Most period rage in the U.S is about accessibility. There are protests about the tampon tax because 33 states do not deem menstrual products a necessity. There is a movement advocating for free and safe pads for inmates in federal prisons- facilities in which menstruators have reported vaginal infections, leaking, and price gouging of menstrual products. There is even support for menstrual leave which would allow workers paid time off from their jobs during their period. Throughout these movements, capitalism proves to be the obstacle to proper period care.
Capitalism is an economic structure that relies on people being at the bottom of its economic ladder. In other words, in order for capitalism to work there needs to be poor people. And as long as we include period products in this system, there will always be people who cannot afford to manage their period. This, compounded with the reality that women in America are 35% more likely to live in poverty, reveals that capitalism does not have the infrastructure to support menstruators.
Period brands have done what they can to try and bridge the gap between menstruation and capitalism, but there is only so much that can be done. Period positivity has become a popular marketing campaign to help menstruators feel empowered in their period management. The surge in new period brands has even allowed menstruators the element of choice, nurturing this pseudo feeling of empowerment. But the bottom line is that some people still can not afford these products.
It is also worth exploring what it means that in dominant culture, periods are nearly always spoken about in relation to consumer goods. Capitalism is the buffer we use to talk about our periods- it is ok to publicly buy pads and tampons but it is not necessarily ok to talk about the actual blood without the intent to then go purchase something that can stop it. There is a reason most of us feel more comfortable asking a friend for a tampon than talking about blood staining our pants. And when period positivity is mentioned, it is strategically used to encourage us to buy a product. So what is period positivity without consumption? And is it sustainable outside of a capitalist framework?
Our periods were not meant to be discussed through an economic lens, but capitalism has forced us to. It proves difficult to talk about periods holistically when there are people that have to choose between a pad or food to eat, because they cannot afford both. So the current rage at the inaccessibility in period care should also be addressed to capitalism. As long as we separate the two, we will continue to treat symptoms and avoid the source of the pain.
For many of you reading this, you may feel like this does not apply to you. If you can afford to buy period management products once a month, why should you care. And to that my answer is that you have a biological obligation to care about other menstruators. As long as period products are commodified, capitalism will continue to make them less accessible, eventually to a point that even you are left on the outskirts. Capitalism makes all menstruators vulnerable because it dangles our ability to manage our health right in front us- far enough that we can reach it but never close enough to actually claim it.
