Power 4 Periods: Normalizing Periods
February 20, 2019
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Determined to helping homeless women in the community, Francisco Aceves, 12, joined P4P in hopes of making the menstruation cycle of women in need, more comfortable by supplying them with the necessities of their period. “Providing homeless women with hygiene products is very important to me,” Aceves said. “They can't afford these items and the least I can do is help them have a comfortable period by donating the supplies.”
Passionate about making a change in the community, Monserrat Medina,12, leads the DHS organization called Power 4 Periods in hopes of making a difference and normalizing menstruation. “One of the goals for P4P is to help normalize menstruation,” Medina said. “Menstruation is normal, it’s a natural thing for women that provides us with the ability to reproduce and it’s actually an amazing thing! Typically, it’s viewed as nasty or gross but its not. Without it, none of us would be here so I just hope more people join on the path to normalize menstruation.”
250 million women around the globe do not have access to feminine products. This is why Downey High School’s Power 4 Periods club is having their annual drive on March 7. The drive will help raise feminine products to send to these women in need as well as spread awareness.
Power 4 Periods started through a classroom assignment in Ms. Kelsey Simpson’s class. The assignment was to figure out how homeless women deal with their menstruation despite their lack of resources. Shocked at the unsanitary and potentially dangerous items homeless women were using, such as socks, they decided to have their first their first drive on April 5, 2017. The drive’s aim was to prevent life threatening infections such as toxic shock syndrome. Since then, they have done successful drives where they have raised up to 10,000 feminine products in subsequent years.
Current member of the club, Monse Medina, 12, stresses the importance of protecting these women with feminine products.
“It’s very important to help provide these women with these necessities,” Medina stated. “And, take in mind, that they go through menstruation every month just like every other woman.”
Through organizations such as Conscious Period, Cora, Days 4 Girls, and Downey’s Power 4 Periods club, menstruation cycles are no longer being portrayed as a gross and shameful incident.
Ms. Simpson, Power 4 Periods advisor, expresses how ridiculous shaming women for having a period is.
“Periods are not gross! Having a period is a part of life,”, Simpson stated. “Everyone on this planet exists because their mothers were able to have a period.”
However, people still stigmatize periods as something women should stay quiet about and often times feel ashamed about. While this does not mean that women should be obligated to show their used products to the world, the movement’s goal is to normalize menstruation so that women do not feel ashamed about their natural bodily processes. Having a period is not a choice that a woman makes. Instead, it is a natural monthly occurrence which should be celebrated.
Choosing to major in Psychology, Alvarez hopes to be the psychologist people deserve by getting through to her patients and help them through their struggles. “I’ve always said that it doesn’t matter if I reach hundreds or thousands of people's hearts; I don't need to help or change the whole world to be satisfied,” Alvarez stated. “I would be satisfied by helping one person at a time.”
Eliza Vargas is that one quiet shy girl in the back of the room working on her drafts and editing her photos. She is the type of girl you can count on with any assignment. The type of girl to make you laugh and smile.
Her positivity spreads throughout the classroom and on the field when playing lacrosse. Her teammates can rely on her to score and make a goal. She is strong and unstoppable on the field.
I have gotten the pleasure to know her throughout this past year and it has been a pleasure working with her and to see her photography skills grow. I know she is going to do great things in the future whether it be with lacrosse, photography or her desire to study criminology. One thing I know for sure is that she is one of the kindest, warm-hearted human beings I have ever met.
-Xenia Pena
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