Feminist Activists Prepare for First ‘National Period Day,’ Tout ‘Menstrual Movement Manifesto’

Activists are preparing for the “world’s first National Period Day” on Saturday, October 19, in an effort to elevate “the issue of period poverty.”

Activists behind National Period Day say that “period poverty” is an issue plaguing the country. They assess that “1 in 4 women struggle to afford period products due to a lack of income.” They also believe “period stigma” is making menstruation a “taboo topic,” despite the emergence of the Women’s March movement, which resulted in Ashley Judd’s infamous “Nasty Woman” speech in the nation’s capital in 2017.

“I am not as nasty as a man who looks like he bathes in Cheetos dust,” Judd said, later lamenting “bloodstains” on her bedsheets:

I am nasty like my bloodstains on my bed sheets. We do not actually choose if and when we had our periods. We do not like throwing away our favorite pairs of underpants. Why are pads and tampons still taxed when Viagra and Rogaine are not? Is your erection really more than protecting the parts of my womanhood? Is the bloodstain on my jeans more embarrassing than the thinning of your hair?

Activists are pushing rallies across all 50 states in hopes of “demanding real change to making period products more accessible for all and ending the #TamponTax.”

“If faces were bleeding, someone would do something,” the PERIOD Movement tweeted alongside a video of people — including men — with bloody noses.

“THIS SATURDAY is the first-ever #NationalPeriodDay. We’re hosting rallies in all 50 states to demand menstrual equity and an end to the #tampontax,” it added.

“You don’t have to have PMS to be f*cking pissed off about this, but it helps,” those in the video stated:

The events are endorsed by the Menstrual Movement coalition, which has penned a “MENSTRUAL MOVEMENT MANIFESTO.”

It reads:

We believe that it is a fundamental human right to be able to discover and reach your full potential, regardless of a natural need – and what could be more natural then menstruation? Simply put — MENSTRUAL HYGIENE IS A RIGHT, NOT A PRIVILEGE.

We are the Menstrual Movement — fighting for equitable access to menstrual hygiene, and breaking down the stigma surrounding periods. This fight is on ALL OF US, and we must TAKE ACTION NOW. Unlike most poverty-related issues, this one is solvable. Along with destigmatizing periods, we are calling for:

1. Clean and healthy period products to be freely accessible in schools, shelters, and prisons

2. Eliminate the “tampon tax” – exempt period products from the sales tax.

Far-left “Squad” member Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) tweeted support of the movement, noting her role as a co-sponsor of the Menstrual Equity for All Act:

The PERIOD Movement is encouraging activists to promote the cause on Saturday by using the hashtags “#NATIONALPERIODDAY” and “#PERIODPOWER.”