By Ashley Winters
Period Poverty is a challenge many young girls and women in the St. Louis region face. Muriel Smith, executive director of the St. Louis Area Diaper Bank and leader of the Period Supply Program(an initiative under the diaper bank).
She describes Period Poverty as not being able to afford products needed to manage one’s monthly cycle. Those already living in impoverished neighborhoods don’t have easy access to big box retail stores or pharmacies, and many of these communities may only have dollar stores or gas stations to get these products, which she adds “are sometimes overpriced.”
Smith shares her expertise in the area of Period Poverty and highlights the health issues that come along with not having proper access to period products. The executive director said, “Some women and girls resort to using other items which can be very unsanitary which can cause infections and interfere with reproductive health.”
Passionately expressing her concern, “These products may be available but are much more expensive.” Studies show prices have increased for feminine hygiene products, “Inflation plays into the price hike. The prices are just creeping up,” said the executive director.
To help women and girls that are affected by the period management crisis pharmacies like CVS are helping fight the period management crisis by not taxing their brand period products. Yet for Smith in her opinion the prices are still costly “ The prices are astronomical, and the packaging, you’re not just getting enough for your money,” said Smith. According to her 46% of
St. Louis Women and Girls Have Repeated Difficulties Affording Period Items.
St. Louis University associate professor Anne Sebert Kuhlmann has been fighting period poverty for almost 10 years. Her work in the area of public health and social justice found that girls in the region miss school due to a lack of access to the products they need. Serbet Kuhlmann’s research shows that women who suffer from period poverty often show low self regard dignity because they can’t afford feminine hygiene products. She said, “I think it’s imperative to consider that aspect, the feeling that they can take care of themselves.”
According to Kuhlmann, Black women are disproportionately impacted by the crisis compared to white women. Sebert Kuhlmann broke down the average menstrual cycle and how products can add up to a larger amount.
• An average menstrual cycle lasts between three to seven days.
• On average women/girls use four to five products per day, multiply that by three to seven days.
• Multiply that number by the average of 13 cycles a year.
“This calculation will show how many products women/girls will use in a year,” she said. “That starts to add up. When multiplying that number over all the years that are reproductive life that amount accumulates.”
Kuhlmann says inflation and the COVID-19 pandemic are a part of the price rise.
The Period Supply
Program provides period kits that contain 20 items, (pad-only kit, tampon-only kit, and kit that has both). The program provides these kits to its community partners who distribute them through- out the region. St. Louis
City and County Libraries are community partners, the libraries pass out kits monthly. The partnership includes all 16 branches of St. Louis Public Library, and 6 locations in St. Louis County, including the Florissant Valley branch and Ferguson branch. Both the Florissant Valley and Natural Bridge branches distribute the most kits in St. Louis County. The Period Poverty Program produced 800,000 kits last year, Affinia Healthcare, SSM, Pattonville, and Ritenour School District are also partners in the program. And that is just one way Smith is helping do the groundwork, she is raising awareness about this crisis on a state level. Smith tells the St. Louis American that period products are taxed as a luxury tax.
What is a luxury tax you might ask? A luxury tax is a tax on an item that has a sales tax that applies only to certain goods or services. It focuses on high-cost items, such as jewelry and expensive vehicles, boats, and airplanes. These purchases can come with a luxury sales tax because they’re considered to be unnecessary purchases. Frustrated by the idea that period products are considered luxury items Smith said, “These are basic needs items, and they’re taxed as luxury items! That’s like taxing food as a luxury item.” The luxury item tax is added to the local sales tax, which adds up to 4.225%. Smith feels women are being punished for being a woman.
“That’s the crux, is that society needs to consider these products as a part of our basic needs,” said Sebert Kuhlmann.
Ashley Winters is a Report for America reporter for the St. Louis American.