We kinda can’t believe it hasn’t happened already, but here we are.
Let’s call for a little celebration because Woolworths is finally calling sanitary products what they are: Period care.
WATCH: Modibodi Period Underwear Ad Banned By Facebook.
For years, society’s outdated ‘norms’ have led many to feel like periods are a taboo subject.
From frankly awkward nicknames like Aunt Flo (cringe), that time of the month, Lady Business and probably worse of all the Red Badge of Courage (for real, why would that be okay?) to having to hide tampons up our sleeves.
Oh, and FYI, trans-masc and non-binary people can get periods too. Menstruation isn’t just a biological woman’s issue.
Big corporate companies bound by old-school practices and wildly outdated traditions certainly don’t help the cause – BUT it finally looks like the tide is turning.
Woolworths is among the first of the Australian supermarket giants to rebrand their ‘Personal care and sanitary product’ category to the name ‘Period and Continence Care.’
To add to the glorious news, the company isn’t wasting any time – as of literally today, Woolworths has made the change, and they’re openly acknowledging that period is just a word.
Woolworths managing director Natalie Davis said in a statement: “This is a change we can make today that will help debunk the stigma of calling a period what it is and will help many young women grow up feeling less shame or embarrassment, so we’re excited to introduce this in Australia.”
Go to your local Woolworths and see it for yourself – the rollout spans across its online shopping website as well – effective immediately.
The initiative was trialled in New Zealand supermarkets last year, and even though it is only just coming here, Australia is still one of the first places in the world to use the word.
To add to the encouraging news, Woolworths has been partnered with Share The Dignity, a period poverty organisation bringing awareness and helping women who are unable to afford period products.
Since Woolworths began working with Share The Dignity, more than $1.8 million has been donated to support impact programs since 2019.
Politically, there has some progress flowing through Australia and New Zealand in the past few years.
In 2018, the Australian government banned Tampon Tax, and the New Zealand government has given a leg up to schools to offer their students free period products.
Given people have been having periods since the dawn of time, the fact that there is still a stigma around it is a little baffling.
That said, it is encouraging to see progress in this landscape, and hopefully we’ll only see it continue.
The next step? Period products to become free – are you listening Scomo?
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