Period poverty is a serious issue in both the United States and around the globe that hasn't gotten enough attention. Jameela Jamil is among those trying to change that.
Jameela is a passionate feminist who tries to advance women at all turns. She's advocating for young girls and showing support for Congresswoman Grace Meng's Menstrual Equity for All Act. Menstrual Hygiene Day is May 28, and not only did Always organize an event in Washington, DC, to draw more attention to the bill, but the brand is also working with Jameela to donate an additional 1 million pads to the Feeding America network of food banks.
LittleThings spoke with Jameela on why she's passionate about this issue and how the stigma around periods impacts girls everywhere.
Jameela explained how she became involved with the campaign.
"I'm very big on feminism and equality for all," she shared.
"And I can't think of a personal perfect example of how that isn't happening than the fact that in 2022, we have 3.5 million girls in the United States not being able to go to school because they have their period."
"We have one in five girls in the United States, one of the wealthiest countries in the world, unable to go to school because they don't have the basic dignity and protection of access to period products," she continued.
"How is this happening? And how do more people not know about it? So that's something that I feel very passionate about. It's not only ending it, but first and foremost, getting the word out that this kind of negligence is happening right in front of us. Right on our doorstep."
Jameela explained that period poverty impacts these young girls in many obvious ways, but also in a lot of ways that people don't realize, especially because the issue is systemic.
"I think one of the most important things is the fact that they are literally having to bleed onto their clothes, onto their belongings," she noted.
"They feel tremendous amounts of shame. They are unable to participate in extracurricular activities that can harm their education. They're unable to further their education sometimes because they're missing days at school."
"We're actually interfering with the education of young people just because they happen to have a standard, basic, very natural monthly biological events," Jameela noted.
"It feels like a punishment, and and we're seeing real-life consequences every single day for millions of young Americans, and it's mortifying."
Jameela also discussed some of the progress we've made toward ending the stigma around periods in recent years.
"I think, you know, a book like Maisie Hill's Period Power, and I think the rise of women finally entering the podcast space has made some sort of an impact. I definitely talk about it all the time, but I don't think we've come far enough," she shared.
"I still sometimes have to fight the instinct to tell someone 'I'm on my period,' and I find myself lowering my voice and mouthing it, rather than just saying it as. It's as if it's something that I should be ashamed of rather than the fact that I'm a legend who's going through this monthly nightmare and carrying on with my life."
"I can't imagine being in a situation where, on top of all of that and [on] top of all of that discomfort and the lack of knowledge and care that we're given when it comes to periods and how no one really talks about it on top of that, you're not even given basic access to period protection," she continued.
"I can't — I can't imagine it, and I will not stand that it's happening to millions — millions — of people in a country that frankly can do better. We know they can do better."
Jameela offered her advice for young girls who are mobilizing for causes they care about, like ending period poverty.
"Oh my God, get involved. Know that this problem isn't just going away if in 2022 we're still having this conversation. I was having this conversation in the United Kingdom 10 years ago when we were trying to make progress there, so we cannot be complacent," she said.
"We have learned what happens when we are complacent, when we allow them to sort of make it seem as though the political system is so complicated that we small individuals couldn't possibly make a difference. When we come together and when we organize we become a giant."
"They work for us; they answer to us. They represent us. We can choose who those representatives are, and we need young people to get in touch with their elected officials and make sure that they are supporting this act," she continued.
"Harass them. Make sure they take this seriously and understand that we're not going away, and we're not going to become more quiet about this because this is absurd; it's beyond absurd."
Jameela is excited about her many much-anticipated projects coming out this year, like Legendary and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law and beyond, but this work is closest to her heart.
"It's always this work that I am the most excited about, and it's really cool to be able to partner with the brand that actually really cares. They put their money where their mouth is, and we're giving a million pads away to Feeding America, just to be part of the fight and help to end period poverty."
