Period education campaigner 'honoured' by OBE

Chella Quint is the founder of the Period Positive campaign

A woman who campaigns to improve education about menstruation has said she was "really surprised" to be appointed OBE in the King’s Birthday Honours.

Menstrual activist Chella Quint founded the Period Positive campaign in 2006 when she was working as a teacher at a school in Firth Park, Sheffield.

Ms Quint, who was appointed OBE for services to education, said she was "deeply honoured" at her work being recognised.

"It reflects the collective efforts of everyone who has supported the Period Positive movement."

Ms Quint said knowledge about menstruation was important for everybody: "Whether you have a menstrual cycle or not, it's important to know about periods."

Ms Quint said she was "deeply honoured" at the recognition she had received

The campaigner said education about menstruation education was a "fundamental building block" for equality and accessibility and it was essential to challenge taboos and misinformation around periods.

She added that the Period Positive campaign was the result of years of work by schools and volunteers.

Many more individuals and communities could foster an informed and supportive environment around menstrual health because of it, Ms Quint said.

The Period Positive team had worked hard getting menstruation education on the curriculum for primary and secondary children and menstrual literacy must be included in education policies for everyone, she said.

"Together, we have made significant strides in transforming how we talk about and approach menstruation in education," she added.

However, she said the current Relationships, Sex and Health Education curriculum review draft had "worrying omissions".

'Significant strides'

Ms Quint currently works with Sheffield Girls' High School - which has a Period Positive club - to trial age-appropriate curriculums on the menstrual cycle.

She said she did not even know she had been nominated for the award in the King's Birthday Honours and it was great the subject was being acknowledged.

"I am deeply honoured to receive this recognition," she said.

"It reflects the collective efforts of everyone who has supported the Period Positive movement.

"Together, we have made significant strides in transforming how we talk about and approach menstruation in education."

Ms Quint added that the honour "encourages me to continue advocating for menstrual literacy and equity".

"Period positive doesn't mean loving periods or even having them," she said.

"It's a positive act to talk about periods, and menstrual literacy is important for anyone of any gender."

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