The inspiration to get involved can come from anywhere. For Lindsey Skelton, she came about the United Way’s period promise campaign while scrolling through a local news website. The initiative stuck with her; she wanted to be part of this and wanted to help. Over the past couple of years moving into her 20s and settling into life in Victoria, she was deeply inspired to consider the concept of community. Her pursuit of finding community and care, combined with a meaningful campaign, led her to initiate her own period product drive in her workplace.
The very next day, she reached out to her manager and began preparing resources and props for the break room. The response from her team was nothing short of extraordinary. Everyone wanted to contribute, teach, and learn. With word out about the product drive, countless friends, neighbours, and family members also reached out to lend support. This topic that has been notoriously divisive and shameful was bringing them together, connecting through conversation and shared experience.
Lindsey described “I fielded my co-worker’s questions and heard about their involvement, I thought back to high school when my friends and I shoved tampons into our sleeves and snuck into the bathroom, coughing as we opened their loud wrappers. Bonded through our shame around menstruation. I thought also of my first years of university, entering a new space and exploring my gender identity with my friends, each of us unsure of how to navigate this alongside period positivity. Coming together to redefine menstruation as something separate from womanhood and figure out how to discuss it as such.”
She and her co-workers realized that this experience was not only about donating much-needed products but also about starting conversations around menstruation and the multifaceted consequences of its stigmatization.
“Menstruation is many things; it’s political, spiritual, joyful, mournful, natural, and more all at once. In exploring these interlocking interpretations, we identified a few things that menstruation should never be: a privilege or a shame.” Says Lindsey.
Lindsey expressed gratitude for the support of her friends and loved ones during the educational fundraiser. Lindsey’s story is one of many demonstrating the power of collective action in supporting menstrual equity. Countless individuals, like Lindsey, have come together to gather a significant number of products to address the needs of those requiring them.
We thank individuals like Lindsey, for coming forward and uniting us.
