Once you get to a certain age as a woman, you will know that menopause is around the corner.
And with that, comes the symptoms. Hot flushes are all but synonymous with the menopause, even though not all women experience them. And you’ll probably think there are a handful more, too. Well, you’re wrong.
Doctors report there are actually 62 different symptoms of menopause that women present with. That’s despite the biggest study yet into menopause awareness finding most women associate it with just five symptoms.
Advertisement
Hygiene and health company Essity surveyed 5,000 women pre-menopause, in peri, or post menopause – and found even women who are at the end of their journey remain relatively clueless about what they have been through
While 40% of women going through or having gone through the menopause have visited their GP to get help with symptoms, two thirds of women didn’t know menopause decreases sex drive and a whopping 74% didn’t realise it could be linked with weight gain.
Meanwhile, only 1% of women surveyed were aware it can cause changes in their vagina and how often they pee.
Menopause specialist Dr Naomi Potter reveals that tinnitus, UTIs, weaker bones and a change in body odour also feature in the list of menopause symptoms.
Advertisement
And worryingly, there’s a lack of knowledge of when it all kicks in, she says.
“Women believe they can’t experience symptoms in their forties because they’re not old enough, or their symptoms aren’t menopausal – when in fact if they’re over 45, it’s likely they are,” Potter says.
A spokesperson for Essity said: “[These] findings tell us that it’s a heavily misunderstood subject and the taboo surrounding it means women aren’t accessing the information and advice that could really help them.”
Sprint superstar Dina Asher-Smith has revealed the cramps she experienced in her calf earlier this week, causing her to finish last in a 100m race at the European Championships, were down to her period – and we can relate.
When asked about what happened, the 26-year-old responded: “It was just ‘girl stuff’. It’s just frustrating. It’s one of those things. It’s a shame because I’m in really good shape and I was really looking to come and run fast.”
Advertisement
True to form, a few days later she returned to the track and qualified for the 200m final.
She has now called for more research into how periods impact performance from a sports science perspective, “because it’s huge”.
“People don’t always talk about it either,” she said. “Sometimes you see girls that have been so consistent and there’s a random dip and behind the scenes they’ve been really struggling. Everybody else will go ‘What’s that? That’s random’.
“So we could just do with more funding. I feel if it was a men’s issue there would be a million different ways to combat things.”
Advertisement
We’ve all got stories like this. A colleague reveals she had her first period while sitting her GCSE exams and honestly thought she was going to die. Needless to say, she struggled to perform to the best of her ability.
I’ve had moments where the ability to do even the most basic of tasks – let alone run a race or sit an exam – have been completely obliterated by my menstrual cycle.
One memory instantly comes to mind: commuting home from work on the tube and having to get off several stops early because I was doubled over in so much pain and there were no seats available.
Hot, nauseous and unable to stand up straight, I made it to a bench on the platform and sat there for some time before my boyfriend turned up in a taxi to take me home. So yes, I tip my hat to Dina for even finishing the race.
Wherever you turn, women and people who menstruate are dealing with periods – and we agree with Dina, it’s time sports bodies invested heavily in research.
Tennis star Heather Watson previously told HuffPost UK how she quietly handles her period, which makes her feel bloated and low on energy when she’s on the court: “I really don’t think there’s much you can do when you’re on your period before a game except be strong and deal with it as best you can, because that’s what we all do on a monthly basis.”
Advertisement
She’s previously taken the contraceptive pill to delay her period during big tournaments. But even taking the pill can sometimes backfire or cause unwanted side effects.
Speaking to HuffPost UK, British synchronised swimmer Isabelle Thorpe revealed there have been a few occasions “when it’s gone wrong and I’ve bled for longer than I expected”.
British runner Eilish McColgan was also prescribed the pill after experiencing, what she described for a BBC column as, “excruciating cramps every month to the point where my body would go into a fever and start vomiting”. She recalled having a full day in bed “feeling like death” and then waking up the next day like nothing had happened.
But being on the pill made her feel “rotten,” she said, and it impacted her emotionally.
“It still fascinates me that a large majority of women struggle with their menstrual cycles every month, and yet no one seems to have the answers. Even now, the research in regards to sport, especially, is sparse,” wrote McColgan.
Dr Sarah Zipp, an expert in menstrual health and sport, and associate professor at Mount St Mary’s University, in Maryland, says we now need to see more research into the area. “The menstrual cycle has enormous impacts on physical health, performance, etc.,” she tells HuffPost UK.
“The body experiences many changes throughout the cycle, it goes beyond just coping with symptoms of menstruation. Yet we have relatively little research on the impact of menstrual cycles, which is pretty shocking given that there is sport science research into just about anything that might provide the tiniest performance advantage.”
She says the lack of research is in line with “the overall absence of research on women’s health” more broadly.
Dr Camilla Mørk Røstvik, a historian of menstruation at the University of Aberdeen and University of St Andrews, agrees “there needs to be more research into every facet of the menstrual cycle”.
“Many of us are trying to do that through, for example, the Society for Menstrual Cycle Research (established 1970), the Menstruation Research Network and more,” she says.
