

[TheDevil]

It's not quite comparable but I do understand the sentiment.

Sanitary is a monthly cost, almost like the cost of a phone contract. In some cases phones can be one off payments.

If you could buy all your sanitary products in a one off payment style when you were younger, would you?

[Mamyalynne]

This applies to State schools including primary age children.

Fees?

[TheDevil]

Sanmac, most college is free, but maybe by paying those they may not have money for sanitary also?

Things may take priority, for example rent, food, bills, pleasure for the mum and dad may be seen as more important than their childs sanitary.

I have never met a woman who didn't have access to sanitary products but that is because I'm lucky enough to live in one of the most stable and secure countries in the world.

Do you think it is period poverty, or poor spending habits?

[AuntPollyGrey]

Well said jenny at last the voice of reason. You can get boxes of tampons for 90p and pads for the same in pound shops. No excuse what-so-ever, just people wanting something for nothing so they can spend money on other things. If parents refuse to buy these products for their children as they 'have no money', then their benefits should be cut and the money given to the young person to buy the products. No one is THAT poor I just don't believe it.

[Mamyalynne]

I should think it's a mixture of every thinkable reason including those mentioned.

[sanmac]

"Every school and college...". I imagine that in order to go to college you have to pay.

[cashier]

Why don't the parents buy them out of Child Benefit? There's no need for this.

[sanmac]

Another excellent point, cashier.

[jennyjoan]

It is many years since I was a teenager but by God - my mother bought both my sister and myself our sanitary products. That was including herself, my aunt who lived with us and us two. And she was poor.

Like I do not get it and don't start me on the advertisement

"Britain Let's get Talking" - how about "Britain get off your *** phones and get Talking".

[DarceyK123]

I feel sorry for the young girls but its shocking that any Mother would leave their child in this situation.

I do think its bad budgeting, they would rather spend their money on phones, cigarettes, drink, scratch cards than helping their daughter stay comfortable and clean.

We were not exactly rich and my Mum smoked but my parents always made sure we had everything we NEEDED if not necessarily everything we wanted.

[naomi24]

I agree with Jennyjoan and APG. This is something else to make a fuss over. I went to a pub for dinner last night and in the Ladies was a little basket of tampons.

[TheDevil]

" If parents refuse to buy these products for their children as they 'have no money', then their benefits should be cut and the money given to the young person to buy the products."

What if they're not on benefits? This may be why they can't afford sanitary products for their children, because they don't claim benefits. Then there is zero state help at all.

[Mozz71]

The mind boggles that anyone should be against helping young women in financial difficulty to attend school. It seems a no-brainer to me. I do agree that supplies should be given to schools rather than a budget. Then the situation can be monitored closer.

[naomi24]

Mozz, I don't think anyone objects to helping people in genuine financial difficulty but sanitary products shouldn't be freely available across the board. It's ludicrous. Something else for nothing and easily taken advantage of.

[Old_Geezer]

Is this out of the educational budget ?
(My parents and I used to find new spectacles every year quite expensive for a poor family.)

[maggiebee]

I went to school in the 50s/early 60s and if anyone was "caught short" a quick trip to the PE teacher sorted that out. Wouldn't have been supplied monthly though, but period poverty is a real problem for some families these days.

[TheDevil]

"(My parents and I used to find new spectacles every year quite expensive for a poor family.)"

Aww, OG that has touched my heart.

[Ellipsis]

I don't see the same arguments against toilet paper being freely provided.