This August, Share the Dignity is rallying Australians to donate period products for its Dignity Drive, while simultaneously calling on men to step up and join the fight for menstrual equity through its new Bro in the Know campaign.
With one in five women, girls and those who menstruate having reported experiencing period poverty, according to its 2024 Bloody Big Survey, Share the Dignity needs the support of Australians to help end period poverty.
Held in partnership with Woolworths, Dignity Drive calls on shoppers to add unopened packets of tampons, pads, period undies and reusable period products to their trolley and donate them at their local collection point.
Sarah Butcher is a volunteer with Share the Dignity and helps make a difference in Melbourne through Share the Dignity’s initiatives.
To amplify the mission and drive meaningful change, Share the Dignity is also launching a powerful new initiative: Bro in the Know, a nationwide call for men to join the fight to end period poverty.
Share the Dignity founder and managing director, Rochelle Courtney, said period poverty is not just a women’s issue, and we need the support of all Australians to end period poverty.
“We need men to stand beside us, not just in conversation, but in action,” Ms Courtenay said.
“Menstruation is not a choice, and no one should have to choose between buying period products so they can manage their period with dignity, or buying the essential items they need to get by.
“Whether it’s donating period products, sharing our message or supporting the people they care about, men have a crucial role to play in ensuring menstrual equity.”
The Bro in the Know campaign is designed to engage male allies and empower them with tools and education to advocate for change and break down stigmas.
“Only 35 per cent of respondents to our Bloody Big Survey said they felt confident in their menstrual education before their first period. Can you imagine what the statistic for menstrual education looks like for men?” Ms Courtenay said.
Men are already making a difference; four former Brisbane Grammar School students, Simon Tolhurst, Nick Long, Matt Smith and Shayne Gilbert, now serve on Share the Dignity’s board, demonstrating the impact men can have when they speak out and step up.
“No male has to ever think about taking toilet paper to work, or when they go out to a pub or a social event at a sporting stadium, a restaurant or any other public venue, so why is it that women across our country still have to worry about whether or not they have a tampon”, Mr Gilbert, a founding Share the Dignity board member and director, said.
“The more men are educated and stand up for this issue, the faster we can remove stigma and ensure that no one is held back because of their period.”
The August Dignity Drive will run from August 1 to 31, with collection points at all Woolworths supermarkets nationwide and select businesses. Find your nearest collection point here: sharethedignity.org.au/dignity-drives
