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It’s About Bloody Time: Period Products Are Free In Scotland

Scotland has become the first nation in the world to ensure period products are obtainable free of charge.

Introduced by Member of Scottish Parliament Monica Lennon on 23 April, the Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Bill has now passed.

In other words, IT’S OFFICIAL.

The Bill, as passed, means that local authorities, education providers and specified public service bodies must ensure that period products are able to be accessed free of charge by all persons who need to use them.

Period Poverty occurs when people who need period products are unable to afford them.

The Scottish Parliament says Monica Lennon, ‘sees these products as a basic necessity, and believes that providing access to them is important for people’s dignity.’

The universal scheme will operate on an ‘opt-in’ basis.

This means that anyone in Scotland who requests the products to access them, completely free, ‘regardless of age, gender or income.’

The Policy Memorandum states, ‘By operating on such a basis the Bill will also ensure that those with no fixed address or homeless people will also have access to the period products they need.

‘There will be no means-testing or referral system in place.

‘Giving access to all will mean that women, girls and trans people are not financially penalised for menstruating.

‘It will help to tackle period poverty whilst minimising any perceived stigma which may be associated with being given free products.’

As Monica Lennon says on her twitter account, ‘what a journey’ and, more aptly,

‘…it’s ‘about BLOODY time.’

Find out more here.

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News Hot Topic

Transparent Toilet Cubicles Installed In Japan

Public toilets have a poor reputation globally. It’s just how it is. You use only if desperate and you get out of there as fast as possible.

One reason to avoid the germ pot is the often neglected hygiene standards. For many other people the main reason to avoid using the bathroom in public is due to safety concerns.

Well, designer Shigeru Ban has created a new kind of public toilet for Shibuya, Tokyo which arguably goes against conventional beliefs; that is because the walls are made out of glass.

The cubicles are being developed as part of THE TOKYO TOILET Project from The Nippon Foundation, a nonprofit organisation with a heavy focus on social innovation.

“There are two concerns with public toilets, especially those located in parks,” the Foundation says.

“The first is whether it is clean inside, and the second is that no one is secretly waiting inside.”

The Foundation says, “Using a new technology, we made the outer walls with glass that becomes opaque when the lock is closed, so that a person can check inside before entering.

“At night, they light up the parks like a beautiful lantern.”

The Project will see a total of 17 public toilets renovated and transformed by 16 creators (the transparent toilets being one such creation), with Pritzker Prize winners amongst the designers.

The Nippon Foundation says the toilets aim “to dispel these misconceptions regarding public toilets.”

“The designers will use advanced design to make them accessible for everyone regardless of gender, age, or disability, to demonstrate the possibilities of an inclusive society.”

The transparent toilets have been open to the public since August 5.

What do you think about this idea? How would you make public toilets feel more safe?

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News Hot Topic, Viral This Week

Chocolate Rains Down On Streets Of Swiss Town

Waking up in Switzerland on a snowy morning is only a dream for many of us right now. Now add in a chocolatey-rainy-snow storm and you have hit a whole new level of fantasy.

For residents in Olten, Switzerland, this was their reality.

According to Associated Press “the Lindt & Spruengli company confirmed local reports Tuesday that there was a minor defect in the cooling ventilation for a line for roasted “cocoa nibs” in its factory in Olten, between Zurich and Basel.“

The malfunction, along with strong winds, caused cocoa powder to seemingly rain down on the streets Friday morning.

The thin layer of chocolate landed on cars, windows and houses.

The Lindt & Spruengli company offered to clean up the mess caused by the chocolate powder.

Surprisingly, no one says they require this cleaning service just yet…

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