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WATCH: Irish Natalya O’Flaherty’s powerful poem on period comfort and breaking the taboo
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By Shayna Sappington
15th Jul 2021
15th Jul 2021
Sponsored By
Gillian Hyland
The Irish spoken word poet and Tampax have teamed up to release a moving video, calling for change to how we approach period conversations and comfort
Irish spoken word poet Natalya O’Flaherty has never shied away from an issue she’s felt passionate about, often championing more freedoms for young people in Ireland and pushing for progress, which is why her new campaign with Tampax makes perfect sense.
According to a new Tampax study, almost a quarter of young people aged 18-34 in Ireland claim that they feel embarrassed discussing their period. In addition, 62% of those surveyed find that their period is a barrier to feeling comfortable and hinders their confidence.
Aiming to dispel period shame by opening up a dialogue surrounding period health and promote period comfort, the new campaign focuses on breaking the taboo around periods. Only then can we feel comfortable not only talking about this but also accessing the information we need to feel physically comfortable during our period as well.
Breaking the taboo
You may recognise Natalya O’Flaherty from her appearance on The Late Late Show – where she has performed several pieces, including ‘Not Like Other Girls’. Now, she’s a famous face in the world of spoken poetry and has graced stages like The National Concert Hall, Electric Picnic and many more.
Commissioned by Tampax to create a new poem, she takes us on a personal journey following discomfort in her own life, from pre-performance jitters to settling in on stage to speak her truth. Her message is poignant – everyone deserves to be comfortable in their own skin, understand what our bodies experience and not be ashamed or afraid to talk about it with others.
It’s time to break the taboo and begin normalising the conversation around periods.
Watch the full video below:
#TimeToTampax
As part of this taboo-breaking campaign with Tampax, Natalya hopes her words will start a conversation and a drive for education on period comfort, especially inspiring young people in Ireland.
“As the younger generations of Ireland become increasingly progressive, I think there is still a chasm that exists when it comes to inspiring and empowering them,” she said.
“Letting young people my age know that comfort and confidence should never have to be compromised because of something as simple and uncontrollable as biology is a powerful message.
“The video touches not only on the physical discomfort that people who menstruate have to go through but also the emotional discomfort that too often manifests as embarrassment and shame. That narrative needs to and will change.”
For more information on menstrual health and products, visit Tampax’s Tampons Truths to get the facts.
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