• Dear Fathers, have you had a conversation about period with your daughter?
• Dear Mothers, have you educated your son about period?
• Dear Brothers, have you talked openly about period with your sister?
• Dear Husbands/Partners, have you bought your wife/partner period products?

If you have, well done! 👏👏

If you have not, why not? 🤔

Today is Menstrual Awareness Day! The day is observed on 28 May because menstrual cycles average 28 days in length and people menstruate an average of 5 days each month (the month of May reflects 5). It is the perfect day to have conversations with your family and friends about period.

Why should we talk about Period?

🩸 Period Shame: Despite period being a sign of good health and the fundamental nature of it, most people, especially boys and men, avoid talking about periods. This is because, talking about periods is widely taboo. The topic of menstruation being taboo seems to have roots in cultural and religious beliefs. In many cultures around the world menstruating women are considered impure and dirty. They are ostracised and made to feel ashamed or embarrassed simply because they bleed.

“Contact with [menstrual blood] turns new wine sour, crops touched by it become barren, grafts die, seed in gardens are dried up, the fruit of trees fall off, the edge of steel and the gleam of ivory are dulled, hives of bees die, even bronze and iron are at once seized by rust, and a horrible smell fills the air; to taste it drives dogs mad and infects their bites with an incurable poison.”

🩸 Period Poverty: No one should be held back because of their period. However for many, this is not a reality. Sadly, people face the economic burden of menstrual health care products. Period poverty refers to a lack of access to menstrual products, sanitation facilities, and adequate education. This widespread issue affects an estimated 500 million people worldwide. Many do not have access to period products because of financial constraints. In some countries, women have reported that they’ve been forced to trade sex for menstrual products and use life-threatening materials to manage their flow because they could not afford period products.

What can we do to eradicate period stigma?

📣 Let’s Break The Silence! 

Period stigma is a form of misogyny. Sadly, periods have been stigmatised for too long across the globe. A culture of stigma and silence have negative consequences for women’s physical and mental health, sexuality, well-being, and social status. It holds back girls and women. Most definitely, they should not be ashamed to say that they are on their period.

“My little girl once asked me why we never see Disney characters going to the toilet. I had no answer for this! I was delighted to see in the new Pixar film 'Turning Red’ that periods and menstrual products were included. Hopefully films will follow suit and make such issues normal for our children. My children both know that each month their mama bleeds and has to wear pads. They are 4 and 5, and we have both a girl and a boy. To me and my partner it has always been important to be honest about the human body and it’s ways, including periods. Why wouldn’t we? After all they are natural and an important part of life. Without the menstrual cycle we wouldn’t have been born!” ~ Kirsty Gilbert

To break societal taboos and help eradicate period stigma, it is important to have open conversations about periods and offers educational guidance.

• Talk regularly about period and make it part of your conversation.
• Raise your voice and support charitable causes to end period shame and period poverty.

Neitiv Red Dot Project

Ending Period Poverty is a cause very close to my heart as I have seen so many people suffer around the world. I believe all girls/women and menstruating people should have access to menstrual protection during their period; it should be a basic human right. As a small start-up, we have recently launched Neitiv 🔴 Red Dot Project in the UK and we hope to extend this to every country we sell our beer in the future. 

Many people who suffer from period poverty suffer in silence. Please recommend our 'Free Pads' page to people you know. Learn more

By purchasing Coconut Flower Beer For Women, you are contributing to the Neitiv Red Dot project and helping us to work towards our goal of eliminating period poverty in the UK and many other countries. Buy Now

You may also donate to the Neitiv Red Dot Project directly. Donate here