Advertisement
But these areas are woefully underfunded. “Asher-Smith is so right, and I’d add that we need proper funding too,” she continues.
“It’s a frustration, because there is clearly an interest amongst the public, just not amongst funding bodies or sponsors (yet).”
If you’d like to share how periods have impacted your performance in sport or at work, please tweet us: @huffpostuklife and we may include some of the tweets in this article.
The big ‘O’, the climax also known as an orgasm. Sure you can have fun without one, but, let’s be honest, ut’s the part of sex we all want to experience, which is why we can’t stop talking about how we can get one, especially as women.
The female orgasm has been studied and researched for centuries, but now there’s new research that suggests there are actually three different types.
Advertisement
The study from Charles University in Prague, found that when women have an orgasm, their pelvic floor muscles tend to move in one of three patterns: a wave, a volcano, or an avalanche.
A ‘wave’ is everything you’d expect to feel – waves of tension and release of your pelvic floor muscles.
A ‘volcano’ feels like more of an explosion towards the end of the orgasm, as your pelvic floor explodes into a swift tension and release.
An ‘avalanche’ involves higher pelvic floor tensions in the build up, which drop when you orgasm.
Advertisement
James Pfaus, professor of neuroscience at Charles University in Prague led the study, which invited 54 women to use the ‘Lioness’, a Bluetooth-connected vibrator, to reach orgasm.
Volunteers were asked to masturbate at home using the device over a period of a few days. The vibrator was programmed to measure the force of their pelvic floor contractions via two sensors – which researchers analysed remotely to work out the rhythm and pattern of these movements in the participants.
‘Wave’ orgasms were most common – 26 out of 54 women experienced this type, whilst 17 had ‘avalanche’ orgasms and 11 had a ‘volcano’ orgasm.
Professor Pfaus said: “We are doing a long-term study of women using the Lioness to see how these different patterns are experienced subjectively as orgasms, as levels of pleasure, [and] where the stimulation that induces them largely comes from.”
Many women may have experienced more than one orgasm pattern, while others might say that even one orgasm is better than none, especially with recent studies pointing to a major gender-based orgasm gap.
For every sexual encounter, men orgasm on average 87% of the time, while women experience them 65%.
Orgasm rates also vary depending on your sexuality, with heterosexual men orgasming most regularly, followed by gay men, bisexual men, lesbians, bisexual women – and finally, at the bottom of the list, heterosexual women.
“It can take as little as four minutes for a woman, which is the same as men, but there is a perception it’s going to take about 40 minutes during sex,” she said.
No one should feel compelled to have an orgasm – many people have a fulfilling experience without reaching this point – and some people are anorgasmic (or unable to orgasm).
But Williams encourages women to become more familiar with their bodies and what they like. Then, when they get into a sexual situation with a partner, they can be less afraid to say what they do and don’t enjoy.
If this new research isn’t an excuse to start exploring, we don’t know what is. So, wave, volcano or avalanche? Which one will you be having next?
Just like young Tess, eight, who danced her way through their Euro semi-final in Sheffield on Tuesday, we couldn’t be prouder of England’s Lionesses.
Tickets to Sunday’s final against Germany at Wembley Stadium, the largest sports venue in the UK and second-largest stadium in Europe, are completely sold out – all 87,200 of them. It will be the biggest attendance ever for a men’s or women’s Euro final, and the game will closely rival the highest attended women’s football match of all time (when 91,553 watched Barcelona play Real Madrid in the UEFA Women’s Champions League in March).
Advertisement
Three years ago we watched as the Lionesses exceeded all expectations in the 2019 Women’s World Cup, only falling to eventual champions, the USA.
While football didn’t come home that night in Lyon, it certainly felt as though women’s football was here to stay. And so it has proved.
After a pandemic pause, the current Lionesses, led by captain Leah Williamson and cool-as-you-like head coach Sarina Wiegman, have stormed through this Euro tournament, scoring 20 goals between them in front of delighted crowds, and only conceding one – in that nail-biting quarter-final against Spain.
Midfielder Georgia Stanway, who scored the extra-time “stunner” that saw them through that game in Brighton, has said: “I think we need to kind of stop talking about how big women’s football is getting and talk about how big it is.”
England’s comprehensive 4-0 victory against Sweden in the semi-final earlier this week drew 9.3 million viewers across BBC TV and streaming – the largest audience for the tournament so far.
Fans went wild for goals from Beth Mead, Lucy Bronze and Fran Kirby, for the sparkling clean-sheet of goalkeeper, Mary Earps, but most of all for super-sub Alessia Russo’s devilish back-kicked nutmeg in the second half. Even the US Embassy had to give Russo props for it with a cheeky homage on Twitter.
Visionhaus via Getty Images
England goalkeeper Mary Earps and captain Leah Williamson celebrate after Alessia Russo’s goal in the semi-finals.
And all this in a sport that the English Football Association effectively banned in 1921, because – and we kid you not here – the FA worried the growing popularity of women’s games was threatening to attract too large a crowd.
