Female-founded cycle care company FEWE, created by CBD-focused consumer goods group South West Brands, is campaigning for change. In honor of International Women’s Day, the company launched an open letter to Meta requesting a review of cyber censorship of women’s health on Facebook and Instagram, as well as published “The Menstrual Revolution” report to educate consumers, retailers, businesses, and investors about the astonishing knowledge and funding gap we currently face. Stats could benefit everyone, from those curious as to how the menstrual cycle affects factors like sleep, mental health, and work performance, to employers who want to improve conditions for any employees affected by different phases of their menstrual life phases. 

The findings are drawn from interviews with 2,000 participants, as well as experts including physician Dr. Zoe Williams, women’s health expert Nicki Williams, medical and cosmetic doctor Dr. Ewoma Ukeleghe, and activist Kenny Ethan Jones.

BeautyMatter gathered some of the most vital insights from the report, interspersed with anecdotes from an expert panel at the London launch event. 

Consumers

• The average person will have 37.5 years of menstrual cycles, followed by a further 5 years (on average) of menopause, equating to 42.5 years total.
• 60% of people surveyed feel negative about their cycle.
• 25% considered menstruation and the associated cycle as being something that was experienced by people other than those who identify as women.

Education

• UK schools only began putting the menstrual cycle on the curriculum in 2020.
• 76% connected cycle care solely with fertility and trying to get pregnant, not sexual wellness as a whole.
• 1 in 4 said they understood the 4 phases of their cycle.
• 90% did not consider management of hormones as an important way to improve their health and wellness.
• 90% of people surveyed didn't see a correlation between their hormones and their health.
• 45% of people surveyed believed the menstrual cycle was a week long.
• 51% can only name one of the seven hormones that impact their cycle.
• There are more than 150 symptoms of the menstrual cycle.
• 8% of period-related content discusses periods from a transgender perspective.

Brands

• 70% of respondents felt there weren’t enough products available for people experiencing menstrual cycle–related issues.
• 100% of the 60 women’s health brands surveyed by the Center for Intimacy Justice experienced ad rejection on Instagram and Facebook.
• “Vagina” is one of the most flagged terms on Meta.

Investors

• 83% of VC investment deals had no women on the founding team.
• For every £1 of VC investment, all-women teams get less than 1p.

“It’s been a boys’ club for centuries. When women have economic power, it changes communities for the better in the long term.” – Rhea Cartwright, Beauty Director, The Stack World

“Historically, women are not as comfortable talking about funding. I worked in investment banking for a decade—setting up FEWE is the hardest money I have ever raised.” – Rebekah Hall

Employers

• 58% of respondents said they felt uncomfortable talking about health issues at their workplace.
• White respondents felt the most comfortable discussing health issues at work (37%), while the Asian and Other ethnic groups felt the least comfortable (30% and 29% respectively).
• 88% of people surveyed had to take a sick day due to period pain.
• 93% believe their workplace doesn’t acknowledge the physical and mental impact of their menstrual cycle.

“Language around people who menstruate, as opposed to women since language needs to be more inclusive, is affecting 50% of the workforce. In order for us to see long-lasting change, we need a policy that makes it okay to have a sick day.” – Rhea Cartwright

“We are getting more requests on menopause policy, but with varying levels of how seriously people want to take it. Employers have a duty of care to provide a safe working environment: adjustments like risk assessment, temperature-controlled rooms, flexible working conditions, and if they see a dip in employee performance to see if it is due to menopause.” – Becky Hocking, Strategic HR Business Partner, UH Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, Director, Avia HR Consultancy Ltd