Here we believe...
Menstrual Health is a Human Right.
PeriodRVA is the Richmond chapter of Period Inc.
We believe conversations about menstrual health should be inclusive and respect the experiences of all who menstruate, including trans and nonbinary individuals. Our mission is to provide ALL individuals with the resources and knowledge they need to make informed choices, manage their periods effectively, and advocate for themselves with their healthcare providers.
Who We are
PeriodRVA is the Richmond, VA chapter of the Period Movement.
PERIOD. is a global youth fueled non-profit which strives to eradicate period poverty and stigma.
Let’s break it down
Here are a few facts demonstrating the need to address menstrual health education from the October 2023 State of the Period:
- 76% of teens felt there was a lack of open communication about periods in their schools, leading to confusion and unpreparedness.
- Additionally, nearly 80% agreed that more in-depth education about menstrual health should be integrated into the core curriculum.
And our healthcare professionals often do not have the necessary understanding to treat all patients experiencing menstruation:
- A 2020 Australian study found that only 24% of healthcare professionals felt confident providing care for trans patients experiencing menstrual symptoms. This indicates a significant knowledge gap among those who should be equipped to support this population. (Journal of Sexual Health, 2020)
why menstrual education is critical
Providing menstrual health education is crucial for several reasons, encompassing physical, emotional, and social well-being.
Through education, we create a safe space for all individuals to discuss their menstrual journey and potential fears and/or concerns. We recognize that cisnormative menstruation discussions, even product packaging, can be alienating to trans and non-binary individuals. Our period talks and educational sessions strive to make discussions around periods no longer shameful or alienating for any individual who experiences this completely normal, healthy biological process.
Meet the activists
Holley
(she/her)
director & menstrual health education manager
Holley is a community builder, experience provider, and empowering leader ready to be alongside like-minded people in order to initiate and execute change for the better of those in need.
Holley is a recent graduate of Virginia Tech (Masters of Public Health) looking for the opportunity to put the knowledge she has learned in the classroom into working on effective interventions that educate and empower individuals. With her dual-degree background she has acknowledged the overlap of public health and nutrition, but also has become enlightened to how interconnected public health is with everything.
Kiersten (KP)
(she/her)
social media manager
KP is a fourth year English major with a concentration in communication studies at Presbyterian
College in Clinton, South Carolina. After graduation, she plans to become a social media
manager, and she intends on receiving her Master’s degree in design management.
Looking even further into the future, KP dreams of becoming a creative director to play a
significant role in digital storytelling. After all, this is exactly why she wanted to become part of
the Period Movement’s social media team in the first place: to tell important stories. KP is
passionate about deepening an audience’s understanding of menstrual health, as well as
breaking the stigma around periods by liberating all individuals who experience menstrual
cycles.
Aside from academic priorities, KP enjoys creative writing, listening to music, and thrifting. She
is involved in intramural volleyball. Moreover, KP is the editor-in-chief and social media manager
of Presbyterian College’s student literary arts magazine.
Sanya
(she/her)
Content strategy & podcast manager
Sanya Surya is a third-year pre-medical student in the Guaranteed Admission Program for Medicine at VCU Honors College. She is majoring in Bioinformatics and minoring in Chemistry. In the future, she hopes to work clinically as a physician and contribute positively to population health through public health work. Sanya's career interests revolve around women’s health and mental health. She has been interested in period justice work for as long as she can remember, inspired by her own struggles with menstrual issues for over a decade and the inequities and stigmas she faced and witnessed as a South Asian-American girl while growing up.
Sanya loves working directly with the community through education, advocacy, and outreach. Having grown up in Portland, Oregon, she has volunteered in the past as a peer sex educator for Planned Parenthood's Teen Council program, teaching comprehensive sex education to over 400 students in the Portland and Beaverton areas. This experience ignited her passion for menstrual equity and education, regardless of gender. She also works in mental health, with experience on two crisis hotlines supporting people in need and leading a mental health and substance use recovery-focused support group on the VCU campus. Outside of her career interests, she is an active performing artist, trained in 7 styles of dance, Indian and Western vocal music, instrumental music, and a former thespian. She has kept her passions for her culture and the arts alive at VCU as a dancer for her school’s Raas/Garba collegiate dance team, Ricochet Raas, and as a former singer for Ramifications, a VCU competitive acapella group.
jaya
(she/they)
content creator
Meet Jaya Pyne, a 23-year-old multi-creative with a passion for reproductive rights. Jaya
is an independent musician who believes in the transformative power of music. Their
musical journey is a dedication to advocacy, with a particular focus on LGBTQ+ rights.
