Annika Gordon on UnSplash
To support Girl Up Oakville's fight for menstrual equity, Oakville Public Library (OPL) is now functioning as a menstrual product donation collection site till the end of January. Locals can use this opportunity to donate sanitary products to Greater Toronto Area's residents who struggle with period poverty.
"Considering the long-standing inequality and taboo in our community associated with menstrual products, we were happy for the opportunity to help out," Marcus Logan. OPL's Manager- Community Development & Engagement added.
Menstrual products donated at OPL branches will be delivered to the Women's Centre of Halton and "if possible, to a trans and non-gender conforming program."
With this collective effort, OPL aims to provide equitable access to those in Oakville who menstruate. It hopes this donation drive will also be an excellent opportunity to share with locals about agencies like the Women's Centre of Halton and the Girl Up Oakville.
"We try to assist folks with food and hygiene products. With the rising costs of everything, we know many residents struggle, and we are more than happy to be a collection space for the public to drop off and help the community," Logan added.
Period poverty describes the struggle many low-income women and girls face while trying to afford menstrual products. The term also refers to the increased economic vulnerability women and girls face due the financial burden posed by menstrual supplies. - United Nations Population Fund
Girl Up Oakville provides women with the tools and platform to achieve gender equality.
Its menstrual product drive is a repeat event this year, following its success with two drives last year. Every year at Girl Up, a few important topics in gender equality are chosen to focus on. One such topic last year was menstrual equality, which is how the project was conceived in the first place.
Drawing from her childhood memories in our town, Emma Li, Director of Events for Girl Up’s Oakville Chapter this year, shared, "Oakville has hardly seen anything like this in the past, which is why it is so important to us that we do the best we can."
"The only thing I've heard of is the debate to make menstrual products free, which never happened. Some progress has happened with free menstrual products for high schoolers, but there are still so many people in need of those products."
