The Huffington Post published this article: For Homeless Women, Getting Their Period Is One Of The Most Difficult Challenges. This had never occurred to me, but now I wondered: how are homeless women supposed to afford pads and tampons? Getting your period when you don’t even have a home, much less hourly access to a bathroom, sounds like a nightmare bigger than the ones I already have at night.
First, can we please finally remove the taboo from talking about menstruation? Americans are so squeamish about women’s monthly menstrual cycles that problems like this can go on and on without ever being addressed. Women menstruate. Let’s be mature about this biological fact and make it okay to acknowledge in public.
Next, here’s what I’m going to do: I’m going to start purchasing extra pads and tampons when I do my usual grocery shopping. The closest homeless support organization to me is Cornerstone Community Outreach in Chicago and they accept goods donations seven days a week from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. at 4628 N. Clifton Avenue (near the Wilson el stop on the red line). If you live in Chicago, join me in donating regularly to Cornerstone Community Outreach — or another homeless shelter — so that women without their own homes, bathrooms or showers can at least get the menstruation products they need. What a horrible predicament to be in: homeless and on your period. These women need our help.
It is very good way to help these homeless women by providing tampons and sanitary towels/pads. I agree with you about the silly taboo surrounding menstruation as well and how people are squeamish about the subject.