It is incredibly important to all of us at nixit to address the issue of menstrual equity in a critical and sustainable way. What that looks like is different for everyone and hopefully we can give you a little insight into what it means for us.

We are inspired by and very grateful for our community partners and organizations like them because they share our vision. We hope to support sustainable and impactful changes that work towards achieving menstrual equity, for all.

Sustainability is a core value of nixit. When we say sustainability we don’t mean metal straws, reusable produce bags and bamboo toothbrushes (don’t get us wrong, we’re not against these products!). However, we are referring to making changes towards a better world that can be sustained over time. In order to address menstrual equity in a sustainable way, we ensure that adequate time and energy are invested into our community partnerships.

There are so many factors to consider and it is not as simple as just donating menstrual cups and here’s a few reasons why. We believe that you cannot be eco-friendly or sustainable without looking at social injustices and intersectionality. There is no sustainability without focusing on those that will be most affected by climate change. There is no period care that is better for your body without considering those who struggle to access menstrual products. True empowerment cannot exist unless people of all genders, races, religions, socioeconomic backgrounds, abilities and identities are considered. There are many complexities and intricacies to consider, so here are a few that stand out for nixit.

Choice

We believe in choice and it is always yours. For many reasons, menstrual cups are not the right choice for everyone. Someone may not enjoy the feeling of them. Someone may not be able to insert menstrual products. Someone may not have access to a private space to change and wash their cup. Someone may be trans or non-binary and not wish to use menstrual products that require insertion. Someone may simply enjoy pads. All of these reasons are valid and require our respect. By respecting others’ choices, we choose to respect them. When we partner with an organization we ensure that the menstruators they connect with choose which menstrual products they receive. If they choose nixit, great! If they choose tampons, great! If they choose pads, great! As long as they are choosing what feels right for their body.

Access

We are aware that with our privilege we have access to basic human rights, such as clean water. While it is our dream that every person has this access, we are also aware that is not the reality for many. Access to water and a way of boiling it is essential for nixit to be a safe, sustainable and effective solution for people’s menstrual health. To properly clean nixit between cycles it is necessary to boil it in water for 5 minutes. What may seem a simple task to some, is a barrier to access for many. When nixit chooses to partner with an organization, it is important that we know what type of access this person has to water on a consistent, long-term basis. If the ability to boil their nixit in water on a monthly basis is inconsistent, nixit might not be a safe option for them to use every month.

Support

We take pride in knowing that nixit is not your traditional menstrual cup. With that, we are also acutely aware that using nixit can take some time to get used to. Trust us when we say, we have a lot of tips and tricks up our sleeves! Providing one-on-one customer support is incredibly important to us. We want to get nixit working for you. We also want to ensure that every person who has a nixit has access to this support. Linking back to the theme of access again, this means that when we are donating products we want to ensure the new nixit owner has access to a computer, phone or the internet to contact us. An extra layer to this barrier has been Covid-19, with libraries and public places being closed. We want everyone who uses nixit to be supported in every way they can, so we want to ensure that those people who choose to use nixit can access all the resources they may need.

Of course, there are many other factors and barriers that exist beyond choice, access and support. However, we hope this helps bring to light the complexities and solutions that exist when considering menstrual equity.

You may also wonder why we choose to work specifically with grassroots organizations. It’s simple. They are on the ground. Knowledge at the local level can best enact change at the local level. These organizations understand the needs of their community better than we ever will. We are stronger when we work together because we are able to support each other’s shared goals. By coming together and looking to one another we hope nixit can support essential steps working towards menstrual equity.

So why does all of this matter to us?

A goal of nixit is to simplify period care, educate people on periods and break the stigmas surrounding menstruation. None of these goals are possible without considering ALL menstruators and their stories. We are here to listen and learn from others, providing support and working together whenever possible.

At the end of the day it is our impact that matters, not our intentions. Partnerships like these support a positive impact that aligns with our intentions.