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#NoShameInTheFlow: Ending Period Stigma and Building a Fairer Future

While we’ve come a long way in menstrual awareness, society still treats periods and menstruation-related challenges as hush topics—taboos cloaked in discomfort and silence. At Liberty, we are committed to changing that. We're creating platforms where people can talk about periods without shame, support one another, and push for real systemic change.

At a recent motoring festival, our Liberty exhibit sparked curious stares—and meaningful conversations. Many car enthusiasts stopped to learn more about sustainable period products. It proved what we’ve always believed: period conversations can and should happen anywhere—in schools, at work, even among revving engines.

The Hidden Cost of Silence

Despite being a biological reality for billions of people, menstruation still limits opportunities and holds women and girls back—educationally, professionally, socially, and emotionally.

Through our #NoShameInTheFlow campaign, we surveyed people who have experienced firsthand how menstruation-related challenges have interfered with their lives. Their responses are both moving and telling:

“When I was a child, period was not an excuse… but my pain was taking me from life up to 2 days.”— Survey participant
"Lack of access for when I was at school, and embarrassing leaks—it felt very shameful."— Survey participant

According to the World Bank, over 500 million women and girls globally lack access to proper menstrual hygiene. In some regions, this results in girls missing up to 20% of school days annually (UNESCO, 2014). In the UK, 1 in 10 girls can’t afford menstrual products, causing them to miss school entirely (Plan International UK, 2017).


What People Told Us

Our respondents voiced real and urgent challenges:

  • Missed work and school due to period pain, exhaustion, or lack of sanitary products

  • Lack of understanding or empathy, especially in schools and workplaces

  • Medical neglect, with painful conditions like endometriosis and PMDD going undiagnosed or dismissed for years

  • Stigma and embarrassment from visible leaks or simply speaking about menstruation

“An understanding that not only do women and girls have no control over the types of periods they have... but they also have an abysmally low chance of being listened to by medics... isn't right or fair.”
“We need to normalise talking about it. It shouldn’t be hidden.”
“Understanding is especially needed. Some ladies get endometriosis, which is highly painful.”

One survey participant, highlighted how menstrual shame shaped her school years and called for long-term solutions:

“Period underwear should be available for all young girls while at school. Bring education to them, make it not shameful, and give impactful advice about the side effects of contraceptive pills.”

What Needs to Change

Our participants and broader research agree: menstrual equity is about more than just access to products—it's about respect, understanding, and inclusion.


✊ Key Changes We’re Advocating For:

  • Paid leave or flexible sick days for severe menstrual symptoms

  • Free access to period products and underwear in schools and workplaces

  • Inclusive, honest education around menstruation and reproductive health

  • Greater medical awareness of period-related conditions

  • Ending the culture of silence and embarrassment

These aren't luxury reforms—they’re the building blocks of a fair and dignified life.


Celebrating Progress (But Not Stopping Here)

From motoring events to classrooms and offices, we’re seeing small victories. People are talking. Schools are listening. Sustainable period products are becoming more mainstream. But awareness is just the beginning.

We need more voices, more action, and more advocacy.


Share Your Story. Join the Movement.

You don’t have to be an expert to make a difference. You just have to speak up. Your story might be the one that helps a young girl feel normal, or convinces a school to stock free pads.

📢 Share your story here – Let your voice be heard.

Because periods aren’t a weakness. But pretending they don’t matter?That’s the real problem.


Sources:

  • World Bank (2018). Menstrual Hygiene Management Enables Women and Girls to Reach Their Full Potential

  • UNESCO (2014). Puberty Education & Menstrual Hygiene Management

  • Plan International UK (2017). Break the Barriers: Girls’ Experiences of Menstruation in the UK

  • Endometriosis UK (2023). Facts and Figures

  • Liberty Underwear survey May 2025

 
 
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