“Complaints having been made as to football being played by women, Council felt impelled to express the strong opinion that the game of football is quite unsuitable for females and should not be encouraged,” it ruled at the time.
Advertisement
We’ve come a long way since then, thank goodness, and now around the world, women are matching their male counterparts for passion, drive and visibility. Australian striker Sam Kerr, of Chelsea FC Women, will soon become the first female player to feature on the cover of the football game FIFA for 2023.
So, if there’s a difference between women’s and men’s football, it isn’t down to technique. These Euros have shown that women are more than capable at smashing the sport. It’s more about the way it makes us feel: positive.
Amelia Dimoldenberg, a 28-year-old writer, was at the opening game of the Euros on July 6, when England played against Austria at Old Trafford – and noticed the difference.
As a young woman, going to a men’s game can still feel intimidating, she tells HuffPost UK. “There’s so much testosterone there and so much bravado, and when you go to a women’s game it’s void of most of that” – not just because of the number of families in the stands, she adds. “It’s just exciting to see young girls and young people getting involved with the sport.
Scott and Wright, who formerly played for Arsenal women’s and men’s teams respectively, as well as for their national sides, spoke eloquently in the moment about the journey to this point in football – and the future potential.
“It is hard for me not to get emotional right now,” Scott said, holding back tears, “because the amount of investment which has gone into the women’s game is for a moment like this. For this team to get to Wembley, they are creating something special and deserve every accolade which is coming their way.”
She added: “Everyone who has been involved in women’s football has been waiting for this moment. It’s special.”
Advertisement
Wright agreed, but also had a message to those who run the game. “Whatever happens in the final now, if girls are not allowed to play football in their PE, just like the boys can, what are we doing?” he said passionately post-match.
“We have got to make sure they are able to play and get the opportunity to do so. If there’s no legacy to this – like with the Olympics – then what are we doing as this is as proud as I’ve ever felt of any England side.”
Photographer Jade Keshia Gordon, 28, from London, is a lifelong Arsenal fan who started supporting both the club’s teams when she was eight. She also thinks women’s football should be championed so girls know it’s possible and “okay” to play.
“I played football as a kid and I remember hearing that I should ‘do something that girls do’ from boys my age. I hope that if I was to ever have a daughter they will have no fear of joining their football team,” Gordon tells HuffPost UK.
Catherine Ivill – UEFA via Getty Images
A young England fan cheers on the Lionesses during the England-Sweden game.
Gordon says she enjoys watching women play for the dedication, drive and persistence on show – and of course the sheer skill of it.
Advertisement
“I don’t know if it’s because they’ve felt like they’ve always had to prove themselves, but I feel a sense of strength when they play and it’s just good football, regardless of them being women,” she says. “Football is football regardless of the gender.”
It’s a sentiment that Charlotte Thomson agrees with wholeheartedly. As head of women’s football at Copa 90, a football media company that makes fan-first content, she believes the energy surrounding the Lionesses is built on more than just a successful tournament on the pitch.
“This team is proof that women’s football has well and truly arrived,” she says.
“Iconic moments provided by the likes of Stanway and Russo breaking into the football zeitgeist is testament to the changing perceptions around women’s football,” says Thomson.“At the time of writing, Russo’s goal alone has been viewed 17 times per second, every second (!) since it was scored.”
The conversation has moved on from inspiring young girls to inspiring a nation, Thomson adds, and agrees that the atmosphere at games is something else.
“You don’t have to delve too deeply into women’s football fan culture to get a taste of the positive, inclusive space they occupy,” she says. “Turning up to any of the matches this summer and the atmosphere you are greeted with is more akin to that of a festival than a typical football match.”
Advertisement
Catherine Ivill – UEFA via Getty Images
Lionesses fans celebrating in Sheffield.
This positivity tips over onto social media, she adds, where Copa 90 has seen huge engagement for its match day takeovers, while off the pitch, collectives such as Baller FC, Studs and This Fan Girl have hosted watch parties and events, welcoming “everyone and anyone” to join in, Thomson says.
“However, do not make the mistake in thinking a positive space is one that’s less passionate, quieter and lacking in atmosphere,” she adds. “You just need to hear the hoarse voices of the fans this summer to understand that is most certainly not the case.”
The inclusivity she speaks of also includes the brilliant LGBTQ+ representation in the women’s game, on and off the pitch.
At the last Women’s World Cup, at least 41 players were openly gay or bisexual with individuals like USA’s Megan Rapinoe using the platform to speak out for the community – whereas, over in the male game, this year Jake Daniels was the first professional player to come out publicly since Justin Fashanu in 1990.
Advertisement
“The active allyship among the women football community is to be celebrated, and is something the men’s game can learn a lot from,” Thomson says.
That doesn’t mean that progress isn’t still needed in other areas. Many fans have noticed how white the current national women’s football team is – and Thomson stresses that “a lot of systemic work” must be done.
“The fact that the current Lionesses have only three black players – Jess Carter, Nikita Parris and Demi Stokes – is proof there is clearly a need for change,” she says. Even more so, when the latest figures from Sport England’s Active Lives report show the significant numbers of girls and young women of colour who are participating in the game at a grassroots level.