As an independent artist, Jaya is not just creating music; each composition is a push in
the direction for a more inclusive future. She excels as a content creator, social media
manager, digital marketing and leverages her skills to amplify social justice causes.
In addition to her musical pursuits, Jaya is passionate about normalizing conversations
around the menstrual cycle. Through education and awareness they work to create a
more inclusive and affirming world for everyone. They are an unwavering advocate for
the rights of trans and non-binary individuals. Jaya aims to challenge norms, normalize
conversations regarding menstrual cycles and accessibility, and advocate for a more
inclusive future.
Aarushi
(she/her)
advocacy education manager
Aarushi Khanna is a sophomore in college who is pursuing a path in healthcare. Her passion for menstrual equity comes from experiencing period stigmas growing up and witnessing the effects of period poverty in her community as well as recognizing the significance of the issue. She has taken initiative in not only hosting fundraisers for several organizations, but is currently working with legislators to introduce a new bill in the state of Virginia. She is determined to expand education on menstruation for students regardless of gender.
As an ambassador of the Pad Project, she has been able to connect with menstrual activists around the world. On Period Action Day in 2023, she released a short film in which her fellow ambassadors shared their stories about period poverty in their communities. She is excited to create a second addition to the film showcasing more perspectives! In addition, she is working to supply menstrual products for Kisoro, Uganda. She believes this endeavor will allow her to expand to other countries and provide for them as well.
Her dedication for equity in the lives of menstruators has prepared her for the role of Education & Financial Assistance Advocacy Manager!
Abigale
(she/her)
Content Writer & Researcher
As a recent graduate at VCU, Abigale’s educational path and interest in health psychology led her to recognize the barriers in achieving positive health outcomes for many. She acknowledges that this is especially prevalent among marginalized communities. She aims to promote the accessibility to achieving and maintaining health, particularly for women inclusive of sex/gender differences.
Abigale’s two main objectives include advocating for both the accessibility to menstrual wellness, as well as for the safety in manufacturing menstrual products. She is honored to advocate for menstrual equity and wellness among the Richmond community. She realizes that small ripples can lead to big changes, so she finds advocating for community-based health outcomes exciting.
Oriana/”Ori”
(she/her)
Founder
Upon learning more about issues surrounding period poverty, Ori became motivated to get more involved in the Period Movement. Once she dug in and realized Richmond, VA did not have a community Period chapter, she felt this was the next logical step! While she was founding the first Richmond, VA community chapter of Period, she completed IGNITE & Period's Organizing Academy to strengthen her community organizing and political advocacy skills.
Ori has a strong background with nonprofits, from volunteer & work with hospices, animal shelters, childrens' hospitals, soup kitchens, Habitat for Humanity, Letters for Our Elders, legal and social work for refugees seeking asylum in the U.S.
Her professional background is in content strategy/ instructional design, making her passion at Period the education sector of support. In her off-time, she collects plants, seeks out animals and nature, reads, practices hot yoga, listens to music, and is starting her PhD in Learning Technologies at UNT in the Fall of 2024.
How You can help your community with periodrva
Let’s get educated.
Interested in an educational event?
- PeriodRVA can come to speak to younger audiences about what to expect for their first period (product options, what to expect, how to consult a physician, self-care practices, common period myths).
- Period Talk is an interactive, safe, supportive space where adults can discuss personal menstrual experiences and societal challenges, as well as how to get more involved in the movement to end period poverty and period stigma. It's educational, but also meant to remind participants they aren't alone in their journey.
