Period Poverty and COVID-19 in the U.S.

The financial strains caused by the coronavirus pandemic are widely known, but the fact that period poverty has been exacerbated by these financial strains has been greatly overlooked. In the U.S., which leads the world with the greatest number of Covid-19 cases, there are tens of  million unemployed people and the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. Part of this struggle includes widened gender disparities, including the worsening of period inequity across the U.S.. 

The high expenses of pads and tampons, particularly in the 30 states that have not eliminated sales taxes on tampons, was already difficult for many to pay. So with millions of jobless and homeless people who menstruate, the impossibility of paying these expenses is heightened. Considering menstruating people’s need to financially support themselves and their families, pads and tampons become less important relative to food, water, and medication. 

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Securities (CARES) Act, a $2 trillion stimulus bill, covered menstrual products, which was groundbreaking in the fight for menstrual equity. For people in jobs with health benefits, menstrual products are listed in the bill as eligible items that can be covered by health savings accounts (HSAs) and flexible spending accounts (FSAs). In addition, the bill allows for anyone with HSAs or FSAs to file for reimbursement of menstrual products purchased in 2020. However, if people’s jobs don’t provide health benefits, they aren’t eligible for this assistance. 

Never before has the government passed a bill that considers menstrual products as medical expenses. However, the stimulus checks people received were unreliable, as many did not receive the promised compensation. Not all menstruating people in vulnerable situations received the necessary compensation to purchase menstrual products. Period poverty continues to worsen throughout the U.S., with the end of the pandemic nowhere in sight.