“Work needs to be done from the bottom up, ensuring centres of excellence are not just in rural locations and offering resources to give a wider group of girls access to key talent pathways, ” says Thomson.
“Additionally, we need to be providing role models from a grassroots perspective, given there’s not much at the top.”
Advertisement
Lynne Cameron – The FA via Getty Images
Nikita Parris during an England training session during the Euros.
Even though Thomson, along with so many of us, has been loving the Euros coverage, she doesn’t think all football fans have to champion women’s football.
“For some people, women’s football just isn’t for them. For others, women playing football is outright offensive. But that’s okay – we don’t need them,” she says.
“The record breaking numbers this tournament has produced almost daily is testament to that. I would, however, like to see people taking heed from Leah Williamson’s quote from a recent BBC documentary: ‘I don’t particularly like watching fencing, but I don’t tweet to say that I don’t like it!’”
Nor is it one-size-fits-all. Sure, it’s heartening to see David Beckham thanking the Lionesses for inspiring his daughter Harper and the Duke of Cambridge appearing on Instagram this morning with Princess Charlotte to wish the team luck in the final. But their reach goes way beyond this demographic.
Advertisement
“Contrary to how the game has been marketed in the past, we know that there is more to women’s football fans than the watered-down ‘daddy and daughters’ parade that is often portrayed,” says Thomson. “Women’s football fans have proven to be wide ranging and highly engaged.”
And one thing’s for sure, they’ll all be tuned into Sunday’s final at Wembley, where, regardless of the score, we’ll be supporting the Lionesses all the way.
Then, fashion magazine Vogue put the couple on its cover.
While Zelenska led the shoot – and in one photo was photoshopped into a scene with Ukrainian soldiers – she also posed with her husband in his army clothes for a couple of other images.
And something about the shoot rattled some on Twitter:
Advertisement
However, many Ukrainians on the same platform have been keen to defend Zelenska and remind these critics what war really looks like.
In a Twitter thread, Oleksandra Povoroznyk pointed out: “Most of the English-speaking people on the internet are lucky enough to have no clue what a war actually looks like.”
Through a follow-up exchange with HuffPost UK, she added that she was “genuinely surprised that so many non-Ukrainians saw the photoshoot as something controversial”, and not a “reflection of how strong Ukrainian women actually are”.
Advertisement
“Most Ukrainians I’ve spoke to see the photos and the interview as an important part of what Zelenska’s doing to draw more attention to our country,” Povoroznyk explained.
“In fact, a lot of Ukrainian women are super happy that Zelenska wasn’t portrayed as some kind of dainty and shy tradwife [traditional wife] hiding behind her husband.”
She added that “a lot of Eastern European women are portrayed as very stereotypically feminine”, even though there are still female volunteers in the Ukrainian army right now.
Povoroznyk, who is based in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv according to her Twitter profile, said, “nothing about the photoshoot is ‘glamourising’ the war”.
Instead, she said it was a “pretty accurate representation of what the war feels and looks like to many Ukrainians who are lucky enough to be in cities controlled by Ukraine”.
Advertisement
She claimed that while it was clear those in occupied cities would face a different reality, people in cities are trying to find “some kind [of] war-life balance”.
The Ukrainian explained that plenty of people still do their best to work, to go out with friends, get their nails done, put makeup on under the “constant threat of air strikes”.
She added: “And yet we keep going, because there’s literally nothing else we can do. And sure, a photoshoot for Vogue might not seem like work for the average lurker on Twitter, but it is part of Zelenska’s duties as First Lady.
“Her job is to keep the world’s attention on Ukraine, and that’s why she ’s giving interviews and speeches and yes, even having her photos taken by huge publications like Vogue.”
She also pointed out in a subsequent tweet that Britain’s Queen – back when she was Princess Elizabeth – also took part in photoshoots during World War 2, to raise awareness of the war effort.
Advertisement
Lots of foreigners are baffled by this amazing digital cover shot by Annie Leibovitz for @voguemagazine and are claiming it’s “tone-deaf” or is “glamorising the war”. Now, I’d like to believe that every insensitive commentator is a bot paid directly from Putin’s piggy bank, but https://t.co/5g3siGMPpg
— Oleksandra Povoroznyk 🇺🇦 (@rynkrynk) July 27, 2022
She was not the only person to defend the images either, both in and out of Ukraine.
Advertisement
Love how nobody questions how russians can go have fun every day and not care how their government kills ukrainians and Syrians on their money, but as soon as ukrainian takes one photo with their face/body not covered in blood the war is fake and ukrainians are hypocrites https://t.co/NkrO71F85B
Since news of the overturning of Roe V Wade broke on Friday, ending the constitutional right to abortion in the US after almost half a century, abortion rights activists have galvanised, and social media efforts have amplified.
You may have seen posts alluding to the fact that a woman can only foster one full pregnancy a year, while a man can impregnate multiple people in a day, should he have the opportunity. And the solution often suggested: vasectomy, the surgical procedure that cuts or seals the tubes that carry a man’s sperm.
