Feminine Products: Should They be Free?
By Catherine Canfield
I’ve heard one specific question for the past few years: whether feminine products should be free or not. According to Harvard Health Publishing, “Menstrual hygiene products are necessities, not luxuries, and should be treated as such.” I find this to be very true. Women can’t control menstrual cycles, and I would say this occurred to both men and women; it would be a different story. So why not just make it accessible? Is it that difficult? Like anything else, the prices rise as the years go on. The first feminine product, a sanitary pad, was created by Johnson and Johnson in 1869. I could not find the outgoing price of feminine products when it was first published to all women, but I know that it was by far not the price of what it is today. A pack of 8–12 pads costs between $10-$20. Many women struggle daily to buy food for themselves, so how would they possibly be able to afford feminine products every month? Yes, feminine products are around without question. But there is always a price to purchase, whether you may see them in a dispenser in a public bathroom or at a store where you can buy them. Many women who struggle to provide themselves with these sanitary products end up either doubling up on wearing underwear, or they use toilet paper. Using toilet paper is not recommended. According to Punch, “The habit of using tissue (toilet) paper in the form of sanitary pads is a poor hygiene practice on the part of any woman and can lead to serious health issues.”
Researching all this information makes me want to fight to ensure that any woman can receive feminine products at a reasonable price or for free. Menstrual cycles cannot be controlled, every woman gets it, and there is no control over it. I know I am not the only woman to argue this; unfortunately, there still hasn’t been any change, but I hope to see one in the future.
Sources
Farid, H. (2021) “Period equity: What is it, why does it matter?” Harvard Health Publishing, June 1st. Retrieved from:
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/period-equity-what-is-it-why-does-it-matter-202106012473
Researcher (2019) “It’s not advisable to use tissue paper during the menstrual period…” Punch, 28th February. Retrieved from:
https://punchng.com/its-not-advisable-to-use-tissue-paper-during-menstrual-period-researcher/
