Boody has unveiled its new national brand campaign in partnership with Women's National Basketball League (WNBL), calling for access to period products for all.
The campaign has launched in line with the WNBL’s Fighting Period Poverty round (January 24 - 31), with the partnership raising awareness for the 51% of women and girls using makeshift materials as menstrual sanitary products.
The omnichannel campaign involves WNBL players like Bec Cole, Jordin Canada and Kelsey Griffin sharing personal stories of the impact of menstruation and the need for more candid dialogue.
Cole, captain of the Southside Flyers and former Australian Opals player, says periods should never feel embarrassing.
"The more we speak about it, the more comfortable it’ll be. It’s also so important that our male colleagues are open to talking about it too and feel comfortable lending a hand if something happens to one of the girls on the team when she’s on her cycle - for example a leak," she says.
"I do think we're on the right track to breaking those barriers."
Recent addition to the Melbourne Boomers squad, Canada, says people don't understand how challenging it is to play sport when you have your period.
"Sometimes it's hard to even get up in the morning and you have to compete to the best of your abilities," says Canada.
Three-time WNBL MVP recipient Griffin says accessibility to menstruation products is a huge issue, and highlighting that is important, but it's also important to simply normalise talking about periods.
"Each cycle experience is unique so you don't know what someone may be going through. For me, it’s cramps and brain fog that impact me most," she says.
As part of the campaign, Boody will donate 1,000 pairs of period underwear for people living in period poverty.
For every pair of period and leak-proof undies purchased online during the Fighting Period Poverty round, Boody will donate a pair to Share the Dignity, providing period care for women in need.
The WNBL’s second annual Fighting Period Poverty Round runs from January 24 to January 31, will see the league and Boody team up to raise awareness and funds for Australian women and girls who go without period products.
Throughout the Fighting Period Poverty Round, WNBL players will wear themed t-shirts in their pre-game warm-ups as well as sport ‘Bloody Good Socks’, with both items available for purchase, all funds raised going to Share the Dignity.
There are plenty of ways for the basketball community to get involved and support the cause, including bringing sanitary items to place in collection bins at game venues around the country, sharing social content or buying a pair of Bloody Good Socks.
A 2021, ‘Big Bloody Survey’ of 125,000 Australians revealed that one in five females used toilet paper, socks or other unsuitable alternatives because they couldn’t afford sanitary products.
Boody is running a ‘Buy 1, Gift 1’ initiative. Until January 31, for every pair of period and leak-proof underwear purchased online, Boody will donate a pair to Share the Dignity, providing period care for women in need.
Ruth Haffenden, Boody's global head of brand and marketing says the company is proud to be involved in the WNBL Fighting Period Poverty round, highlighting an issue that affects 20% of menstruating individuals in Australia.
"Initiatives like this show the real difference we can make together, and we’re honoured to collaborate with WNBL and the exceptional players to drive awareness and provide support to those in need," she says.
Head of WNBL, Christy Collier-Hill, says the WNBL is the only professional league in Australia that has a round aimed at Fighting Period Poverty.
"As a women’s league, it’s important we support issues that affect women and girls, and we’re really proud to be working with Boody to positively impact period poverty in Australia," says Collier-Hill.
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