MP Wanda Nowicka posted a photo of the parliamentary toilet on X. She was pleased to see that a box of hygiene items essential during menstruation had appeared in it. Nowicka wrote: "Such a standard should be introduced throughout the country."

There was quite an uproar under the MP's post. One of the most liked comments was: "On a PLN 16,000 MP's allowance, can't you afford sanitary pads for 10 zloty?". There were, of course, comments about what should be placed in men's toilets "for justice". Disturbingly, alcohol was often suggested.

There were also "more understanding" postulators: "Indeed, such items should be available since they are sometimes needed immediately. But on the other hand, this need is, after all, cyclical and foreseeable - so they should be available, but only on full payment."

The argument against providing free hygiene products can be compared to the issue of toilet paper availability. Should those who can afford it always carry it with them or should they have to pay for it every time they need to use it?

"Period Emergency Boxes" are being installed in public toilets by the Akcja Menstruacja foundation, which has been fighting menstrual poverty in Poland since 2019. As the foundation stated on its website: "according to a report by the Kulczyk Foundation (2020), around 500,000 people are affected by this problem in Poland". Placing the box in the parliamentary toilets is a very good way of drawing female MPs' attention to this area of reality.

On the other hand, angry comments about free menstrual hygiene products are nothing more than a manifestation of misogyny. We have written many times about the fact that open resentment towards women and their needs is the order of the day in our society, unfortunately.