The Period Box taking on taboos around menstruation

Christine Gooding
Christine Gooding

A new local business is aiming to remove the stigma that still surrounds menstruation.

The Period Box was launched just over a week ago by Christine Gooding, who said it marries her interest in starting a business with her desire to tackle some of society’s taboo topics.

“I thought about period poverty and how that affects a lot of people… Earlier in July, I said that this was going to be the best time for me to take on the challenge by starting the business up and so I decided that I can do it now. I have the time and the resources and it just came into fruition and the idea about what the business is going to be was birthed a month ago,” Gooding told Stabroek Weekend.

Some of the items in a period box

“The Period Box caters to the monthly needs for people who menstruate and ensuring that they can have a product or item that they can use. As we all know having a period for most is not an easy experience and we are all affected one way or another. It is our hope that this service can bring convenience to persons and people who are looking for these items and they will have the confidence that they will find them here to manage their menstruation,” she added.

The company offers an assembly of what Gooding describes as “everything that anybody can possibly be need” when they are menstruating. The items in the boxes sold by the company vary. According to Gooding, the products will change from month to month but persons can have the options of sanitary pads or tampons depending on their preference, candles, a body scrub, candies, painkillers, wipes, chocolates and cookies, among other items. She said the boxes that cater for teens will include the essential items required to get through the period as well as crosswords, bracelets and accessories to create jewellery.

Persons can go to the business and pick up their boxes and if they want to order ahead they can do so via Whatsapp (667-4130). There are also special boxes for persons who don’t need sanitary pads or wipes but have all of the symptoms like cramps and crankiness.

It is Gooding’s hope that The Period Box can be a conversation starter as it relates to period stigma, period poverty, sex education, and reproductive health. Once people start speaking about these things, she said, it will likely contribute to the overall development of society.

“So that’s what we are hoping to do apart from it being service that caters to women’s health. It has to be about the overall well-being and we are hoping that we can tackle many of our societal ills. Another aspect is for our teens who have to experience their first period and for parents to be able to give them a box and that can also be a conversation started and can introduce them to what it’s like to have a period and what to expect when you’re having a period,” she added before saying that the items in the box can hopefully make periods a fun experience.

Meanwhile, Gooding stated that for every ten period boxes that are sold, the company will be donating two months’ worth of period products to a person in need. “We don’t even need to go too far to identify persons. The women that are living on the streets are already there and we know they don’t have income and have nowhere to live so obviously they are one of the most highest affected by period poverty by not having the essentials to use when they are going through their menstrual cycle,” she said.

The Period Box was launched on Saturday and according to Gooding, they have received a lot of positive reviews. – Laurel Sutherland