#BeBoldForChange this International Women's Day
How green are your periods? Unlock 5% discount
A better, more gender inclusive world? That's a vision we can all sign up to. International Women's Day is aimed at creating just that. On 8th March 2017 people from around the world are making their voices heard on this very issue.
The issues that women face are many and varied, so our manifesto to #BeBoldForChange centres around those issues that our customers have raised with us in particular, such as...
Menstrual Equity
None of us looks forward to our time of the month but the thought of choosing between food and sanitary protection is a hideous one. Homeless shelters welcome donations of femcare products as well as the more usual donations of food and clothing, to help homeless women feel clean and have a little dignity on their periods.
There are campaigns afoot in US campuses for tampons to be offered to students for free, in the same way that condoms are. And a congresswoman is campaigning for large companies to offer the same to their employees. In other poorer parts of the world, education for girls comes to a stop as soon as they start their period, as there are no suitable toilet facilities at their school.
Women have been menstruating since the dawn of the species, it's about time that basic provision was made so they can do so in good health and comfort, throughout society.
Screw the Taboo
Do you really need to hide that tampon up your sleeve on the way to the ladies? Should you feel shy buying your sanitary towelsat the pharmacy? Do you still feel awkward lingering in the femcare aisle at the supermarket, or can you even dare to ask the assistant to point out where it is?
We all desire privacy for toilet matters but that's not the same as feeling ashamed for having a functioning female body. Perhaps we all need to lighten up a little. After all, it's hard for men to feel at ease with menstruation if women are still blushing. You can #BeBoldForChange just by accepting the normality of your period.
Be Bold for Bathrooms
We frequently hear that women love FabLittleBag because they so oftenfind themselves in a bathroom without a bin. Or in a public washroom with an over-stuffed, smeared sanitary bin that no one would want to touch. In our research with Mumsnet, it revealed that over half of us have had to do the Handbag Smuggle with our used tampon or pad, for lack of a bin. And 1 in 3 of us have had, or know someone who has, experienced a "nightmare" disposal scenario.
So bathrooms of the world, #BeBoldForChange and stick a bin in there! It's not a high tech invention or a radical new contraption, just a humble bin. Because menstruating girls and women need one. If it's not transparent, or lidless or lined with white broderie anglaise, that would also be very much appreciated.
The revolution is coming, one bin at a time.
What would you wish for on International Women's Day 2017?