Period Action Day is October 12th… but what is that, and how can you get involved?
By Emma Gaughan // September 2024
Period Action Day is on the second Saturday of October every year, which falls on October 12th this year. Period Action Day is a day started by the organization PERIOD., which is a global non-profit fighting period poverty. Period Action Day is a global day of advocacy that aims to help stop period poverty.
Period Action Day was founded in 2019, and originally called National Period Day. PERIOD was founded in 2014 with a similar origin story to Love For Red. Since then, they have continued to grow and are now a global organization, fighting period poverty at the legislative level.
PERIOD. releases a publication known as the State of the Period Study, which analyzes data about period poverty among students in the US. Their survey found 1 in 4 students (and 1 in 3 adults) struggled to afford period products. Additionally, their survey looked at the stigma around periods, and found that 45% of teenagers were affected by negative views of periods.
These findings are part of the reason that organizations like PERIOD. and Love For Red exist, as well as why Period Action Day exists. It is a day meant not just to fight against period poverty, but also to reduce the stigma around menstruation.
Organizations like PERIOD. and Love For Red have similar missions, and there are several ways to get involved. At Love For Red, you can get involved by volunteering at one of their period packing events, or participating in their Day on the Hill, where they advocate for legislative changes to promote access to menstrual hygiene products.
Period poverty is an issue that harms the quality of life of those that experience it, and is a far too common experience. This Period Action Day, how will you spread awareness?