From period poverty to body image: The Lancaster Tab attends Women+ Network Launch

On Thursday 8th May, Lancaster University Students’ Union’s Women+ Officer Millie Ni-Elle Ashton and LUSU Wellbeing Officer Ella Smith launched the Women+ Network in the LEC Atrium.

They invited The Lancaster Tab to take part in the discussions and raise awareness about the issues faced by female and gender diverse students.

Free menstrual products were provided at the event.

The event opened with an introduction by Millie, who provided a content warning and offered support options relating to the discussed themes. They emphasised the importance of talking about women+’s issues both inside and outside a university setting.

The atrium housed different tables covering topics related to women+’s issues. Attendants could move between each one and, if they were comfortable doing so, share their experiences with each issue and what Lancaster University can do to tackle it.

One such table covered period poverty and was led by incoming Welfare Full-Time Officer Leah Buttery and her fellow candidate in the previous election Eliza Young. In their opening introduction, they informed attendants that 1 in 5 people who menstruate cannot afford period products. They argued one of the major causes of this is the stigmatisation of periods and menstrual health.

Leah also spoke about her aim to put menstrual products in all bathrooms, including men’s, across campus as part of her role as LUSU Welfare Officer in the upcoming academic year. She described feeling shocked hearing reports of the lack of hygiene bins in campus toilets, including some shared bathroom accommodation flats.

The importance of intersectionality was also emphasised in the speech, with the assertion: “race and class are not additives on a monolithic experience but provide different experiences”.

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Sam and Niamh, the respective chair and vice-chair of Lancaster University’s Korfball Society, also spoke about how women+ can feel better included in the Lancaster community. Their table discussed what the can be done to promote this and student safety during society socials.

The conversation considered how attendants made friends and built connections when starting at Lancaster University inside and outside of societies. Also discussed was whether societies offered a fair balance of drinking and non-drinking socials to be inclusive and cater for all students.

Speakers Grace and Talia spoke on body image. The table discussed their experiences both growing up and now, particularly in within wider societies and on social media. The conversation also considered what Lancaster University can do to improve individuals’ overall body images. Suggestions focused on more representation and inclusivity, such as creating safe and open spaces in sports societies.

Millie and the VP Wellbeing for Furness, David Grice, spoke about sexual violence and improving safety on campus. They spoke not only about prevention but also noted “the lack of discipline providing an institutional apathy towards these issues due to their complexity despite their seriousness”. Additionally, they touched upon the anonymous confession pages and degrading posts increasing on social media sites such as Instagram.

They also said Lancaster University has a duty of care and zero tolerance policy, but claimed the university often do not follow through on this. Millie emphasised their frustration with university higher management, who allegedly promised changes but failed to follow up on their progress.

The Lancaster Tab reached out to Lancaster University regarding these comments, but did not receive a response.

The event ended with Millie asserting a positive message about their work against women’s+ issues at Lancaster University. Millie told the Lancaster Tab that they want the Lancaster University community to know they are not alone in experiencing misogyny or harassment.

They also announced there will be opportunities to run for Women’s+ Officer 2025-2026. Applications will open from the 22nd/23rd May.