A recent study conducted by the International Women’s Health Coalition and Clue determined that globally, 5,000 euphemisms for menstruation exist. In America, these euphemisms range from “Aunt Flo” to “Shark Week” to simply “that time of the month.” 

For Grand Valley State University’s Co-chair of the Women’s Commission and Assistant to the Graduate School Jennifer Palm, having so many different names for a natural process experienced by roughly half of the population is cause for alarm.

“The sheer number (of euphemisms) shows how uncomfortable people are with language (relating to menstruation). It shows we need to stop the stigma and begin to normalize conversations,” Palm said. “Why are we so secretive about it?”

In 2016, Palm had read an article that stated menstrual products were among the least likely items to be donated to those in need. Around the same time, the campus pantry “Replenish” was asking for donations. With this knowledge coupled with her desire to decrease stigmas surrounding periods, Palm decided to begin the university’s annual Red Tide Tampon Drive. The goal of the drive is to stock the pantry with menstrual hygiene products (pads, tampons, panty liners) as well as diapers and laundry detergent.

“It’s not necessarily fun for people to go out and buy laundry detergent or a box of tampons, but it’s something that is so needed by some of our students,” Palm said. “I really wanted to fulfill that need.”

Currently, there are no available statistics on how many GVSU students struggle to obtain such products. However, the Women’s Commission is planning to gather data in the future, as well as explore the possibility of making menstrual products more accessible for university students. 

The combined past two drives resulted in donations of approximately 2,500 individual items, with each year receiving over 1,000 items. Palm said that she hopes to exceed this number with this year’s Red Tide Tampon Dive.

In addition to coordinating the drive, Palm is preparing for her teach-in presentation titled “Ew, That’s Gross! Myths, Stigmas, Taboos and Why Women’s Health Conversations are so Messy” on Nov. 8.

The presentation will cover a variety of topics relating to women’s health, including historical information on menstrual products, how menstruation has been treated in different cultures and costs of current products. The presentation is scheduled to be interactive for audience members, featuring games such as “Myth Versus Fact” and “The Price is Right.” Other contributors to the presentation are Women’s Commission members Samantha Minnis and Jenna Vainner as well as students Adeshola Shittu and Sara Campbell.

Palm said that she feels it is vital to educate the public on women’s health issues and menstruation.

“When we don’t have an open dialogue about something as simple as periods… people often turn to less reliable information and myths can happen,” Palm said. “It is critical to understand the basic science of menstruation because it’s certainly not something to be ashamed of, and not something you should be secretive about. (During the teach-in) we try to break the barrier that this isn’t something to be afraid of talking about…there shouldn’t be a veil over menstruation.”

Donations for the third annual Red Tide Tampon Drive are being collected through Nov. 7. Donations can be dropped off at the Center for Women and Gender Equity in Kirkhof on the Allendale Campus, at the Kirkhof College of Nursing on the Health Campus, and in room 318C in the DeVos Center on the Pew Campus.