Advertisement
Amid so much anger around the policing of women’s bodies, the impulse to suggest that men’s bodies should also be policed is understandable.
In a world of reduced abortion access, where women are left either to manage birth control or carry their babies to full term, people are once again suggesting we shift the onus to men in the form of mandatory vasectomies.
You wanna know what prevents abortions? Vasectomies.
— 🖕🏻Aunt Crabby Calls Bullshit 🖕🏻 (@DearAuntCrabby) June 25, 2022
In fact, this view has been circulating on social media for a while now. And while many people are probably not being literal in their calls for vasectomies, it speaks to the widespread rage over moves to control bodily autonomy.
However, many people are pointing out the flaws in the argument.
Vasectomies aren’t an ‘alternative’ to abortion
This suggestion has basic logistical failings, as PHD researcher Georgia Grainger, from the Centre for the Social History of Health and Healthcare in Glasgow, has pointed out in a Twitter thread.
As a historian of vasectomies, Grainger, aka @sniphist on Twitter, stresses that the procedure is not an alternative to abortion.
This is because women will still need terminations, she says, both of wanted and unwanted pregnancies, regardless of vasectomies and other forms of birth control.
Nor are vasectomies a failsafe form of birth control – and when in rare cases they do fail, it’s not usually obvious until the pregnancy is identified, she says.
Advertisement
If the pregnancy is a wanted pregnancy but is either ectopic or otherwise not viable or dangerous, then a vasectomy explicitly cannot prevent that – they were wanting to be pregnant, it’s a biological mishap and needs to be treated with abortion.
If it’s caused by failed birth control, then… Vasectomies can fail too! It’s unlikely but absolutely possible. Sometimes the vas deferens heals itself years later. And there’s no way to know, unlike a split condom or missed Pill, so no Plan B.
In her thread, Grainger also highlights that even if someone had insisted they’d had the surgery, could you trust that they really had?
Especially, in the case of abusive relationships or sexual assault, why would someone who doesn’t respect consent take up an invasive surgery for the benefit of someone else?
Forced sterilisations are deeply problematic
Grainger stresses this important historical point. Forced sterilisations have been trialled as several points during history and they enforce eugenics, she says. The policy has predominantly been targeted at minority groups to stop them from procreating.
Advertisement
In US history, indigenous Americans, Black and Latinx people, incarcerated peoples, and poor communities endured forced sterilisations.
These groups were targeted throughout the 20th century, with nearly 70,000 people forcibly sterilised (and not just men, an overwhelming amount were working-class women of colour).
If you think a “mandatory vasectomy til men prove they can be a father” is even a fun thought experiment, I recommend you go and read up on eugenics. Plus, that inevitably becomes “mandatory IUDs for women” too, which again, has happened in recent US history.
Germany also has a history of coercive sterilisation, having sterilised disabled people, institutionalised people, and even alcoholics. In Nazi Germany, the Hereditary Health Court also known as the Genetic Health Court, was a court that decided whether people should be forcibly sterilised.
Grainger is not the only one to point out these troubling historical precedents.
i am BEGGING other white people to stop talking about mandatory vasectomies as if Black and Indigenous peoples haven’t been subjected to centuries of involuntary sterilization. there are other ways to discuss contraception and pregnancy prevention that don’t invoke eugenics.
forced sterilization of cis-men would ultimately impact Black and brown men the most as all of these restrictions always target the most vulnerable of our population
hi this is called eugenics! what is so hard for people to understand about this? BODILY AUTONOMY FOR EVERYONE, NOT PUNISHMENT. pic.twitter.com/kLZomQGkQB
— Elly Belle 🔮 (famously not a woman) (@literElly) June 26, 2022
Bodily autonomy for all, not some
People have also pointed out that if we want better rights and autonomy for women and people who can get pregnant, this has to mean protecting these rights for everybody
Do we really want men to face the same bodily scrutiny applied to women – and for men who chose not to go through the procedure to be vilified?
Advertisement
Nor does the vasectomy vs abortion binary do much for trans and nonbinary people who also need access to abortions, and are often excluded from discussions of these human rights.
The pro-choice movement is all about bodily autonomy and protecting everyone’s right to make decisions about their own bodies
As the debate continues, Grainger’s insights have gone viral on Twitter, amassing more than 75,000 likes.
But, as she pointed out in her own thread, she is still pro-vasectomy, as long as they’re for the right reasons and for people who genuinely want them.
Ultimately, we shouldn’t pit vasectomies against abortions, she says. Abortions will always be needed, whether because the pregnancy is failing, the pregnant person is at risk, because there wasn’t consent to the sex in the first place, or simply because the pregnant person doesn’t want children.
Advertisement
So next time you see calls for mandatory vasectomies or are temped to make one yourself, remember that it’s not as straightforward as it seems.
Babies can come at the most surprising moments in life. And for many people, they arrive at a point where your personal finances aren’t at their strongest.
In fact, some women entering maternity leave are doing so without any savings at all.
