21st Feb 2008
Menstruation!
It’s not surprising that menstrual discussion continues to be publicly led by corporate interests. Even school educational films from decades ago were product-placement driven.
“Molly Grows Up” shows cheerful young Molly, accepting menstruation as yet another step towards being able to wear lipstick and drool over wedding dresses. However, it’s overall quite positive, treating the menstrual cycle as a natural part of growing up — even Dad is able to hear the news of Molly’s new period in this family. The film was made by Modess, and their pads naturally are the ideal solution.
“Naturally a Girl” from quite some time later. Again, an overall positive attitude about this “exciting” time in a woman’s life. Again, sponsored by a sanitary napkin manufacturer; after a brief introduction into what the cycle is all about, the second half of the film is entirely about issues with napkins. (There’s an EXCITING NEW product which has adhesive on the back of the pad! WOW!)
The impact of brand loyalty in a relatively taboo subject can’t be underestimated. Girls and women don’t tend to have long chatty conversations about periods; if they do, it’s just to bemoan its inconvenience, not to compare products or wonder which pad absorbs more. I used Always for thirteen years — my mother had used them, so they were around the house already and it was what she bought for me when I needed my own.
I remember during poor college days, grumbling over my budget, calculating just how much money I spent on feminine products and being annoyed (that’s a whole couple of meals every month!)… but my frustration was directed at the menstrual cycle that kept coming and forcing me to spend money, NOT at the corporation that had informed me it was necessary to buy single-use products for this cycle. They had succeeded in bringing in my mother’s generation into the disposables world, and my generation followed just because that was what one did. (Thankfully, reusable options are making a resurgence, thanks to rising environmental concerns as well as a growing openness about menstruation. Visit GladRags and rejoice in the money you can save.)
In an average … woman’s lifetime, she is likely to use 15,000 sanitary pads or tampons. Over 12 BILLION pads and tampons are USED ONCE and disposed of annually… An average woman throws away 125 to 150 Kgs of tampons, pads and applicators in her lifetime.
The financial costs are significant. It’s an annoyance for a college student on a “tight budget”, but becomes drastic for a family in real poverty. Nevertheless, the same corporations who convinced the Western world that disposable sanitation was the way to go are now concentrating on the developing world. There are millions of untapped customers, menstruating regularly, and they’re happy to provide product.
Projects by corporations like P&G are not entirely mercenary — they are donating water pumps, restrooms, and similar basic sanitation requirements, without which any menstrual protection is far less effective. However, their real goal is to sell sanitary napkins, getting women hooked on a cycle of “convenience” that their families can ill afford. I really prefer the work of groups like Goods 4 Girls: “Providing reusable supplies not only provides a more environmentally friendly alternative for these young women (in areas of adequate water supply for washing), it reduces their dependence on outside aid organizations to continue providing for their monthly needs.” Good for them for not conforming.
Minimal effort has gone into production and social marketing of low-cost napkins, reusable materials, research into bio-degradables, etc. Research and development efforts have been limited to commercial ventures that … are unable to market products that are affordable for the poorest of the poor….
[Source of quotes: "Menstrual Hygiene and Management in Developing Countries: Taking Stock" (November 2004, by Sowmyaa Bharadwaj and Archana Patkar) can be read at the online Museum of Menstruation.]
I trust the work of independent research more than I do the opinions of corporations with a financial stake in the matter. I have personally used both disposable and reusable options of all sorts, and find the reusables to be much more comfortable. The financial and environmental benefits are icing on the cake.
Leave a Reply