March is Women's History Month, which means it's a perfect time to discuss an issue faced by homeless women that often goes without consideration and many shy away from talking about due to stigma — menstruation and access to menstrual products while homeless.
The 2018 Annual Homeless Assessment Report published by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development reported that on a single night in January, 39% of the homeless population consisted of women. Fewer than 1% identified as transgender or gender-nonconforming, and a percentage of those individuals likely deal with menstruation as well. Though we think of menstruation of a strictly female issue, not all women menstruate and not everyone who menstruates identifies as a woman. All of the individuals reported this night ranged in age from under 18 to over 24; on average, a person who menstruates will do so from the ages of 12 to 51, making it safe to assume that a significant number of those reported homeless deal (or have dealt) with menstruation.
All things considered, it's safe to say that there are far, far more individuals who struggle with menstruation while homeless than we talk or perhaps even stop to think about. A quick glance at Walmart's website shows that sanitary products are priced between $4.00 and $15.00 — while the lower end might seem like pocket change to someone who's even somewhat financially secure, that $4.00 could be the difference between a cheap meal or going hungry for the night. "The difficulty was I then had to make decisions on what to spend the money on," a formerly homeless young woman by the name of Taylor said in her interview with Teen Vogue. "Do I want to eat and be full, or how can I ration my menstrual products so they can last the duration of my period?"
Additionally, government assistance programs do not cover pads or tampons. According to the paper Menstrual Hygiene Plight of Homeless Women, A Public Health Disgrace by Allegra Parrillo MD, tampons and other sanitary items are classified as "not qualifying as 'treatment or prevention of illness or disease in human beings'" and therefore are considered a luxury. "The result is that benefits available to the homeless, such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), cannot be used to purchase these items," writes Parrillo. "That state legislatures could consider sanitary products as a luxury instead of a necessity is ludicrous."
With nowhere else to turn, these individuals are forced to turn to less-than-sanitary options. This leads to an increased risk for health issues, from urinary tract infections to potentially deadly toxic shock syndrome. They can miss out on opportunities such as job interviews for fear of bleeding through their clothing, not being able to properly clean soiled clothes, or because they aren't able to properly treat their cramps (or any number of ailments that can accompany a period). For transgender individuals who menstruate, not having access to sanitary supplies and private bathrooms can be downright dangerous in another way; these situations can make it difficult to "blend in," opening up the potential for violence against them.
How can you help? In the Wayne State community, the W Food Pantry helps students in need with sanitary products along with food. Although a student can access the pantry every two weeks, receiving only these products does not count against a students' visit limit. The W accepts donations of these (and other) resources — more information on how and where to donate can be found on their website. We here at the HIGH Program also provide our recipients with sanitary products when needed and appropriate, and although we don't take direct donations of these products, all donations help us to assist our most vulnerable students in several ways (menstrual products included). Find more about what we do and how to donate on our website!
Looking to help your local community? Donate pads, tampons, or other sanitary supplies to a homeless shelter or organization near you. As a consequence of lack of awareness, pads and tampons are among the least-donated supplies to shelters despite being one of the most requested items. Find shelters around you (the Homeless Shelter Directory as a great place to begin) and make sure they accept these sorts of donations. Finally, if a financial or supply donation isn't doable for you, there are still ways to help. Learning more on the topics of homelessness and menstruation and raising awareness is an excellent way to help; even volunteering at shelters can do a lot of good.
Tackling an issue that's hardly talked about can be intimidating, especially when there's a good deal of stigma surrounding it. Just opening the conversation is a huge start, and together we can do this!
The 2018 Annual Homeless Assessment Report published by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development reported that on a single night in January, 39% of the homeless population consisted of women. Fewer than 1% identified as transgender or gender-nonconforming, and a percentage of those individuals likely deal with menstruation as well. Though we think of menstruation of a strictly female issue, not all women menstruate and not everyone who menstruates identifies as a woman. All of the individuals reported this night ranged in age from under 18 to over 24; on average, a person who menstruates will do so from the ages of 12 to 51, making it safe to assume that a significant number of those reported homeless deal (or have dealt) with menstruation.
All things considered, it's safe to say that there are far, far more individuals who struggle with menstruation while homeless than we talk or perhaps even stop to think about. A quick glance at Walmart's website shows that sanitary products are priced between $4.00 and $15.00 — while the lower end might seem like pocket change to someone who's even somewhat financially secure, that $4.00 could be the difference between a cheap meal or going hungry for the night. "The difficulty was I then had to make decisions on what to spend the money on," a formerly homeless young woman by the name of Taylor said in her interview with Teen Vogue. "Do I want to eat and be full, or how can I ration my menstrual products so they can last the duration of my period?"
Additionally, government assistance programs do not cover pads or tampons. According to the paper Menstrual Hygiene Plight of Homeless Women, A Public Health Disgrace by Allegra Parrillo MD, tampons and other sanitary items are classified as "not qualifying as 'treatment or prevention of illness or disease in human beings'" and therefore are considered a luxury. "The result is that benefits available to the homeless, such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), cannot be used to purchase these items," writes Parrillo. "That state legislatures could consider sanitary products as a luxury instead of a necessity is ludicrous."
With nowhere else to turn, these individuals are forced to turn to less-than-sanitary options. This leads to an increased risk for health issues, from urinary tract infections to potentially deadly toxic shock syndrome. They can miss out on opportunities such as job interviews for fear of bleeding through their clothing, not being able to properly clean soiled clothes, or because they aren't able to properly treat their cramps (or any number of ailments that can accompany a period). For transgender individuals who menstruate, not having access to sanitary supplies and private bathrooms can be downright dangerous in another way; these situations can make it difficult to "blend in," opening up the potential for violence against them.
How can you help? In the Wayne State community, the W Food Pantry helps students in need with sanitary products along with food. Although a student can access the pantry every two weeks, receiving only these products does not count against a students' visit limit. The W accepts donations of these (and other) resources — more information on how and where to donate can be found on their website. We here at the HIGH Program also provide our recipients with sanitary products when needed and appropriate, and although we don't take direct donations of these products, all donations help us to assist our most vulnerable students in several ways (menstrual products included). Find more about what we do and how to donate on our website!
Looking to help your local community? Donate pads, tampons, or other sanitary supplies to a homeless shelter or organization near you. As a consequence of lack of awareness, pads and tampons are among the least-donated supplies to shelters despite being one of the most requested items. Find shelters around you (the Homeless Shelter Directory as a great place to begin) and make sure they accept these sorts of donations. Finally, if a financial or supply donation isn't doable for you, there are still ways to help. Learning more on the topics of homelessness and menstruation and raising awareness is an excellent way to help; even volunteering at shelters can do a lot of good.
Tackling an issue that's hardly talked about can be intimidating, especially when there's a good deal of stigma surrounding it. Just opening the conversation is a huge start, and together we can do this!
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