Advertisement
Reduced pay during this time coupled with the costs of a newborn means many mums have to borrow money to get by. And some are being left in debt.
A study of parents by finance company Credit Karma found that a quarter of parents get into maternity leave without any money saved, while 26% of women get into debt while on their maternity leave.
Advertisement
The amount in borrowing has increased by £560 since 2018, the company says, taking the average borrowed per parent up to £2,800.
Those with student loans face the harshest outcomes as the interest rate on those loans remains seriously high while they are on leave and unable to pay it off.
Advertisement
Credit Karma said women with interest loans accrue an average of £1,770 loan interest in just six months of leave.
Given the cost of living crisis, which is seeing bills go up as never before, this paints a dire picture for new parents.
Akansha Nath, head of partnerships at Credit Karma UK said: “Women are often disadvantaged financially throughout their life, and the responsibility to give birth plays a huge role in this gender disparity.
“At a time when the cost of living is affecting most people, and every penny counts, it’s more important than ever that women take advantage of any support available to them.”
Advertisement
These debts, even if eventually paid off, can then follow women into life, affecting their credit score and therefore their ability to buy homes and other goods.
Credit Karma said maternity-affected credit scores can set women back an average £17,000 in interest over the course of their lifetimes.
If you are struggling with maternity debt, there are resources that can help.
Step Change has a benefit checker, as well as list of grants available to expectant parents. The website also offers free money management tools designed to help people with their finances, without judgement.
You’re reading Move, the nudge we need to get active, however makes us happiest and healthiest.
What time do you work out? Depending on your gender, the optimal timing could be different.
Advertisement
For women, the best time for exercise may be evenings whereas for men it is mornings, according to a new US study.
Previous research into this area of fitness research has predominantly focused on men. But the new study shows that women burn more fat during morning exercise whereas their counterparts do the same in the evenings.
Advertisement
The factors that differentiate the sexes are likely to be hormonal differences. biological clocks and sleep-wake cycles, the authors said.
The study from Skidmore College, New York State looked at 56 people (30 men and 26 women, all healthy between 25-55) over the course of 12 weeks.
Advertisement
They were monitored during fitness programmes which included sprinting, stretching, resistance and endurance training.
One group worked out for an hour, before 8:30 while the other between 6pm and 8pm. Both ate a specially designed meal plan.
Researchers looked at everyone’s blood pressure and body fat during the 12 weeks, also taking into consider their strength, flexibility, and aerobic power.
The good news is that all who took part in the study saw better overall health, regardless of when they exercised. So whether you’re a morning person or an evening person, keeping moving is the way.
Advertisement
“The best time for exercise is the best time you can do it and fit it into your schedule,” said Dr Paul Arcerio, the study’s lead author and professor of health and human physiological sciences at Skidmore College.
The differences may result from women being more likely to store abdominal fat than men, which coupled with the body’s internal rhythm. Researchers want to study the two more to find what exactly causes the optimal times to vary.
But there’s a bit more to it, said the authors, who stressed the ideal times can also vary for men and women, depending on the kind of training they do.
Based on the study’s results, if women want to reduce their blood pressure and lose fat around the middle of their body, they should stick to mornings.
But if they are trying to do strength training, particularly targeting their upper body, as well as improving mood and food intake, evening exercise may be best.
In comparison, men were found to be less sensitive to timing and were able to improve fitness regardless of timing. But, Dr Arcerio added: “Evening exercise was found to be ideal for men interested in improving heart and metabolic health, as well as emotional wellbeing.”
Move celebrates exercise in all its forms, with accessible features encouraging you to add movement into your day – because it’s not just good for the body, but the mind, too. We get it: workouts can be a bit of a slog, but there are ways you can move more without dreading it. Whether you love hikes, bike rides, YouTube workouts or hula hoop routines, exercise should be something to enjoy.
The cost of living is making it harder for women and girls to buy period products.
A new poll of 1,000 girls aged 14-21 reveals that more than one in four (28%) are struggling to afford period products, and nearly one in five (19%) report being unable to afford period products at all since the start of 2022.
Advertisement
One in 10 of the young women who took part in the survey had to go to a food bank to obtain free period products. And half of the girls who struggled to afford period products since the start of 2022 had to cut back on food and groceries to be able to buy them. This number dramatically increased by almost double compared to last year.
Almost a quarter (23%) of girls had to cut back spending money on school supplies to afford to buy period products and 19% cut back on buying non-prescription health products.
Advertisement
Shockingly, the vast majority (80%) of girls who struggled or were unable to afford period products have used toilet paper as a substitute for period products, up an eighth on last year. Around 12% have used socks, 10% have used newspaper/paper and 7% have used other fabric.
As the cost-of-living continues to rise rapidly – with the price of food, energy and multiple household items skyrocketing – the survey also found that overall, over a quarter (26%) of UK girls are concerned about being able to afford period products over the coming months.
Advertisement
Rose Caldwell, CEO of Plan International UK, described the findings as “devastating”.
“As we look to an uncertain future, many more families will face tough financial choices, and more young women than ever are likely to face issues affording the products they need,” she said. “Period products are a necessity, not a luxury, and they need to be treated as such.”
