What-ifs prompt perspective

CORONAVIRUS stockpiling has seen many Australians struggle to buy sanitary items before, during and after their menstrual cycle, but Share the Dignity founder Rochelle Courtenay says now serves as an opportunity to reflect on the girls and women experiencing homelessness, domestic violence and period poverty who face this anxiety every month.

While she’s confident there’s plenty of feminine hygiene products (including pads and tampons) to go around, Ms Courtenay said the recent spike in panic-fuelled behaviour offered perspective.

“It’s a little bit like the toilet paper situation – these products are being restocked. We’re lucky that we have Libra in Australia,” she said.

“Maybe it’s given a bit of perspective for people on ‘What if this was the anxiety I had to face every month?’, and I think that’s the best thing to come out of this.”

Waurn Ponds’ Jessie Macdonald, 24, said she made the trip to her local supermarket numerous times last week to buy feminine hygiene products but was disheartened to see the little stock available.

“I was able to eventually find some but there were a few days where there was nothing.

“I became extremely anxious when I realised multiple supermarkets were low.”

Another Geelong woman who’s heavily pregnant with her second child said she was forced to buy adult nappies to wear postpartum as it’s been difficult to find maternity pads.

Ms Courtenay said Share the Dignity was aware that Australia’s Indigenous communities would need additional support once the pandemic eased, and that they would be compensated through collection points in these areas.

“Our collections will be back out in August, and we hope this (COVID-19) will be all over by then.

“We know the need will be so much greater in six months’ time.
“If you can’t get them (sanitary products to donate), donate online, even if it’s a couple of dollars.

“We’ll get them when we can to the people who will be needing us more than ever in the coming months.”

To donate to Share the Dignity, head to sharethedignity.com.au.