Scotland Is About To Make History As The First Country To Make Feminine Hygiene Products Free
332Kviews
A study performed by Plan International UK has shown that 15% of girls have struggled to afford feminine hygiene products in the UK. Furthermore, the study has revealed that nearly half of girls aged 14-21 in the UK are embarrassed by their periods. This research has demonstrated that period poverty and stigma are real problems that need to be addressed. That’s exactly what Scotland is making history by introducing a bill to make sanitary napkins and other items free country-wide.
Scotland has just approved the first stage of the bill that would make period products completely free
Image credits: MonicaLennon7
The Period Products (Free Provision) Scotland Bill, which was introduced by Monica Lennon, has already passed its first vote. If the bill becomes law, the government will be responsible for ensuring that free feminine products are available to those in need. The groundbreaking bill is set to make Scotland the first country in the world to make menstrual hygiene products free.
Image credits: Wolfmann
On average, period products cost around £8 ($10) each month, making them unaffordable for those living on a very low income.
Image credits: youngwomenscot
“These are not luxury items. They are indeed essential and no one in Scotland should have to go without period products,” the Scottish lawmaker Monica Lennon said.
Image credits: cwu_scotland
Two years ago, Scotland became the first country in the world to make period products available for free in schools, colleges, and universities. The government provided £5.2 million in funding to support this.
Image credits: GirlguidingScot
Some local businesses have also joined the cause, with many pubs and restaurant owners providing sanitary products free of charge.
Image credits: Vvfabs
Several countries around the world are fighting period poverty by making sanitary items tax-free. This includes a dozen states in the US and countries such as Columbia, Kenya, Malaysia, Canada, Australia, India, Uganda, Nicaragua, Jamaica, Nigeria, Lebanon, and Trinidad and Tobago.
Image credits: theresa21
The UK has not been able to remove a 5% tax due to European Union rules. Nonetheless, the government has been donating the “tampon tax” to support women’s organizations and charities.
Here’s how people reacted
Image credits: HorsburghKatie
Image credits: lainymc2
Image credits: RosieHep
Image credits: RossFindlay6
Image credits: jandjspaw
Image credits: JackieALawlor
Image credits: KirsteenCampbel
Image credits: jweisswolf
Image credits: thistlebob1966
Image credits: Avrilfjamieson
332Kviews
Share on Facebook
Well done Scotland. Also read on Bored Panda today about the free baby boxes in Finland. Amazing. Also read about the parents in US who had their house liened by the hospital after their baby spent 27 hours there and the bill wa $175,000. What are you doing, America???
Also, baby died.
We get the baby boxes and they are packed with great stuff.
Oh man... Awful, just awful... I hope the family at least has a kickstarter going for that. Scotland sounds like heaven.
Sounds horrible, do you have a link? Also, you know there are way worse places on Earth than America, especially for women, right? How about the Democratic Republic of Congo, where as per Amnesty International, "an ongoing war has featured a brutal and strategic campaign of sexual violence targeted at women, from toddlers to the elderly."
@C, I think many are, like me, not anti-American but simply want better for you. As a first-world country your government certainly *can* afford to purchase health care products & services in bulk and make it so that a sudden issue with your health does not also bankrupt you. Why it doesn't is beyond the rest of us. We just want you to have what we have.
Otis Spunkmeyer and C, it's not about being anti-American, it's about being anti-cruelty to anyone, anywhere. Also, women have it bad over the entire world- but it's not a contest. Yes, it's worse in some places than others that is for damn sure, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't try to make things better EVERYWHERE for EVERYONE.
The fact that you have to reach to a third world country for your whatabouttery speaks volumes.
We're talking about people going bankrupt while watching their baby die in a country that pretends to have decent medical care. ...///... You're using the typical republitard "what about" crap to pretend they have no right to complain. ...///... Well, piss off.
Otis Spunkmeyer Scroll up to the top of the page it's under featured.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
People got so angry with a little satire.... for fucks sake people stop being so 10 ply.... nobody is getting a gold medal in the oppression Olympics. Have a laugh, its good for the soul.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Kathryn has strange idea that Countries are single people. Very Weird Lady. Sincerely - Russia
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Where are my Men's hygiene products for free? I am embarrassed by my unwanted facial hair and razors cost a lot of money. I also have to spend more on soap due to my larger frame than women. I am offended that I have to pay. EQUALITY!!!
Seriously, poor menstrual hygiene can cause TSS, cervical cancer and other illnesses. Is your beard going to give you chin cancer? I don't think so dickwad. (Also, women often shave a larger surface area than men AND our razors cost more thanks to the "pink tax", so your argument is doubly shit.)
