Amazing Newspaper Ad Highlighting Period Poverty


To draw attention to the millions of girls who cannot afford period products, the MENstruation Foundation ran a unique advertisement in three major South African newspapers.
Readers of The Star, The Mercury and Cape Times opened their newspapers this week to find something deeply uncomfortable: period blood stains on the front page, seeping through to the pages beneath — as if the newspaper itself had been used as a sanitary pad.
South African schoolgirls suffering from period poverty are forced to use newspapers, rags, and even cow dung in place of sanitary pads. Here’s a short video of what the ad looks like as you page through the paper, culminating in a full page highlighting the foundation’s free sanitary pad dispensers placed in schools.
Maybe one of the best advertisements I’ve ever seen? (thx, caroline)




Comments 1
This choked me up. Periods are paranoia-inducing even with all of the amenities. It breaks my heart that young girls have to endure yet another thing.
If you feel like this comment goes against the grain of the community guidelines or is otherwise inappropriate, please let me know and I will take a look at it.
In order to comment or fave, you need to be a kottke.org member. Check out your membership options.
Note: If you are a member and tried to log in, it didn't work, and now you're stuck in a neverending login loop of death, try disabling any ad blockers or extensions. Or try logging out and then back in. Still having trouble? Email me!