Periods are infuriating and it’s most definitely infuriating when it happens out of the blue or when you run out of pads or whatever other woman may choose to use for their menstruation. According to Plan International UK, they found out that almost a third of girls and women aged 14 to 21 had problems being able to afford or gain access to sanitary products.

When I first started my period, I thought I was going to die. At the time my household was out of pads, so I improvised and used toilet paper. My mom was at work so I waited for her until she got back home to tell her. I could’ve just told my dad but I was embarrassed. It’s so much easier to talk to my mom since she’s a woman herself.

Menstruation can be agonizing or irritating for most women and girls. And when you are in an environment, other than your home, such as the mall, a public place, and you start your period it can be so embarrassing and very surprising. But if period products would be more available in these public places it’ll start forming a central importance to equality and dignity. Plus it’ll remove the financial barriers to access them. 

One study found that 14% of women attending college experience a period poverty in 2020. The study also found that Black and Latina women were disproportionately affected. With that said, when women can’t access hygienic products, they resort to unhygienic alternatives, and they put themselves in jeopardy to harmful mental and physical outcomes with products like toilet paper, rags, reuse pads, this puts menstruators at risk for infection.

Menstrual products should be free because 1 in 5 girls miss all or part of school days due to their period. Some don’t even have the resources to buy the products. And without these items, women's movement and ambitions are tampered. This causes students to not feel able to leave their homes.

Why are women and girls dealing with period poverty in the first place? Well, it’s because States view these items as luxury goods and impose sales tax. And at that, products can’t be purchased with food stamps, health insurance, and other spending accounts.

Making menstrual products free worldwide is very important. Women and girls' futures depend on it. My future depends on it. The entire world must come to an agreement to ensure these products are free. This is to prevent any more women and girls from not having access to these necessities.