What’s the name of the paradise Norse warriors go to after death?

Give a little dignity via Bunnings

Zoe Askew

MENSTRUATION, that time of the month, the red badge of courage, whatever you call it, periods are crappy enough for most women to deal with every month. Cramps, night sweats, sore boobs, mood swings, headaches, breakouts, bloating; seriously, no one loves getting their period, unless maybe you are really hoping something didn’t happen after that blurry night out three weeks back. For most menstruating women in Australia, we can go home from work or school after a day of Satan’s child clawing at our insides, curl up on the couch with a hot water bottle and down a couple of panadol and that’s the worst of it. But for those fleeing domestic violence, barely making ends meet, or the estimated 49,000 women in Australia facing homelessness every night, without access to menstrual products, periods can lead to shame, embarrassment and increased risk of urogenital infections. Almost three million Australians live in poverty, with women facing disproportionately high rates of poverty and extreme poverty compared with their male counterparts, making period poverty a serious issue in Australia. Last year, Share the Dignity, an Australian women’s charity dedicated to eradicating period poverty, surveyed more than 125,000 people to better understand the extent of period poverty across the country. The Period Pride report, based on responses from the survey, found more than one-in-five people who menstruate have had to improvise on period products because of the cost. Almost half of the respondents, 49 per cent, admitted that they had worn a pad or tampon for more than four hours because they didn’t have enough products to get by. Rochelle Courtenay, founder and managing director of Share the Dignity, said the study painted a disturbing picture of the reality that many menstruating women face. “We expected to see that shame and stigma surrounding periods still exists, but we couldn’t have predicted the sheer number of people who have struggled to afford period products,” Ms Courtenay said. “It’s not just about using toilet paper either; it’s about not having access to period products when you need them - whether that’s changing to a less suitable but more affordable product or asking a friend to purchase products for you. “This experience is more common than we thought, but not spoken about enough. It’s likely that you, your mum, aunty, friend, or colleague have found themselves in a situation like this. No person should ever go without these essentials.” For more than seven years, Share the Dignity has facilitated ‘dignity drives’ nationwide throughout the months of March and August, calling on communities to donate period-care products into Share the Dignity bins that are then redistributed locally to those in need. In the same year, the Australian women’s charity also launched their #ItsInTheBag Christmas appeal, that aims to ensure that every woman and girl spending Christmas in a domestic violence shelter receives the basic essentials, including pads and tampons, deodorant, toothbrush and toothpaste, shampoo and soap; as well as little luxuries such as hair accessories or a handwritten note. For too many Australian women and girls, a Share the Dignity bag is the only gift they will receive this Christmas, something Gabi Alosi can attest to, having received an #ItsInTheBag donation when she found herself homeless at the age of 22. “I experienced homelessness through my mental health. I had a suicide attempt and wasn’t allowed to come back to my residence. So, I ended up in a youth homeless shelter. I wouldn’t wish that on anybody else,” Ms Alosi said. “The bag made me feel incredibly loved and cared for, and that was something I hadn’t experienced in a long time from myself or others. It meant a lot to me that people felt that I even deserved to receive a bag and that they were proud of me for moving forward in my life.” From Friday, November 18, until Sunday, November 27, Sale Bunnings, on MacArthur St, will collect bags for Share the Dignity’s 2022 #ItsInTheBag Christmas appeal. Kyla Earsman is a local Share the Dignity volunteer, and is urging people to dig deep this Christmas to help ensure local donations reach the women and girls within the community who need them. Mrs Earsman also encourages any locals interested in volunteering to help end period poverty to sign up on the Share the Dignity website, https://www.sharethedignity.org.au/ get-involved/volunteer. “I can’t wait to see more volunteers join us in Sale,” Mrs Earsman said. “It is an incredible feeling to drop period products and handbags filled with essentials to domestic violence shelters, community centres, homeless shelters and other charities that request items.”

Locals can once again donate to Share the Dignity at Sale Bunnings.

Photo: File