How can you help combat period poverty?
Let’s be real: we need intervention from those in power to reduce the price of period products and tackle the cost of living crisis, so that women are girls can afford to buy them in the first place. You can write to big brands and your MP to get your voice on this heard.
Advertisement
But if you’re able to donate items to support those in need, the sustainable period brand Dame recommends donating “reusables or plastic-free products where possible, and remember pads are more popular than tampons”.
“Products need to make more financial sense, and the rise of reusable products like menstrual cups in particular is helping to address this as the cup can be used for an entire period each cycle and lasts for years,” a spokesperson explained.
“Single use products will almost always end up more expensive over time, so the move to reusables can really help here as long as we can get the products into people’s hands for little or no cost.”
Some charities prefer to receive donated products including pads, tampons and menstrual cups, whereas other organisations prefer monetary donations, so they can buy items most suitable for their clients and distribute accordingly. If you’re not sure, always ask.
Where can you provide or find help?
There are organisations around the country helping girls and women to access period products. We’ve listed just a few of them below:
Your local food bank or community hub
The majority of food banks/hubs now stock period products, so your local centre is a good first port of call if you’d like to donate items or you need to access help. The Trussell Trust website has a directory of nationwide food banks, but you’ll find others by googling support in your area or looking at local Facebook groups. While some food banks require a referral (from a GP or social worker), others do not. Never be afraid to walk in and ask for help. To donate to a food bank, check if there are preferred ‘donation days’ listed online, or place items for donation in community ‘collection points’ (often in supermarkets).
Freedom4girls s a Leeds-based charity that fights against period poverty. They work with people who menstruate to challenge stigmas and gender inequalities linked with menstruation. You can donate products directly to the charity via its multiple ‘donation stations’ situated in Leeds and other areas of West Yorkshire. The charity also accepts postal donations and financial donations. Products are distributed to women and girls in need, primarily among those based in Leeds and Sheffield. You can find details on how to donate here and request free products via this online form.
Bloody Good Period has over 100 partners across England and Wales, including charities and food banks. They give period products to refugees, asylum-seekers and those who can’t afford or access them. Since March 2020, they’ve been able to distribute over 100,000 packs of period products.
The charity does not accept physical donations of period products, but it does reply on financial donations. It operates by bulk ordering products and distributing them across the country. You can read more about donating funds here, or even organise a Bloody Good Fundraiser.
Hey Girls is a “buy-one, donate-one” social enterprise, meaning every time you buy a period product via the site, you’re helping another woman to access a product she needs. There are cups, pads, tampons, period pants and more available via the shop.
Girlguiding aims to end period poverty and the stigma associated with periods. They are a leading charity for girls and young women. They’ve teamed up with WaterAid to develop activities to get girls and young women talking openly about period.
Schools
Schools across the country can sign up to access free period products for pupils who need them. Speak to your/your child’s school if this is something that would help,
I’ve always found it endearing the way men pay homage to the mothers and matriarchs in their lives. We love songs like Tupac’s Dear Mama” and Bill Withers’ “Grandma’s Hands.” We witness the robust relationship between Kanye West and his late mother, Donda, who was undoubtedly his biggest fan, in the documentary Jeen-Yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy. We heard the gut-wrenching cries of George Floyd calling out for his mother moments before his death in 2020.
Black motherhood has often been centered in the analysis of the Black family — and for Black men, the maternal connection is vital, political and liberating. These affirmations are dedicated to women whose labor and love are far-reaching and priceless. The vocal appreciation is always welcomed, especially when the work of mothers has often been overlooked.
Advertisement
“My mother is a force of nature. If she wants to get something done, it’s getting done. I think that’s been pretty evident in the course of her journey,” said Sulaiman Rashid, a 20-year-old college student in Washington, DC, whose mother raised four kids. “My siblings and I have different career paths, but we are all grounded in the desire to create change, and that stems from my mom’s passion to help and to serve others and to aid in the betterment of the world.”
I wanted to explore the relationships between sons and their mothers. In this series of portraits, I photographed families and asked the sons to share some perspectives of the role their mothers had in their lives. From guidance on love, career and education to artistic inspiration and global travel, we see an expansive view of the strong bonds between Black sons and their mothers.
Advertisement
Diane Redfern
Sons: Christopher and Charles Tarpley
Advertisement
Laylah Amatullah Barrayn
My mother, commonly known as Lady D, is a resilient and confident mother. She has a jazzy personality and is a strong woman of faith. She raised my brother and I to become the gentlemen we are today. – Charles
My mother’s favourite saying is “I’m gonna tell you what God loves … the truth.” This is what I admire about my mother the most, her love of God. She has such a strong will to never give up no matter how tough things may be raising twins. – Chris
Tamara Redfern
Sons: Yaseen Ellison and Mujahid Ellison
Laylah Amatullah Barrayn
My mother has always been a source of light in my life. Across time and space – from my earliest memories in the US to years later and continents away – this has rung true. The continuum of joy and love surrounding my mother could not be summarised by a discrete moment. How would I describe my mother, who first showed me the magic and vibrancy of life? Who taught me firm confidence in my ability to grow, adapt, achieve and inspire?
