I would love for you, dear reader, to attend the Henderson Church Leadership Webinar, Period Positive Church, that I will be leading on November 19th from noon to 1:00. The webinar is free, but pre registration is required. This would be an opportunity to get more information about the Period Positive Workplace movement and to ask questions.
Period Positive Workplaces – support gender equality by providing period products at work. Supportive workplaces that recognize menstrual needs can boost wellbeing and productivity while demonstrating commitment to a more accessible world. Workplaces that provide period products report reduced absenteeism, increased productivity, and higher collaboration from employees who menstruate. Companies that invest in menstrual health management see benefits worth more than double the cost because of decreased absenteeism and higher retention. Addressing basic menstrual needs is one way organizations can commit to gender equality. Becoming a Period Positive Workplace empowers organizations to support the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including Good Health and Well-Being, Gender Equality, Clean Water and Sanitation and Decent Work and Economic Growth. (All of this information from the PPWP website which also includes tools for employees to advocate for their workplace to become PPWP.)
People with periods do more than work. We are engaging in our community in a variety of ways and need access everywhere. Workplaces are a great start, but we also need access in public spaces like parks, public libraries, schools, and religious spaces. Sometimes these groups don’t see themselves as workplaces so they need new language to explain why having period products in their restrooms is important.
My work with Days for Girls, one of the organizations behind PPWP, has helped me to confidently discusses menstrual health in a variety of settings.
As a pastor and menstrual health advocate, I have been able to talk to churches about the importance of menstrual products. These benefits can also be applied to other non-profit and community spaces. I would love to come and speak to your employer or community group about becoming period positive.
A summary of my thoughts about period positive church spaces can be read in The Presbyterian Outlook:
Period Pastor Pad 