Why Women’s Menstrual Products Should be Free

Women’s menstrual products are mandatory for most females from the age of 12 to the average age of 57. During a woman’s menstrual cycle, they are in need of many pads and tampons. However some people are not able to pay for them, due to the expenspences. Women should not have to pay for menstrual products since they do not get a choice on having a menstrual cycle, so with changing the prices of tampons, pads, and more, it will be easier for women to get what they need.

Females get their periods once a month for about 5 to 7 days long. Women have about 450 cycles throughout their lifetime. When having to use tampons or pads every month the cost adds up, more than you realize. Females who struggle with getting the supplies they need have more stress to deal with because of the thought of not being prepared for their cycle to start. The average amount of money females use to pay for tampons throughout their lifetime is $1,773.33. In a SNWS digital article published in 2021, it states “Moreover, it not only brings financial issues to the table but also drags behind strong feelings of stress, which can lead to health problems and lower self-esteem.”. This shows not having supplies doesn’t only affect your physical health but also your mental health. 

However some people don’t think the same way. Some people think that you have to save up and work for what you need. Another common thing people choose to say is that females who are looking to buy the products aren’t finding the cheapest deals. But for some people no matter how cheap the deals they can find, they still may not be able to supply themselves with the right amount. 

Most schools provide women’s products in the restrooms, however instead of them being free, you commonly have to pay 25 cents to use a product. To make it easier for female teenagers and adults, menstrual products should be free in school restrooms as well as public restrooms. Women menstrual products should be provided the same ways toilet paper and soap are provided. In “The Philadelphia Inquirer” article it states that it is common for female teenage students to be absent multiple days of the school  year because of the lack of having access to menstrual supplies. If a female is in need of a product with no money on them, are they just supposed to deal with it bleeding through. No they shouldn’t have to deal with going through that. So with changing the restrooms into having free supplied products it will be more convenient for teenagers and adults.  

In conclusion, with everything that has been talked about, you can learn to see what the better outcome could be if the prices change to free. Some people don’t realize the struggle females have to go through to get what they need for their cycle. Menstrual cycles are not a choice so it gets stressful having to be prepared for one every month. Some of the time you don’t know when they will happen in that month. Being prepared is very important, but if you are not able to pay for what you need, it will feel pressured, which then leads to stress. If the products change to be free, it will have a higher impact to help people who struggle with being prepared for the cycles. So with fixing the prices of products to be free and providing them in school restrooms as well as public restrooms it will help more and more people.