McMaster Family Health Team pilots menstrual equity initiative

 As we recognized Menstrual Hygiene Day on May 28, the Department of Family Medicine is introducing an initiative to provide free menstrual products in the washrooms of McMaster Family Practice and Stonechurch Family Health Centre. Eleven gender-neutral washrooms will be stocked with organic cotton menstrual products.

The McMaster Family Health Team serves over 40,000 community members, including many individuals from equity-deserving groups (e.g., Indigenous, 2SLGBTQIA+, racialized, low-income, and those that are unhoused).

“Our commitment to providing exceptional, person-centred primary care must include addressing the systemic barriers to menstrual equity. Through this initiative, we aim to promote safety and dignity for all people that menstruate,” said Jill Berridge, co-executive director of the McMaster Family Health Team.

This initiative was founded on the pillars of accessibility, inclusivity, and sustainability.

• Menstrual products are a necessity, not a luxury. In 2018, a Plan International Canada survey of 2,000 women found that 23% were struggling to afford menstrual products for themselves or their dependents.
• Menstruation is heavily gendered as a “women’s issue”, but inclusive periods recognize that transgender, non-binary, and intersex folks may also menstruate.
• The average menstruator throws away 250-300 pounds of pads, tampons, and applicators, and if made of plastic, can take up to 1000 years to break down. Sustainable menstruation means considering the environmental impact that these products have.

The pads and tampons used in this initiative have been purchased from Aunt Flow. They are a female-founded enterprise committed to creating products that are plastic-free, 100% biodegradable and reduce waste by 25%. For every 10 products sold, 1 is donated to non-profits, so far supporting over 1.6 million menstruators in need.

“By providing free menstrual products to patients, we recognize that the path to gender equity starts with meeting the fundamental needs of all individuals. We hope to promote dignity, break barriers, and provide a welcoming space for all,” said Barb Flaherty, co-executive director of the McMaster Family Health Team.