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Strengthening Menstrual Literacy dismantles stigma.
Irise's Red Report reveals a stark Menstrual Literacy Gap in the UK: embarrassment and discrimination remain high, while comfortability and knowledge about periods remain low - fuelling stigma, shame, inequality and risk to mental and physical health.
Our data also shows that knowledge = power.
Adults that report feeling more knowledgeable are three times more likely to feel comfortable talking about menstruation in a variety of everyday settings and are are twice as likely to feel comfortable buying period products if they also feel knowlegeable.
Literacy isn’t only about how much you know.
It’s about confidence in using what you know, understanding its meaning and applying it in everyday life. The Menstrual Literacy Gap means that compounding experiences of stigma restricts a persons ability to effectively navigate, evaluate and apply their knowledge, with huge impacts on their ability to advocate for themselves and others.
Small actions you can take which drive real change.
Join our movement
At Irise International, we believe in a world where menstruation is no longer stigmatised, but reclaimed for collective liberation. We dismantle menstrual injustice by channelling power and resources to young activists and grassroots leaders, sustaining them as powerful forces for systemic change, and advocating for others to do the same. We centre those facing intersecting forms of oppression, ensuring menstrual justice is embedded within broader social justice movements. Bold in our ambition, we refuse to work within the existing system, modelling new paths for a more just and liberated future.
