Tired of the embarrassment surrounding periods, women and men sharing are photos of themselves clutching sanitary products alongside #JustATampon to mark International Tampon Alert Day, and to raise awareness of worldwide gender inequality.
International children’s charity Plan UK and news site VPoint launched the campaign to stoke a conversation about menstruation and break down taboos.
Anticipating the potential negative response to what is sometimes perceived as trivial or disgusting topic, the charity explained on its website: “the stigma and embarrassment attached to women’s periods contributes to gender inequality worldwide.
“Because it’s just a tampon – there’s nothing to be embarrassed about, but just a tampon can change women’s lives.”
To put the campaign into perspective, approximately 800 million women between the ages of 15 and 49 are menstruating each day.
Those sharing photos are encouraging followers to text TAMPON to 70007 to donate £3 to Plan UK.
“Donations will help tackle discrimination faced by girls globally, not just around menstrual hygiene but other issues they face including child marriage and female genital mutilation,” according to Plan UK.
Women including Channel 4 news reader Cathy Newman and presenter Carol Smilie have were among to join in with the effort.
Guys, it's just a piece of cotton on a string…#JustATampon pic.twitter.com/GXg8B7kIkh
— Cathy Newman (@cathynewman) June 8, 2015
Don't panic it's #justatampon @PlanUK pic.twitter.com/tLfE7HerGm
— Carol Smillie (@carolsmillie1) June 8, 2015
Oh… #JustATampon I thought you said Justice Tampon. @PlanUK pic.twitter.com/xWgC3iKQaL
— Dr. Hannah Ballou (@hannahfballou) June 8, 2015
https://twitter.com/amoschopoulou5/status/607902865550675968
https://twitter.com/DarrenGallagher/status/607896962696945664
https://twitter.com/RobynF29/status/607886582499180544
https://twitter.com/Jeninajar/status/607884251955101696
#JustATampon txt TAMPON TO 70007 to donate £3 to #planuk pic.twitter.com/qzdBQRvEJO
— Becka McFadden (@BeckaMcF) June 8, 2015
Supporting @PlanUK #JustATampon campaign. Breaking the stigma around tampons with my beard. pic.twitter.com/gFOTTLmEXo
— David Tapp (@David_Tapp) June 8, 2015
https://twitter.com/KateXXY_2112/status/607871210316275713
I don't need tampons any more but others do. Support #justatampon -break taboos – and…more info coming up pic.twitter.com/WDW8aS4lkg
— Jenny Eclair (@jennyeclair) June 8, 2015
Guys, it's just a piece of cotton on a string…#JustATampon pic.twitter.com/GXg8B7kIkh
— Cathy Newman (@cathynewman) June 8, 2015
https://twitter.com/Artfor/status/607837606047588352
Proving the point of the campaign, some were quick to show their disgust at the selfies, with Twitter user @robga replying to comedian Jenny Eclair’s tweet with “Bit early for that!”.
A video of a woman pretending to drop her tampons in public also reflected how periods are still a huge taboo for many people.
The footage shot by VPoints shows people laughing and cringing, with one man replying: “We’ll never see you again don’t worry”.
Others, like a pair of builders and two tourists, calmly top to help the woman pick them up.
A video of a woman pretending to drop her tampons in public also reflected how periods are still a huge taboo for many people.
The footage shot by VPoints shows people laughing and cringing, with one man replying: “We’ll never see you again don’t worry”.
Others, like a pair of builders and two tourists, calmly top to help the woman pick them up.
Read more:https://www.independent.co.uk
