College campaign aims to end period shame

Lack of access

According to the UN Population Fund, every woman will have 450 periods in her lifetime on average, and every day about 800 million women around the globe are menstruating.

Despite that, at least 5 million women globally have no access to proper menstrual care products.

Surveys show that women often face awkward situations when they get their period unexpectedly but have no access to sanitary napkins.

Recent research by Sichuan Normal University shows that three-quarters of 3,000 female students interviewed said they had experienced the ordeal, and nearly all of them said they would give sanitary napkins to someone in need.

According to a Nov 2 report in Beijing News, some students at an unnamed college have used slogans such as "I'm a woman, I menstruate" as part of a campaign to help people understand their demands.

China Women's University in Beijing was one of the first supporters of the campaign, and nearly all its female washrooms are equipped with distinctive green-and-yellow containers.

To ensure donor anonymity, people are asked to put the napkins in sealed bags marked with the item's date of manufacture and size.

"I think it is a laudable initiative to meet women's specific practical gender needs. As a result, women and teenagers are relieved of this awful feeling of shame and are more confident in their time around campus," said Queenta, a graduate student from Cameroon at the university.

She added that girls in her country still see menstruation as a taboo, and the subject is never openly discussed.

Many male students have expressed support for the campaign.

"It is a very meaningful and necessary movement to end period shame. Even my male peers know menstruation is still a very private topic, which girls feel reluctant to share with others. That should change," said Zhang Beiyue, 20, a junior student at Jiangsu Police Institute in East China.

Wen Long, 25, a male salesclerk at a shopping mall in Shanghai, praised the campaign.

"I've seen some female customers suddenly get their period in the mall when they are not carrying sanitary napkins," he said.

"Some metropolitan malls, including the one where I work, provide free sanitary napkins in the female washrooms. Some malls even have vending machines for napkins. It's a step forward."