Kotex

• The answer, I believe, lies in the pervasive culture of shame that has long surrounded menstruation, stifling open dialogue around the subject.
• So, I embarked on a research project with a team of colleagues at the University of Leeds into the history of menstrual stigma.
• What we’ve discovered so far are examples of stigma and shame surrounding periods from many thousands of years ago through to the modern day.

Not a new problem

• This passage asserts that women (along with anything they lie or sit on) become “unclean” during menstruation.
• If a non-menstruating person touches either the menstrual blood, or anything the woman has touched, they too will become unclean.
• He writes that crops “will wither and die”, and bees “will forsake their hives if touched by a menstruous woman”.

From history to today

• Some 70 years later, in 2020, Tampax was criticised for advertising tampons that “open silently for full discretion”.
• Read more:
  Solving period poverty is about more than just making products free

  Another example of the stigmatisation of menstruation can be seen in the long history of euphemisms.

• A similar study from 1975 discussed 128 menstrual euphemisms, many of which are still used today (such as “Aunt Flo” and “on the rag”).

The harms of stigma

• This long history of menstrual stigma continues to inform contemporary culture, having a negative effect on people who menstruate today.
• In 2021, a group of researchers concluded that feelings of stigma and shame perpetuate the expectation that people should hide their menstruation.

What can we do?

• But there are numerous small actions each of us can take, which collectively can make a significant difference.
• First of all, we can all (irrespective of age, gender or sexuality) embrace open conversations about menstruation.
• We need to tackle period poverty, ensure access to clean water and private toilets, and encourage employers to develop positive menstrual policies.

• On World Toilet Day, Kimberly-Clark , the Kimberly-Clark Foundation and their NGO partners continue their grassroots initiatives to address this global sanitation crisis and help protect human health, safety, dignity and overall quality of life.
• Worldwide, Kimberly-Clark continues to provide access to safe sanitation and clean water through its Toilets Change Lives program.
• "Through the power of our brands and partnerships, we are actively working to address the root cause of this sanitation crisis and help drive systems change in communities around the globe."
• Kimberly-Clark's work to address the global sanitation crisis contributes to the company's global ambition and its purpose of Better Care for a Better World.

• DALLAS, Oct. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Kimberly-Clark Corporation (NYSE: KMB) will issue its third quarter 2022 results on Tuesday, October 25 with a news release issued via PR Newswire and First Call at approximately 6:30 a.m. CDT.
• Kimberly-Clark will continue to post the date of future quarterly earnings releases and related webcasts on its website.
• Kimberly-Clark (NYSE: KMB) and its trusted brands are an indispensable part of life for people in more than 175 countries.
• To keep up with the latest news and to learn more about the company's 150-year history of innovation, visit kimberly-clark.com .

• Lisa Morden, Vice President of Safety, Sustainability and Occupational Health at Kimberly-Clark is the featured guest this week on the Impact Podcast with John Shegerian .
• It was an honor and privilege to have Lisa on the show, said Shegerian.
• I appreciate the opportunity to join the Impact Podcast to discuss the challenges facing our planet in the decade ahead.
• The Impact Podcast with John Shegerian is available for listening on ImpactPodcast.com , Apples iTunes , Amazon Music, Google Podcasts , Spotify , libsyn , and as part of iHeartRadios digital broadcast, reaching over 120 million users.