What sort of country do we live in?
By Fleur
@Fleura (35065)
United Kingdom
March 15, 2017 6:07am CST
I heard this story on the radio yesterday and I confess I was a bit shocked.
I support several charities which are involved in humanitarian and development work, and their bulletins sometimes concern helping girls who have to miss school each month as they have no access to sanitary protection and/or are subject to ridicule or unenlightened attitudes from other members of the community regarding ‘taboo’ behaviour.
But to find that girls in the UK are in the same situation is rather shocking. Not only did these girls have to miss school due to lack of money to buy adequate supplies and fear of what might happen, but one of the girls interviewed did not even know whether what she was experiencing was normal.
In the 21st century when sex and bodily functions seem to be acceptable subjects of everyday conversation, when we are constantly bombarded with images of near-naked bodies, when sanitary products are advertised in magazines and on daytime television, when everyone has easy access to information via the internet not to mention traditional books in libraries and schools – how can this be happening? And what has happened to the idea of parents talking to their children about growing up?
All rights reserved. © Text and image copyright Fleur 2017.
A school teacher in Leeds contacted a charity which normally provides sanitary pads to girls in Kenya.
8 people like this
7 responses
@abhinalstrikr (4110)
• India
15 Mar 17
Its really heartbreaking to know about this
2 people like this
@Fleura (35065)
• United Kingdom
15 Mar 17
@abhinalstrikr Yes now that we know about it we must do something!
1 person likes this
@abhinalstrikr (4110)
• India
15 Mar 17
@Fleura but we do accept it rather we should pledge to change it
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
15 Mar 17
It must be because the parents are poor(uneducated) and don't have the time at home to teach their children. I find this a bit crazy. My mother didn't tell me about it because I was an early starter and when I told her she had to make me a pad because she was past that era...But when Dad came home that night he had a package for me.. I believe my sister (younger) was told about it before it happened... I told my daughter before it happened...I just did a search about Canada on the subject and noticed many mentions of girls not going to school because of lack of pads... What the heck is going on....
2 people like this
@Fleura (35065)
• United Kingdom
15 Mar 17
It's crazy isn't it? I find it hard to understand the parents - perhaps they think if they don't mention it the problem will somehow just go away? Maybe they wait for the daughter to come to them, but they don't feel able to.
I also find it strange that the girl didn't look for information herself, on the internet, or in the school library (nowadays there are quite a few good books about 'growing up') or in a girls' magazine. Maybe she couldn't read either?
1 person likes this
@Fleura (35065)
• United Kingdom
15 Mar 17
@PainsOnSlate That's true but it has to go hand-in-hand with information - if a girl thinks there's something terrible or shameful wrong with her she isn't likely to go to a teacher for help.
1 person likes this
@pumpkinjam (8876)
• United Kingdom
15 Mar 17
Nobody should be too poor to afford sanitary products but, sadly, there are people who really are too poor. There are, I'm sure, other issues. Perhaps a daughter of a single father who doesn't know what to do, a child who has begun puberty sooner than expected so has not yet had any information about it. Then, of course, there are neglected children, parents who don't care (or some who don't know). I should think that suddenly bleeding from your lady parts would be scary for someone who knows nothing about it. I know that I'd already started my periods before we learned about them at school. I had my mum and a big sister, though, and it wasn't something that was ever hidden in our house.
1 person likes this
@pumpkinjam (8876)
• United Kingdom
16 Mar 17
@Fleura Yes, that would be something but some girls (especially if they are very young and/or don't have any adults they can trust) might not think of that. It's surprised, sometimes, what people do or don't do when they are scared. This information should be readily available. Sadly, that isn't always the case.
1 person likes this
@Fleura (35065)
• United Kingdom
15 Mar 17
Yes it certainly would be frightening, especially when it kept happening, but wouldn't you try and find out something - even if you didn't want to mention it to friends or relatives, you could look for information in what is 'normal' in books in the school library, or in girls' magazines or the internet?
Of course a responsible parent should have provided information and guidance in the first place as well.
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45490)
• United States
15 Mar 17
It is always surprising to learn about such things that see to happen right under out noses.
2 people like this
@AbbyGreenhill (45490)
• United States
15 Mar 17
@Fleura Absolutely. It's a cycle of weirdness.
1 person likes this
@nanette64 (20363)
• Fairfield, Texas
15 Mar 17
Good grief!! Seriously @Fleura ? I can remember when I was that age and we couldn't afford 'pads' that Mom had us girls use socks. Of course that was back in the 50's.
1 person likes this
@nanette64 (20363)
• Fairfield, Texas
15 Mar 17
@Fleura I don't think so. At least "I" don't have to worry about that any more. 
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@Fleura (35065)
• United Kingdom
15 Mar 17
It's the kind of thing you read about in history books and think 'How awful that children couldn't talk to their parents about taboo subjects'. And it makes you wonder what else they are not learning about or receiving any guidance from their parents.
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