Menstrual Health Day 2025

Despite the fact that approximately half of humanity menstruates regularly for a large part of their lives, menstruation is still shrouded in shame and embarrassment. Menstrual hygiene is a human right and, furthermore, a key element of gender equality. Individuals born with a uterus and thus menstruating regularly, hereafter referred to as menstruators, who cannot access menstrual products due to lack of money or resources, miss out on education or employment opportunities. This hinders their ability to establish financial security and ensure access to hygiene products and facilities.

In Iceland the situation is quite good, thanks to the efforts of activists in recent years that have led to a reduction in taxes on menstrual products and free access to these products in many schools in the country. Period shame is decreasing; young women ask an unknown waiter for tampons, fathers talk about menstruation with their daughters, and shame is most often placed on those who intend to belittle menstruation.

In terms of sanitation, the vast majority of menstruators in this country have unhindered access to water and toilets when they need them. Except for menstruators who work in construction jobs outside, sharing one portable toilet with individuals born with a penis. Most toilets do not have running water, sufficient space to change menstrual products, or a trash can for disposal of these products. However, these three things are found in the workplaces of many individuals who menstruate and work in indoor care and service jobs. The toilets are clean (after all, they most often clean them themselves), so changing menstrual products and maintaining hygiene is not a problem. However, it is much more challenging to find the time to address the needs of the body, as most of these jobs involve staffing issues and require constant presence. It is already complicated enough on other days of the menstrual cycle, but during menstruation, the average menstruator goes to the toilet more frequently and for a slightly longer period of time. Some readers may now think it would not be a big deal to wait a little, but that is not always possible. It is not possible to leave the morning circle while the other teachers are on a well-deserved break, regardless of whether the teacher has lost her tampon due to a sneeze. It is extremely uncomfortable to assist a person with limited mobility alone and at the same time feel the pad coming loose in the trousers and moving further away from the crotch with each step. In the ice cream parlor on a sunny day with the queue out on the sidewalk, it never seems like the right time to whisper behind the counter, "Listen, I need to go to the toilet, my cup is leaking." Instead, the menstruator is supposed to smile, provide good service and ignore their own needs.

Yet, menstrual health is much more than access to menstrual products and hygiene facilities. It is also knowledge about bleeding and a healthy menstrual cycle. On one hand, it is about education and the correct provision of information to young menstruators; on the other hand, a large factor is also the willingness and interest in academic research on diseases of the uterus. Recently, an interesting study was published on bacterial vaginosis and the success of treatment when the partner with a penis is treated as well. More research is needed as soon as possible. The time to diagnose endometriosis, for example, is often several years, and it is still not known exactly what causes endometriosis or how it can be cured. Until that is discovered, far too many menstruators will continue to experience painful periods on a regular basis. Much more is still unknown about the uterus, while false claims are constantly repeated. Like, ovulation always occurs on day 14 of the menstrual cycle and the menstrual cycle always lasts 28 days. Ovulation occurs when the body is ready to consider a possible pregnancy. It can be on day 14 of the menstrual cycle, but also on day 11 or day 23. It is normal for the day of ovulation to change from cycle to cycle, and with it the length of the menstrual cycle. It is also normal that the vast majority of menstruators around the world do not choose to menstruate, just as they do not choose their shoe size or skin color.

Menstruation and menstrual health affect societies as a whole, whether we want to admit it or not. That is why May 28th, International Menstrual Hygiene and Health Day, is also an important day for raising awareness in Iceland. Much is already on the right track here; however, there is also room for improvement. A good message would be to abolish all taxes on menstrual products. In addition, it is also necessary to ensure that marginalized groups, such as those living on the streets or in facilities for individuals seeking international protection, have easy access to menstrual products and safe toilets. In the long term, medical and multidisciplinary research in the field of menstrual health should be emphasised. To start, every reader should consider their biases towards blood, the mood swings of menstruators, and themselves in order to endure menstruation.

I will end with a beautiful poem by Ester Hilmarsdóttir, because no matter how annoying, difficult and painful it can be to menstruate, let us not forget what an amazing organ the uterus is.

"CELEBRATE " by Ester Hilmarsdóttir

Let us celebrate this rhythm
that cleanses
and builds
alternatively
in a continuous cycle.

This inner workings of the body.
This complex biological clock
that should bring the world's most skilled engineers
to their knees.

Let us celebrate this rhythm.
This magnificent symphony
that the body composes
to create life.