Let’s talk about periods.

Menstruation is a normal part of life, including life at work and at university!

According to UNICEF, 1.8 billion people across the world menstruate every month. Millions of people who menstruate do not have access to products to help manage their menstrual cycle in a dignified, healthy way. Gender inequality, discriminatory social norms and lack of basic services like toilets and menstrual products can cause menstrual health needs to go unmet.

Seeing menstrual products in male bathrooms might be new to some of us – this is because some people who menstruate use male bathrooms (e.g., transgender men). We are providing free menstrual health products to all staff, students, and visitors to CECC – regardless of their gender identity.

To find out more, you may wish to check out the following resources:

·       UNICEF’s work to promote menstrual health  

·       WHO’s Statement on menstrual health and rights

·       CECC Associate Dean – DBIE Prof Meredith Nash writes about managing menstruation during remote Antarctic fieldwork

·       Kenny Jones writes about what it’s like to deal with periods as a trans man

LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK

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The College of Engineering, Computing and Cybernetics (CECC)’s Period Project is an initiative of the Diversity, Belonging, Inclusion and Equity (DBIE) team. It aims to normalise menstruation in the CECC as a place of work and learning, by making menstrual products feely available to all staff, students and visitors.

Free menstrual health products (liners, pads and tampons) are available in all toilet facilities in the CECC precinct. Please take what you need.