Period Stigma Around the World Today

Despite increasing attention and advocacy, periods remain a taboo topic. Always, WASH United and Glocalities surveyed adults and young people from five countries to assess period stigma today.

Periods are associated with negative feelings from an early age, despite being a normal bodily function.

When getting their first period, young people feel:¹

Scared

41%

Confused

38%

Embarrassed

34%

lose confidence at puberty² and starting their period marks their lowest point in confidence during their teenage years³.

Of the countries surveyed, the UK is in the top 3 for having negative feelings towards their periods or hiding their periods.⁴

3 in 5 have tried to hide the fact they’re on their period from those around them.⁴

2 in 5 have felt ashamed or embarrassed by their own period.⁴

Period conversations are a challenge.

Less than half of adults say they support talking about periods⁵ and far less actually do talk about them⁴.

Table about sensitive topics talking across countries

People feel more comfortable talking about other sensitive topics like sex, politics and family problems than they do about periods⁴.

When people talk about periods, it’s often done in a negative way.

In the UK, 1 in 3 people have referred to period blood as gross or disgusting.⁴

In the UK, whilst nearly 1 in 3 believe period jokes are harmless fun, young people say they make them feel self-conscious (42%), embarrassed (33%) and less confident (28%).¹

Period education is key, and mums and teachers are the most influential resources.¹ But not everyone is prepared to teach their kids about periods.⁴

Young people learn about period from mums

54% of adults feel they have enough knowledge to talk to their children about puberty and periods.

The higher the % of society that talks openly about periods, the more prepared people feel to talk about periods with their children (correlation 0.4).

You Can Help End Period Stigma!

GET EDUCATED

about periods.

GET COMFORTABLE TALKING

about periods.

ADVOCATE

for period friendly legislation (e.g. free provision of period products for those in need).

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT
by joining the Menstruation Bracelet Action this #MHDay. Learn more here.

For more information, please visit always.co.uk or contact Kiran Behal (behal.kk@pg.com).

References

SurveyMonkey, 2020. Quantitative survey of young people 13–21 yrs in Canada, UK, US. n=4,147.
Research Now, 2017. Quantitative survey of females 16–24 yrs in Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Greece, Russia, Turkey, UK, US. n=9,289.
Research Now, 2014. Quantitative survey of females 16–24 yrs in US. n=1,300.
Glocalities, 2020. Quantitative survey of adults 18–70 yrs in Canada, China, Russia, UK, US. n=5,139.
Glocalities, 2019. Quantitative survey of adults 18–70 yrs, Global. n=30,057.

For both Glocalities studies: Data is nationally representative with respect to age (18–70) by gender, region and education (low & mid-levels of education are combined for China only)

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