- Planet Positive Periods is an educational discussion meant for EVERYONE- all ages, all stages of their menstrual journey. We will discuss ways to make the best personal decisions for our own health, while also protecting our environment.
- Have another topic you would like covered? Email us to discuss your needs.
We also have educational booths to showcase different period product options, let individuals try out products on a anatomical model, and pick up more information from our many educational handouts. We often offer our booth services at local markets.
Contact us at periodmovementrva@gmail.com to learn more.
Flow Talk:
Embracing the
Cycle
Hosted by Sanya Surya
No matter what your experiences have been so far with your cycle, our periods unite us - tune in to hear from various menstruators about their stories, feelings, and hopes for menstrual discussions. Who knows, you might learn something new about another community of people who menstruate or relate to an interviewee! Flow Talk: Embrace the Cycle is a gender-inclusive platform for conversing about periods and all the good, bad, and in-between that comes with being someone who menstruates.
Uncramp Your Style
PeriodRVA’s blog detailing all things menstruation
Issue No. 1: Menstrual Inequity in Gaza
By Abigale Darnell
When violence, disaster, or war occurs, menstruating people are often disproportionately affected. As the Israel-Hamas conflict continues, women in Gaza report significant menstrual struggles. Period products are diminished in supply, and some report having to use random pieces of cloth in place of proper sanitary products. These replacements have caused chafing and even skin infections. As many have been forced to evacuate their homes, access to hygiene practices such as showering have also become scarce. Additionally, it’s been reported that attempts to stop periods have increased.
Period poverty is a prevalent issue all over the world, and this feels particularly disheartening. Access to proper sanitation should be a right for everyone. PERIOD. has been in contact with organizations around and in Gaza and Egypt to locate resources and opportunities to deliver menstrual products to those affected. However, since there is currently a hardship in obtaining humanitarian aid to the affected areas, this venture has been unresolved so far. Positively, international humanitarian organizations such as the United Nations Population Fund (UNFA), the Egyptian Food Bank, and World Central Kitchen have successfully transported menstrual products to the affected areas.
To get involved, you can reach out to your representatives to call for a cease-fire. You can do your part to educate yourself on what’s happening. You can learn about corporations that support the conflict to hold them accountable. You can research donation opportunities. Additionally, a powerful way to help is to raise awareness through word of mouth and social media.
Issue No. 2: Breaking Free From Pain: My Journey to Pain-Free Intimacy
By Sarah Colon
The first time I had sex, it hurt. "That's normal," I said. The second time I had sex, it hurt even worse than the first. I told myself it would take some time to start feeling better. I soon got used to the stinging stabbing pain in my vagina every time I had sex. Every time I used the restroom after intercourse, I would be met with a stinging burning sensation.
Then, when I was eighteen, I was sexually assaulted by a boyfriend. I began attributing the pain to the assault and started avoiding sex with my partners or simply gritting my teeth through the excruciating pain.
When I turned twenty-two, I decided it was time to open up to my gynecologist about the persistent pain. I pointed out the area, my perineum, and described it as feeling like there was a splinter right there. She examined me but found nothing unusual. I was on the verge of tears, feeling dismissed when she suggested, "The vagina can stretch as much as it wants; just drink a glass of wine before sex and relax." I tried her method, but the pain persisted.
I moved in with a new boyfriend and resigned myself to enduring sex, dissociating through the pain, feeling anxious before every encounter, and occasionally resorting to online searches for answers. But nothing seemed to explain or alleviate the pain.
In search of a solution, I switched to a different gynecologist and shared my painful experience. She conducted an examination, found nothing abnormal, and prescribed a topical lidocaine. "Apply that to the area a few minutes before sex," she advised. For four years, I diligently applied the lidocaine, rushing to the bathroom before each intimate moment, attempting to numb my perineum. While it did provide some relief, it didn't make sex more enjoyable.
Issue No. 2: Breaking Free From Pain: My Journey to Pain-Free Intimacy (Continued)
By Sarah Colon
In January of 2021, my boyfriend and I broke up, and I decided it was finally time to seek help from a therapist. I broke down one day, avoiding eye contact, and confessed my pain during sex, my aversion to intercourse, and my uncertainty about my own sexuality. My therapist responded: "Sarah, sex should never be painful." She then referred me to a pelvic floor physical therapist.