I realise I don’t have to isolate any single experience to highlight who she is when everyone who encounters her is liberated by her grace and kindness, and when all spaces she walks through are automatically elevated by her presence. It is no wonder Allah says heaven lies at the feet of the mothers. I love you, Mom. – Yaseen
When I think of my mother, my thoughts often associate her with the moon. Her radiant, smiling face is akin to the light of the moon on a clear night sky. Her sound judgment and listening ear have served as a therapy to the many problems I’ve come to her with over the years. Her belief and willingness to lend a helping hand to me, unwavering, in times when I felt all was lost. Time after time, failure after failure, my mother has always been by my side. The best person to have around when sharing good news, as her pure, bona fide joy for you can be experienced by anyone who has interacted with her. The funny thing is my mother has taught me virtually everything I need to survive and thrive on my own, but hates it when I’m not around. There’s no better feeling than being capable of being alone but still having someone who never wants you to be alone. She’s my light and my guidance; my mother is my moon. I love you, Mom. – Mujahid
Aisha Hassan
Son: Bilal Hassan
Laylah Amatullah Barrayn
Ummi is very special to me; she means the world to me. She is my friend, travel buddy and confidant. I love being around her. She raised me into the young man that I am today. She is generous, caring, loving and not afraid to speak her mind. She was literally my first teacher. I was homeschooled from kindergarten to sixth grade by her and my father, who has since passed away. Back then, we didn’t have all of the home-schooling resources that exist today. Now, homeschooling is this big thing with programmes that you can do online. She created an amazing curriculum for us. She was extremely resourceful in making sure that we had an optimal learning experience. We did so much with very little. We had so much fun on our extended learning library trips. She is a genius. I could never repay her for how much she has poured into me. – Bilal
Jamilah Rashid
Advertisement
Son: Sulaiman Rashid
Laylah Amatullah Barrayn
My mother is a force of nature. If she wants to get something done, it’s getting done. I think that’s been pretty evident in the course of her journey. My siblings and I have different career paths, but we are all grounded in the desire to create change, and that stems from my mom’s passion to help and to serve others and to aid in the betterment of the world. I love her because she gave that to me. I can’t describe all the ways and reasons why I love her. As I grow into a man, I hope that my need for her doesn’t wane or fade. When I was younger, I needed her to read me bedtime stories, and what I need from her now is guidance in selecting a companion and partner. She did a really great job, and I’d be very blessed to find someone like her. I’m grateful to her every single day for who she is as a mother, wife and a person. – Sulaiman
Adama Delphine Fawundu
Sons: Amal Buford, Kofi Buford and Che Buford (not pictured)
Laylah Amatullah Barrayn
My mom set the standard and laid the foundation. She’s always been so driven and always accomplishes what she sets her mind to. There are so many roles that a mother can fulfil: a provider, a protector, a friend, an inspiration. She does it all. Some of my most fond memories are of us getting up really early and riding the subway to school. Even though it was the crowded subway, it felt like just us; it was so warm. We would have some of the best conversations. We would talk about anything and everything. We would read together; we would do math problems together. I love thinking about those times. It makes me nostalgic. You don’t realise how important that is, and I don’t ever want to take that for granted. It’s never been a question as to whether my brothers and I were her priority. She would drop us off and then have to go work her own job. It’s a job within a job. I’m older and I live on my own; I’m independent, but my mother is still my biggest inspiration. – Amal
My mother introduced me to so much. The knowledge and experiences that she imparted on me shattered the limitations that would otherwise be present in my life. It’s the reason why my creativity flourishes. We’ve traveled together. She took me to Sierra Leone, New Orleans, Phoenix, so many places. When we travel, we have fun, but we also learn about the land, the monuments, the historical connections. Our travels showed me the beauty of different cultures and that there are many ways of living. I love my mother. She always supported me. – Kofi
Karen D. Taylor
Sons: Chenzira Taylor Lewis and Siyaka Taylor Lewis
Laylah Amatullah Barrayn
I have always been enamoured by my mother’s unadulterated focus and ability to create as an artist. It’s always helped me to see her not only as a mum, but also as an artist and creative in her own right. And it’s been inspiring to see her flourish throughout my life in her different creative identities. She always encouraged my autonomy and inquisitiveness and aided my creative spirit. Her determination demonstrated that my dreams and creative endeavours are attainable. ― Chenzira
I see my mother as a community pillar, a preservationist of Blackness and Black culture and Black excellence. She is a preserver of the relic, an educator, a nurturer, a policer of integrity. I love the uniqueness of who she is, her quirks, her silliness, her strength and intelligence. She is very New York to the core; she is an intellectual, a scholar with the grit of the jazz nightlife scene. Most definitely a music snob, jazz and blues head, creatively impulsive, loving, laid back and full of big laughs. At the core, she is serene. She is literally the perfect yin and yang of creativity and strong love. – Siyaka
