Thread by @BDavisBriz

Looking forward to hearing more about the latest research on how those in the UK that experience #PeriodPoverty have been impacted by the #Coronavirus pandemic #PeriodsInAPandemic

https://twitter.com/PandemicPeriod/status/1462729762607190018

First @EmmaCraddock89 & @bloody_spoonie give a brief overview of the "Periods In A Pandemic" project- focusing on how women, girls & people who menstruate have managed their menstrual health during the pandemic #PeriodsInAPandemic

Williams says that the project sought not only to inform how #PeriodPoverty initiatives have adapted and could improve during the pandemic, as well as centre the voices & experiences of those affected in the policymaking debate #PeriodsInAPandemic

First looking at access to products, Williams noted that the majority (85%) of people surveyed said they had difficulties accessing products - particularly those shielding & key workers. Some have even resorted to making their own sanitary products #PeriodsInAPandemic

Similarly, Williams also notes a majority (75%) needed support or advice around their menstrual health during the pandemic. Notes that while a small number actually sought support from a medical professional, the majority who did *WERE* able to access it #PeriodsInAPandemic

The majority of medical advice was around changes to their menstrual cycle - especially changes in 🩸ing, cycle length or frequency. Williams says the majority cited stress, having #Coronavirus or adverse reactions to the vaccines for these changes #PeriodsInAPandemic

Williams says that people were reporting that they had changed how they manage their menstrual health as a result of the pandemic - including taking more time to prepare, changing their product types (particularly a switch to reusables) & increasing medication #PeriodsInAPandemic

Williams says that #WorkingFromHome was a positive development in this regard, as people were more comfortable, not having to worry about being "caught out" (due to lack of access in workplace) & having access to familiar (and hygienic!) toilets at home #PeriodsInAPandemic

Williams concludes saying that the survey has found that, while support for people who menstruate in 🇬🇧 is generally build around individual needs, the approach to #PeriodPovery & Menstrual Health is inconsistent across the UK #PeriodsInAPandemic

While the UK has committed to eradicating #PeriodPoverty by 2030, Williams argues that we still do not understand how the pandemic, Covid & the vaccines have affected our menstrual health and these findings need to be taken into account by policymakers #PeriodsInAPandemic

Next, @freedom_4_girls's Tora Abrahams opens her presentation by giving a potted overview of the organisation's Black Women’s Menstrual Health Project & how it was inspired by the #BlackLivesMatter movement to tackle #PeriodPoverty in #BAME Communities #PeriodsInAPandemic

Abrahams then presents some baseline information on the state of #PeriodPoverty in 🇬🇧, 🇰🇪 & 🇺🇬. Across all three countries an increase in lack of access & health education were common themes during the #Coronavirus pandemic #PeriodsInAPandemic

Abrahams noted that cuts to #ForeignAid during the pandemic meant that people in 🇺🇬 & 🇰🇪 dependent on UK AID for sanitary products were left without access to products, as travel restrictions stopped aid from flowing #PeriodsInAPandemic

In the 🇬🇧, Abrahams also noted there was an increase in requests from single Father families & others who do not menstruate, who were concerned the girls in their life had lost their support networks in the pandemic & couldnt access advice on menstrual health #PeriodsInAPandemic

Turning to the Black Women's Menstrual Health project, Abrahams says this was inspired by footage of the #BlackLivesMatter movement, mainly from the 🇺🇸, but also #Bristol in the 🇬🇧 during the summer of 2020 #PeriodsInAPandemic

Abrahams gives an overview of the aims of the project, aiming to understand how systemic racism & unconscious bias impacts on the menstrual & reproductive health of people who menstruate from African and/or Caribbean heritage #PeriodsInAPandemic

Looking at their survey research Abrahams says 53% of respondents faced barriers to accessing services due to lack of information & education, 37% saw a lack of representation in health services, & 21% felt 👨‍⚕️👩‍⚕️s were "dismissive" of their symptoms/concerns #PeriodsInAPandemic

Abrahams closes her presentation calling for partnerships with funders, like-minded organisations, and people from black communities who may wish to participate in the project #PeriodsInAPandemic

Next, delegates are shown a film by @RiceboxStudio & @CRINwire called #MenstruationConversation, where people who menstruate discuss their experiences of their periods #PeriodsInAPandemic ricebox.studio/menstruation-c…

Next speaker @RachGrocott4043 discusses research conducted by @bloodygood__ to see how the #Coronavirus pandemic had changed how people who menstruate experienced their periods #PeriodsInAPandemic

Grocott notes that this survey was not focused on #PeriodPoverty and, in fact, 98% of participants said that they could afford to purchase their own sanitary products #PeriodsInAPandemic

Grocott noted that, even before the #Coronavirus pandemic, people generally had negative experiences of their period - often choosing negative words to describe their feelings towards it & highlighting painful or negative experiences #PeriodsInAPandemic

Turning to the #Coronavirus pandemic, Grocott noted that many felt #WorkingFromHome improved the experience of their period, with many saying it became more manageable, less stressful & removed a lot of the stigma surrounding periods at work #PeriodsInAPandemic