During my first appointment, I received a diagnosis that explained everything—I had a condition called a hymenal remnant. Essentially, the first time I had sex, my hymen had broken, and part of the tissue had reattached itself to the bottom opening of my vagina, it had then hardened. My therapist, Macye, devised a plan that involved massages and stretching of the affected area. Progress was slow but steady.
When we hit a plateau, Macye referred me to a urogynecologist. There, I faced a choice: surgery to remove the hardened tissue or a series of trigger shot injections, essentially Botox for my pelvic floor. I opted for the shots. After two rounds of trigger shot injections combined with physical therapy, my pain vanished. At the age of 27, I experienced pain-free sex for the first time in my life. I cried.
Sex should never be painful; it should be fun and safe. For so long, sex was a traumatic and agonizing experience for me. I was embarrassed and felt abnormal due to my pain. I had resigned myself to a lifetime of painful and stressful intercourse. But I will forever be grateful to my therapist for opening my eyes to the fact that sex should never be painful. My physical therapist never gave up on trying different methods, and together, we broke free from the chains of pain, embracing a new chapter of intimacy and pleasure.
Issue No. 3: Let’s Talk Period Panties
By Abigale Darnell
Period panties are a wonderful alternative to traditional menstrual products. They are reusable underwear, lined with absorptive and leak resistant material. This product is worn like regular underwear, and even looks just like it. Period underwear can be used alone to “free bleed”, or accompanied by additional period products.
Period panties typically contain multiple layers of fabrics. Porous material leads fluids into an absorbent layer. The outer layer of the underwear is lined with leak resistant material. Some menstrual products are said to hold up to 10 tampons worth of blood. These products are marketed as safe and easy to use. However, although they can contain natural materials, some are also composed of metals and PFAs. PFAs are distinguished when more than 9,000 chemicals are included in products, and are theorized to be unhealthy. On the bright side, some period panties are advertised as being PFA free.
There are several brands of period panties out there, leaving many options to choose from. There are thongs, boy shorts, cheeky underwear, high waisted panties, and many more available on the market. My personal favorite brand for period panties is PINK. Their products are so comfortable and easy to clean, wash, and use. They also have the cutest prints, which improve the experience. Period. also sells menstrual panties for many shapes and sizes at affordable prices. Many brands have different compositions, styles, shelf life, and care instructions. Some have even been involved in lawsuits, such as Thinx. It’s important to do your research to find what is safe and suits you best!
I decided to explore using period panties for a few reasons. Once I learned about the harmful chemicals and additives in some menstrual products, I wanted an alternative. I was drawn to menstrual panties because of the reduction in cost, added convenience in not having to change products multiple times a day, and the ability to “free bleed”. Another attractive benefit for me was the reduction in environmental impact! I love my period panties and use them every cycle. I have found them to be affordable in the long run, and very easy to use. I feel comfortable using them and I appreciate the lack of chemicals going into my body now that I do not use traditional menstrual products.
There are many benefits in using period panties. They are affordable, reducing cost of expensive products in longer term use. They are accessible and reusable, lowering environmental waste. Period panties can be comfortable, easy to use and clean. A bonus is that they can be really cute, too! While menstrual panties are just one of many menstrual products, having options is important and empowering! I encourage you to explore what makes having a period as easeful as can be.
Issue No. 4: Challenging Period Norms with Free Bleeding
By Oriana Gradeles-Scislowicz
Before we take a deep dive into free bleeding, let's define what this encompasses. This simply means menstruation without the use of tampons, pads, menstrual cups or period underwear. Some do include using period underwear as a form of free bleeding, but usually that will be a way to transition yourself to full free bleeding. It's important to acknowledge this method of handling your menstrual cycle is a personal choice: it's not better than others, and there are pros and cons just like any other method. Also it's not something that necessarily needs to be done for your entire cycle. Many people free bleed at the start and end of their cycles, when they aren't as heavy, then use alternative methods for period management on heavier days.
