Menstrual Equity with the Period Purse

As we near the end of the annual Black Friday shopping weekend, it’s always heartening to turn our attention from sales to making a difference for others. Impact has always been part of Aisle’s core DNA, and we participate in a multitude of programs year-round, not just on #givingtuesday. 

What is Menstrual Equity?

For folks new to this issue, menstrual equity is the idea that access to free quality menstrual products, education and a shame-free attitude about periods are essential for full and dignified participation in life for everyone who menstruates.

For all that we have dedicated ourselves to supporting menstrual health and justice globally, one of our most treasured period equity partners in Canada is The Period Purse. The Period Purse is a Toronto-based registered charity that tackles period poverty by ensuring sustainable access to period products for all, and by ending the stigma associated with periods through education and advocacy. This #givingtuesday, we are hosting an online fundraiser for The Period Purse. The theme of Tuesday’s event is about increasing access for students to reusable menstrual products.

Over the past several years we have been proud to support their valuable work through donation of products as well as financial contributions to fund programs and educational materials about menstrual health. In 2022, our financial and product donations of over $13,000 included hundreds of pairs of period underwear and cloth pads to Indigenous communities in Ontario. 

Decolonizing Menstruation

Since 2000, Aisle has been part of innumerable menstrual health and equity initiatives around the world. We were one of the first Western reusable menstrual product brands to support products and education for menstruating women, girls and other school-aged youth in the global south.

Over the years, we have increasingly sought creative ways to partner with individuals and organizations to optimize user agency and address menstrual equity from an intersectional, sustainable and culturally respectful perspective. We continue to seek ways to decolonize our thinking and increase access, particularly for equity-seeking groups and individuals - to quality reusable menstrual products here on Turtle Island, as well as abroad. You can learn more about our programs and their legacy here.

More Period Equity Partnerships in 2023

Looking ahead, we are in the final stages of planning our 2023 partnership with Period Purse which will include Indigenous language youth educational materials featuring original artwork and content created by Indigenous youth and elders. This is a project that we are particularly excited about, as it ties in with our commitment to Decolonization and Re-Indigenization of menstrual health. 

You can learn more about this topic by watching this video interview series, where we hear from Indigenous leaders about topics including:

• Traditional Indigenous wisdom or traditions that inform the interviewees perspective and self-care around menstruation
• How conversations about menstrual health from an Indigenous perspective bring us closer to the goals of decolonization, re-Indigenization and reconciliation
• How these practices and wisdom can be centered and shared 

Wherever you find yourself, we encourage you to join us and take action on how to play a role in realizing the vision of universal, sustainable menstrual equity.