U of G’s Oxfam chapter hosts their annual “Trick or Tampon” menstrual product drive
Although campus may still be covered in spiders and fake blood, the scariest thing for some is that within our own community, many women can’t afford or don’t have access to menstrual hygiene products on a regular basis. Guelph’s Oxfam chapter set out to put an end to this horror story. On Oct. 24 and 25, they hosted their annual Trick or Tampon menstrual hygiene product drive at The Bullring. Their goal was to collect donations of menstrual hygiene products (tampons and pads) or monetary donations that would go to women’s shelters in Guelph.
The event was geared specifically toward bringing attention to the fact that people are very rarely donating tampons and pads the same way they donate canned goods, yet they’re a necessity for half of the population.
The president of the Oxfam Guelph chapter, Manvi Bhalla, stated that “there is a demonstrated need for increased accessibility to these products — which are a part of the daily functioning life of 50 per cent of the population. A lack in accessibility to these products is a fundamental human rights issue that contributes to gender-based disparities.”
During the event, Oxfam members were able to provide an outlet for women to discuss the lack of recognition of women’s issues like the major expense of menstrual products or the stigma surrounding menstruation. Additionally, they were able to educate many of their fellow students by explaining the importance of menstrual hygiene and that a diva cup is not a sassy mug. Overall, Oxfam Guelph met its goal of increasing access to pads and tampons for local women in need, as well
as being able to engage our community with conversations aimed at reducing stigma surrounding menstruation.
Story by Iyess Sassi.
Feature photo by Jordan Bloom.