Let's bring attention to the fact that free bleeding is how ALL menstruators used to handle menstruation at one time. Before there was stigma around periods or blood, this was just a part of life and a bodily process that happened. For a lot of people, getting back to this approach helps them embrace a natural process and not feel shame around their body.
To get started, it's a good idea to experiment at home on lighter flow days, you can get comfortable with the sensation and how to manage leaks (also...how do I sit? what positions minimize flow?). You'll wanted to wear dark, looser clothing to minimize the appearance of blood (if that's a thing for you, some don't care and if that's you- rock on). Liners can be helpful when you get started to minimize anxiety as you get used to the concept. Tracking your cycle can also help choose which days are best suited to test our free bleeding. Lastly, listen to your body- if you feel irritated or uncomfortable, switch back- there's no shame, do what works for YOU.
There are free bleed blankets that can be helpful for home use- these are soft, while also being leak-proof, so you aren't sitting on a rubber pad like the kid at the sleepover that always pees themselves. Check out these two sellers for more info: Free Bleed & Wellsome.
Another product that can be helpful to have on hand are personal wipes to keep clean when you go to the bathroom while in public (or even at home). Having a bidet at home can also help for this purpose.
In the end, it's your choice if you decide to explore this method, but it may be a more comfortable way to manage your periods, so it never hurts to give it a try.
Happy Bleeding!
Rep PeriodRVA with some rad merch!
All designed by local tattoo artist, Tannis Ruth
PeriodRVA Hoodies & Shirts: Available in Women’s Slim Fit & Unisex Fit
We’re totes-here for menstrual equity!
A sip of menstrual equi-tea please!
All items sold at cost/without up-charge.
Educational Resources
Menstrual Cup Folds
Getting the right fold can be key to maximum comfort and a leak-free period!
Image Credit (and for more helpful tips!): https://www.periodnirvana.com/menstrual-cup-folds/
January Cervical Health Awareness Month: Educational Resources
Regarding the HPV Vaccine (Courtesy of the National Cervical Cancer Coalition)
Common Questions about HPV Vaccines
Will the vaccine help my HPV go away faster?
No, the vaccines do not treat HPV or related diseases.
Why should my son get the vaccine? I thought it was only for girls.
Males are at risk for HPV, too. HPV vaccination can protect boys against genital warts and anal cancer.
My children are not yet sexually active, do they need the vaccine?
The vaccine is most effective before the onset of sexual activity. The CDC recommends vaccinating girls / boys at 11-12 years old.
My children are older than 11 or 12. Is it too late to get the vaccine?
Vaccination is currently recommended for males and females through age 26. Recently the vaccine was also approved for males and females through age 45.
If I get the vaccine I won’t have to worry about HPV anymore, right?
HPV vaccines will not eliminate all HPV or cervical cancer. The vaccines prevent the HPV types that cause 90% of cervical cancer cases. But there are other types of HPV (not covered in the vaccine) that could cause disease.
If someone is sexually active can they still get the vaccine?
Those who are already sexually active may have been exposed to one of the types of HPV that the vaccines protect against. There is still benefit though in that is unlikely that they have been exposed to all types covered by the vaccines.
How safe is the vaccine?
The safety of HPV vaccines was studied in clinical trials before they were licensed. For Gardasil 9 (released in 2014), over 15,000 individuals participated in these trials. The first version of Gardasil (released in 2006) was studied in over 29,000 participants.
What are the most common side effects?
- Soreness where you got the shot.
- Redness and soreness and some pain where the shot is given.
- About 1 person in 10 will get a mild fever.
- About 1 person in 30 will get itching where they got the shot.
- About 1 person in 60 will experience a moderate fever.
- These symptoms do not last long and go away on their own.
How can I pay for the vaccine?
Most insurance companies will cover the cost of vaccination. If your does not, or if you are uninsured, there are programs that can help. The Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program is a federal program that offers vaccines at no cost for eligible children, ages 18 and under, through VFC-enrolled doctors. Other alternatives include finding a local Planned Parenthood clinic or local health department to ask about options for reduced cost or sliding scale programs.
