Introduction:

Hi everyone! For those who don't know, I have the privilege of working for the most incredible charity called Irise International, where we empower girls, women and all people who have periods to live fulfilled lives, free from gender and period inequality.

What’s the issue?

The UK government committed to ending period poverty and shame by 2025, but things are only getting worse. Since the pandemic began, we have seen:

• A 20% increase in girls unable to access period products (3 out of every 10) over a third too embarrassed to seek help (Plan UK)

• Significant barriers accessing menstrual, sex and relationship education and health services, with girls experiencing fear, shame and depleting levels of confidence due to starting their periods with no prior understanding of menstruation (Irise International, Restless Development)

• Cases of depression have more than doubled over the last 12 months, with young women being disproportionately impacted with 4 women in every 10 now experiencing depression (ONS)

From my work with Irise, it is clear that those who already face disadvantage are suffering the most, including those from ethnic and racial minority groups, low income households, young carers, those with disabilities, refugees, asylum seekers and survivors of domestic and sexual violence (Irise International, Restless Development).

What can we do about it?

So, myself and the Irise team have developed a plan to address this crisis in the UK, informed by our years of experience empowering vulnerable girls, women and people with periods. We are co-creating a collective space with those we support for peer-led training and safe spaces for girls and women to learn about their bodies and dismantle stifling period shame. We are also providing our Empowerment Packs to the communities we collaborate with, containing sustainable period products, accessible menstrual education, contraception, further support to gender-sensitive services and more. 

A young woman who recently received our Empowerment Pack said “Someone remembered me, this is going to help me.”

My request for your sponsorship and donations:

To deliver this work, we need to raise funds so we can reach as many vulnerable people as we can. This is why on Saturday 24th July, I will be taking part in Irise’s ‘Smash the Stigma Challenge’, where I will march through the city of Sheffield dressed as a vagina. 

Let me explain - To put it quite simply, a core reason why girls, women and people with periods are suffering so greatly is because the world we live in has been predominantly built and led by those who do not have vaginas or periods, for those who do not have vaginas or periods. Those who have vaginas and periods experience immense stigma and barriers to success, simply by being born female. However, through the dismantling of this embarrassment and shame, we can create a world that enables those with vaginas and periods to thrive; with girls, women and people with periods at the leadership table co-creating a more period and gender equal future for all. 

I would be so grateful if you would like to sponsor me to Smash the Stigma and proudly show everyone the power and potential of those who have vaginas and periods!

I know that if we come together now, we can empower all marginalised girls, women and people with periods in the UK to reclaim their bodies and become leaders of their own futures.

* It is important to acknowledge that having a vagina and having a period are not mutually exclusive. Also, not all people who have periods are women, and not all women and those with vaginas have periods.