Most women have a story to tell about leaking periods. Of the sweater tied around the waist, the raincoat worn indoors or the emergency dash home to hide the “accident”.
It wasn’t uncommon for my generation, or previous ones, to be taught that periods were something to be hidden. It’s a narrative that lingers today, with a 2019 survey showing three out of four Kiwi women admitted that having a period was viewed as shameful.
The survey, conducted by menstrual products company Libra, found that menstruation was more stigmatised than drugs, sex or STDs and that more than half of 13-17-year-old girls said they would rather fail a school test than have their classmates know they’re having their period.
‘I kept thinking, why isn’t there a better way to manage our periods? Why hasn’t someone come up with a reusable pair of that don’t leak, smell, add to landfills and are convenient and easy to use?’
