Kemlin Nembhard: Period Poverty. Why it Should Be everybody’s business

Fact: A study done in 2022 concluded that 1 in 4 Canadian women are forced to choose between buying meals and period products. On this episode of Humans, on Rights, the Executive Director of the Women’s Health Clinic, Kemlin Nembhard (she, her) shares her views on the challenges women face when it comes to purchasing period products. Kemlin’s experience growing up in Winnipeg as a child of Jamaican immigrants in a predominately white school system shaped her identity as an activist and a feminist. Kemlin talks about how the current health system devalues women, leading to less research and resources for their health issues. She explains that while there is a push for reusable products, which may drive down the costs as well as decrease the environmental impact, these reusable products may not be comfortable or feasible for everyone. We talk about the stigma surrounding menstrual products and how this topic should be part of the school curriculum. Finally, Kemlin reminds us to “take time to honour yourself and take action for yourself before asking others to do it."Women's Health Clinic on InstagramWomen’s Health Clinic Winnipeg on FacebookA Transcript of this episode can be found here.