In Standart Issue 29, we published an article written by Chloé Skye Weiser titled "Periods & Cafés," which delved into the topic of period stigma and equity within the context of coffee shops. It shed light on an important issue that deserves more attention, and we remain committed to furthering the discussion.
Today, we are excited to present the results of our recent survey, which aimed to gain insights into the obstacles faced by menstruating individuals in public spaces, specifically coffee shops. By conducting this survey, our intention was to encourage cafés to provide accessible and affordable period care products and cultivate an environment that facilitates open conversations about periods, ultimately reducing period stigma.
The survey has enabled us to gather valuable information and understand the challenges experienced by individuals who menstruate while visiting coffee shops. We are eager to share these findings with you, as they provide important insights into the current landscape and shed light on potential areas for improvement.
By unveiling these survey results, we hope to inspire meaningful change and foster a society that is more compassionate, inclusive, and understanding. Our collective efforts can create an environment where everyone feels comfortable, supported, and empowered to discuss and address period-related matters.
That's why we also had a post-survey chat with the author Chloé about the survey results and you can also check out the summary of our analysis of the results here, in Standart Community article.
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Survey period: April 15th to May 15th, 2023
Number of responses: 164
Answers from café visitors
Answers from participants working in a café
Conclusion
Through conducting this survey, we have once again realised that there are considerable individual differences in the way people think about and feel about menstruation, as well as the pain they experience in each cycle. And despite the fact that many people feel some kind of discomfort every month, access to period care is often perceived as a problem that should be solved by the individuals, not by the public institutions, organisations — or in our case, coffee shops.
In our post-survey talk with Chloé, we talked about what makes a public space a public space, how does a coffee shop fit into that definition, and if we're all been kept silent for so long about this issue, so now every time it pops up in the media - we feel we may feel unprepared and unsure how to respond, leading to a sense of being pushed into action. Could that even be a (collective) trauma response?
Read more about our in-depth analysis of the survey results here.
