Period Equality, Menstruation Workplace Rights & Jewish Joy With Gabby Edlin
In this episode, Hannah is joined by Gabby Edlin, who is an activist campaigning to menstrual equity and the founder of the charity Bloody Good Period. Gabby discusses what led her to start Bloody Good Period, the work she does with the charity to provide asylum seekers with free and high quality period products, and her employment scheme that campaigns for period rights in workplaces. also TOPIC. Gabby and Hannah talk about why it’s important to be able to talk about your period openly, how things have changed in the last few years, and how transphobia has no place in the feminist and period-equality movement. and TOPIC. Finally, Gabby discusses how difficult it’s been to navigate charity and activist spaces as a Jewish person as well as the importance of Jewish joy and what that looks like for her.
CW: antisemitism and transphobia throughout, brief mention of domestic violence
Read the episode transcript here!
QUESTIONS FROM INSTAGRAM
Is the mikvah something that Gabby does? If it is, does she ever find it hard to find the time to go?
Fellow Jew sex nerd here. How was your sex ed in Jewish spaces?
My period is extra annoying, because my ADHD symptoms increase. Any advice?
USEFUL LINKS
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MORE ABOUT GABBY EDLIN AND BLOODY GOOD PERIOD
Gabby Edlin, 35, is an activist campaigning for menstrual equity, and the founder and CEO of charity, Bloody Good Period.
Gabby was named as one of the Evening Standard’s Progress 1000 Top Changemakers and Stylist’s Woman of the Week.
She started Bloody Good Period in 2016 when she was volunteering at the New London Synagogue asylum-seekers’ drop-in centre, and discovered that period supplies were only provided for ‘in emergencies’. A whip around for donations of pads or tampons on Facebook turned into a charity which distributes period supplies for asylum seekers, refugees and anyone who can’t afford them, all around the UK.
Bloody Good Period also provides menstrual, sexual and reproductive health education within those communities. These products and sessions are currently distributed through over 100 drop-in services and groups in London and the UK.
Gabby grew up in a Jewish community in Manchester and cites her Jewishness as a huge influence in her activism. She has a Masters in Applied Imagination from Central St Martins specialising in feminism and comedy. Before BGP, she worked in Arts Education for children and young people, and trained as an artist. She lives in North London.
CONNECT WITH US
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