However, on the other side, Grocott says that negative experiences of #WorkingFromHome included the increased stress of being from home (eg childcare), less able to keep track of time & decline in mental health due to the pandemic making their periods worse #PeriodsInAPandemic

However, Grocott says that it is not a binary, and is keen to stress that some people have been able to find "silver linings" during the pandemic #PeriodsInAPandemic

Turning to menstruation at work, Grocott says that 73% of respondents say the struggle to do their work in the way they want because of their period & 49% said they had to take time off of work due to their period #PeriodsInAPandemic

Turning to the future of work, Grocott notes that the majority of respondents want to see #WorkingFromHome continue as an option, particularly when on their period & changes in office culture to make them "more period friendly" #PeriodsInAPandemic

Finally, Grocott says that the survey highlights the needs to normalise talking about periods, so that our working & social environments can become more accommodating for people who menstruate #PeriodsInAPandemic

Final speaker @irise_int's Chloe McGuinness discusses her work as an MA researcher on the "Empower Period" project, which looked at how the pandemic affected female empowerment during the pandemic #PeriodsInAPandemic

McGuiness notes that many articles published during the early years of the #Coronavirus lockdown highlighted how women, girls & people who menstruate were exposed to greater risk of #DomesticAbuse & #Poverty - wanted to see if this was true in other crises #PeriodsInAPandemic

McGuiness' initial research found that women were more at risk of Gender-Based Violence during previous pandemics. In particular, women & girls were subjected to forced marriage and transactional sex #PeriodsInAPandemic

Turning to the UK #Coronavirus responses, the majority of women felt that they were not being represented throughout all conversations around the pandemic response. This is n line with the 5:1 men:women ratio in the Prime Minister's Cabinet at the time #PeriodsInAPandemic

Turning to accessing sexual health services, McGuiness noted that a majority of respondents were unable to access sexual healthcare services during the #Coronavirus pandemic, and it was felt this was not a priority issue for healthcare professionals #PeriodsInAPandemic

McGuiness also looked at unpaid care. She notes that the majority of women had taken on an increased amount of unpaid care. While reported cases of increased stress was low, McGuiness observes many felt it was because "this is what women do" #PeriodsInAPandemic

McGuiness also noted that respondents felt they had less time during the pandemic to engage in #SelfCare, and that this was having a negative impact on womens' mental health #PeriodsInAPandemic

Turning to the future, McGuiness notes that the majority of 🚺 believed that the gaps between the genders will get worst post-pandemic, with lockdown embedding gender roles. However others argued lockdown offered people a chance to "reflect on whats important" #PeriodsInAPandemic

McGuiness concludes saying that the research had shown "the invisibility of women" in policy debates, and that this needed to change with the increase in #PeriodPoverty & negative perceptions of a worsening #GenderGap as we move to our #Coronavirus recovery #PeriodsInAPandemic

The webinar now moves on to a Q&A session #PeriodsInAPandemic

On a Q about Supermarket's role in causing scarcity of availability of product, Williams notes that 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 in particular had a problem when the Welsh Govt did not recognise sanitary products as "essential items" #PeriodsInAPandemic

Williams also notes that Food Bank donations were closed early on in the first lockdown, when it was still believed #Coronavirus could live on surfaces "for several days". This exacerbated problems of scarcity in food banks #PeriodsInAPandemic

When asked about support for older women, particularly menopausal & post-menopausal women - while panelists highlight there is a lot of support for these groups, there is less research on how support has been impacted by the pandemic #PeriodsInAPandemic

In response to a Q on what more can be done to educate Men & Boys, Grocott highlights the need for more engagement - particularly through podcasts, with boys or "the doctors of tomorrow" - as a particular priority #PeriodsInAPandemic

Next Q is on how to better engage with #BAME communities, Grocott says that inclusive comms, infused with the lived experience of members of different communities, has been a useful way of engaging with minority groups #PeriodsInAPandemic

Williams agrees. Also says that funder timelines often mean that researchers do not have the time to properly engage with hard-to-reach communities, meaning that engagement is only with those that are easier to engage with #PeriodsInAPandemic

Williams also says that #Coronavirus restrictions, particularly on face-to-face meetings, would have hindered the ability to engage with those most affected, as those who experienced #PeriodPoverty also would have experienced #DigitalPoverty too #PeriodsInAPandemic

Abrahams say that academics & VCSE researchers need to be braver in adopting "non-traditional approaches", and particularly working with community leaders, to help deepen engagement & built trust amongst minority groups #PeriodsInAPandemic

Final Qs asks panelists what the big issues will be going forward. Themes included the Govt expanding its free sanitary products in schools scheme beyond the pandemic & looking at the environmental impact of sanitary products #PeriodsInAPandemic

Insightful webinar on how #Coronavirus has impacted on people who menstruate. Thanks to @bloody_spoonie, Victoria Abrahams, @RachGrocott4043 & Chloe McGuiness for your presentations, to @EmmaCraddock89 for chairing, & @PandemicPeriods/@CSCHaRR_BCU for hosting! #PeriodsInAPandemic

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