The COVID-19 pandemic has caused massive policy change in Canada and around the world in governmental response to aid citizens. The negative effects on the economy have put hundreds of thousands of Canadians at risk for loss of income and the inability to pay for basic supplies.

Prior to the outbreak, one third of Canadian women under the age of 25 struggled to afford period products, according to a study by Plan International Canada. Period products are basic necessities and those who menstruate should not be penalized for their bodies. Since the outbreak, period products have become a stockpiled item, making it even more difficult for women to access them.

The inability to afford and access period products is detrimental to a woman's hygiene and sanitation. Crises like this emphasize the struggles of those already facing period poverty: using spare pieces of cloth, tissue, cardboard or toilet paper is inadequate in meeting the needs of menstruators.

Those who experience periods must not be forced to carry a financial burden or be unfairly compromised during this time of crisis.

Period products should be subsidized in part or in full by the Canadian Federal Government during the COVID-19 pandemic as they are a basic human necessity and should not be used to target marginalized and at-risk menstruators.