Period Pride Day coming to Warwick

National Period Pride Day is coming to Warwick University in Week Six, Thursday 18 February.

The day was created by the Newcastle University’s Students’ Union (SU) last year as a way to fight period shame and break the taboo around the subject.

Newcastle SU has recently achieved #FreePeriods, allowing all students to receive free menstrual care while also removing the tax on sanitary products in the campus shop.

At Warwick, students can get involved by stating their opinion about the tampon tax on templates for a postcard campaign. These collected thoughts will be sent to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne.

Furthermore, Homed Warwick will collect tampons and pads for local homeless shelters. Throughout the week, students can donate menstrual care products to boxes placed at the SU Reception, in Rootes Grocery Store and at Warwick Medical School.

“The day is important because we still attach so much shame to the issue, but it’s a natural bodily function,” Chloe Wynne, the current women’s officer, stated.

She continued: “It should be a light-hearted day with a strong backbone of campaigning against the societal stigmatisation of menstruation.”

However, many Warwick students were not aware of the existence of Period Pride Day.

Hannah Timmis, first-year Classical Archaeology and Ancient History student, said: “I think it’s great, because it brings awareness to women’s problems.”

Liane Fernandes, third-year Medical Microbiology and Virology student, explained: “I didn’t know about Period Pride Day before, but I think that is a good idea.”

“I don’t understand why there is a tax on tampons and pads. That’s stupid, because they’re necessary,” she added.

Period Pride Day is not the only initiative of this kind. There is also a motion for cost-price menstrual care products in Rootes Grocery Store and Campus accommodation, which was discussed at the last All-Student Meeting.

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Read more:

What is the Tampon Tax? 

“Stop taxing periods” motion passed