Period poverty charity Bloody Good Period is on a mission to end period shame. Marking Menstrual Hygiene Day on 28^th May, their punchy new #NoShameHere campaign aims to remove shame around both menstruation and menstrual products and kick start conversations around period stigma  – helping to ensure that more people can have the bloody good periods they deserve.

Unbelievably, there is still huge shame and taboo attached to periods, despite it being a natural and normal biological function. This is compounded for many by an inability to freely access or afford period products when they need them. Research from Bloody Good Period reveals:

• 9 in 10 of those who menstruate experience period anxiety at work
• 63% want employers to normalise talking about periods in the workplace
• Hiding period products is considered ‘the norm’ – 97% of respondents in a social media poll agreed
• 25% have experienced a time where they have had to take time off due to menstrual health issues, and it has impacted their career progression.
• When asked what employers could do to support them when it comes to their menstrual health, 56% said to encourage and support time off for necessary health checks e.g. cervical smears.
• The pandemic has worsened the problem of access and affordability: Bloody Good Period is now meeting a level of demand six times higher than pre-Covid, with over 81,000 packs of products distributed since the start of UK lockdown.

The No Shame Here campaign aims to remove the secrecy and shame which surrounds periods with the release of a new film, created by Mother in partnership with Strange Beast. Following the period experiences of a diverse group of people who menstruate, the film is upbeat, open and celebratory. The CeCe Peniston classic Finally – now named Typically – features updated lyrics to bring home period realities.

Gabby Edlin, CEO of Bloody Good Period, commented: “It’s 2021 and time we confine period shame to history. On Menstrual Health Day, we’re asking everyone to wake up to periods being a part of life and recognise that society needs to accept this natural biological process. By shifting attitudes and making period products accessible, we can help everyone, especially the most marginalised in our society – those living in poverty, refugees and asylum seekers or lacking period education  – to live life to its full potential.”

With demand for BGP’s services still growing, the charity is also asking people to donate to enable them to continue distributing products.

Gabby Edlin added “We believe access to period products is a matter of human rights, because not having them has such a range of consequences – for our physical and mental health, and for all of us as a society. Until they are freely available for everyone who needs them, we’ll be here getting products out to people who need them.”