Alphapuck you poor soul, it must be hard being a man and having to shave and wash. If only the womenfolk knew your struggle... Since when are razors and soap specifically only men's hygiene products? Do women not need to buy these also? Your point is invalid, here in Scotland you are what's known as a eejit
When you start bleeding out of your ass than maybe we can give you tampons for free too.
Alphaphuck, tampons and women's sanitary products are a medical need. Huge difference....
Seriously. Poor menstrual hygiene can cause TSS, cervical cancer and other illnesses.
You are "embarrassed"? Sorry, embarrassment is not a medical need.
Just a friendly reminder that NATURE DOESN'T CARE whether our fellow human beings can afford their periods or not. But we should. Someone compared this to razors for men, but I don't see it as apples-to-apples. If you can't afford a razor, the worst case scenario is.. you'd have a beard. Not quite the same level as walking around looking like a murder scene for a quarter of every month. Furthermore, you can use the same darn electric razor for 5-10 years, and I wouldn't advise doing that with sanitary products. And of course you can decide at any time to not shave, but people can't just f***ing unsubscribe from their periods.
I love you
I wasn't able to reply to it, but, your "bleeding out of your ass" comment had me in stitches. Perfect! XD
Congrats, Scotland!
Well done Scotland. Also read on Bored Panda today about the free baby boxes in Finland. Amazing. Also read about the parents in US who had their house liened by the hospital after their baby spent 27 hours there and the bill wa $175,000. What are you doing, America???
Also, baby died.
We get the baby boxes and they are packed with great stuff.
Oh man... Awful, just awful... I hope the family at least has a kickstarter going for that. Scotland sounds like heaven.
Sounds horrible, do you have a link? Also, you know there are way worse places on Earth than America, especially for women, right? How about the Democratic Republic of Congo, where as per Amnesty International, "an ongoing war has featured a brutal and strategic campaign of sexual violence targeted at women, from toddlers to the elderly."
@C, I think many are, like me, not anti-American but simply want better for you. As a first-world country your government certainly *can* afford to purchase health care products & services in bulk and make it so that a sudden issue with your health does not also bankrupt you. Why it doesn't is beyond the rest of us. We just want you to have what we have.
Otis Spunkmeyer and C, it's not about being anti-American, it's about being anti-cruelty to anyone, anywhere. Also, women have it bad over the entire world- but it's not a contest. Yes, it's worse in some places than others that is for damn sure, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't try to make things better EVERYWHERE for EVERYONE.
The fact that you have to reach to a third world country for your whatabouttery speaks volumes.
We're talking about people going bankrupt while watching their baby die in a country that pretends to have decent medical care. ...///... You're using the typical republitard "what about" crap to pretend they have no right to complain. ...///... Well, piss off.
Otis Spunkmeyer Scroll up to the top of the page it's under featured.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
People got so angry with a little satire.... for fucks sake people stop being so 10 ply.... nobody is getting a gold medal in the oppression Olympics. Have a laugh, its good for the soul.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Kathryn has strange idea that Countries are single people. Very Weird Lady. Sincerely - Russia
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Where are my Men's hygiene products for free? I am embarrassed by my unwanted facial hair and razors cost a lot of money. I also have to spend more on soap due to my larger frame than women. I am offended that I have to pay. EQUALITY!!!
Seriously, poor menstrual hygiene can cause TSS, cervical cancer and other illnesses. Is your beard going to give you chin cancer? I don't think so dickwad. (Also, women often shave a larger surface area than men AND our razors cost more thanks to the "pink tax", so your argument is doubly shit.)
Alphapuck you poor soul, it must be hard being a man and having to shave and wash. If only the womenfolk knew your struggle... Since when are razors and soap specifically only men's hygiene products? Do women not need to buy these also? Your point is invalid, here in Scotland you are what's known as a eejit
When you start bleeding out of your ass than maybe we can give you tampons for free too.
Alphaphuck, tampons and women's sanitary products are a medical need. Huge difference....
Seriously. Poor menstrual hygiene can cause TSS, cervical cancer and other illnesses.
You are "embarrassed"? Sorry, embarrassment is not a medical need.
Just a friendly reminder that NATURE DOESN'T CARE whether our fellow human beings can afford their periods or not. But we should. Someone compared this to razors for men, but I don't see it as apples-to-apples. If you can't afford a razor, the worst case scenario is.. you'd have a beard. Not quite the same level as walking around looking like a murder scene for a quarter of every month. Furthermore, you can use the same darn electric razor for 5-10 years, and I wouldn't advise doing that with sanitary products. And of course you can decide at any time to not shave, but people can't just f***ing unsubscribe from their periods.
I love you
I wasn't able to reply to it, but, your "bleeding out of your ass" comment had me in stitches. Perfect! XD
Congrats, Scotland!