Berry

Transgender community, please please please do NOT use this product! It will kill you if used, please do not use it whatsoever.

this post is fearmongering. the results of this study are concerning and should definitely be a matter of public discussion, but this is certainly not the conclusion the researchers came to.

the point of the study was to assess the risks of exposure to toxic metals- something one of the co-authors notes are “ubiquitous” fwiw- via menstrual products. Their research confirmed that these metals are indeed present in tampons, but no further conclusions are drawn. it is possible the metal entered into the cotton from the soil, which is a well-known phenomenon; cotton is so good at lifting heavy metals that it has actually been suggested as a part of the solution for revitalizing polluted ground.

the authors conclude with an acknowledgement that the study should be repeated- their sample size was 60 tampons- and a suggestion that further testing ought to be done to indicate whether or not these metals can even leech out of the tampon in the first place, let alone whether or not such leeching could occur at levels deleterious to human health.

there is, in fact, a body of research- too small, for sure, but much larger than this single study- indicating that long-term proper tampon use has no observable negative impact on health. i am grateful and thrilled that more research is being done and i hope that this study is the first of many on this line of questioning, but i am really frustrated at this post and the response it got.

obviously, if this study alters your approach to menstrual health, more power to you. consumers should be informed-risk-takers, and menstrual health is double-obviously a very personal choice. but it definitely wasn't the researchers concluding that you ought to “avoid using tampons at all cost," only this tumblr user did. the lead author of the paper, in fact, specifically says that she hopes people do NOT panic about the results.

(the notes of the post were disappointing. people affirming that they knew they were right to be suspicious of tampons all along, or even recommending alternatives that actually have very little to no research regarding the safety of long-term use, etc. it’s a different conversation, but categorical distrust of tampons is old-school misogyny. you certainly shouldn't wear them if you don’t want to, but there is nothing inherently scary or wrong about them, and people who prefer them are not being reckless or crass.)

which i understand, youre on your period, there's too many choices on the shelves to read them all and it sucks being in public. but, if you have the opportunity, please consider getting reusable menstrual products instead, like medical-grade divacups or washable fabric pads or ones made from organic materials. they exist! and theyre much better for you than popular store bought ones.

Quote, "For the moment, it’s unclear if the metals detected by this study are contributing to any negative health effects. Future research will test how much of these metals can leach out of the tampons and be absorbed by the body; as well as measuring the presence of other chemicals in tampons" But like, why take the risk??

Below are some verified donation links of organisations that are currently providing assistance for the people in Gaza directly:

Food, water, and shelter

Taawon has launched a campaign to provide support in Gaza through food parcels, shopping vouchers, fresh produce, water bottles and shelter tents.

Watermelon Relief is a project initiated and implemented by a group of activists in Gaza, who work to provide aid to displaced families in Gaza through meals, support and activities.

World Food Programme (WFP) managed to provide assistance to more than 1 million people in Gaza in May by delivering food in shelters, makeshift camps and shops.

Life for Gaza is an initiative through which the Municipality of Gaza aims to provide basic necessities for the people of Gaza such as water projects, waste collection and the reconstruction of roads.

Arab Group for the Protection of Nature (APN) is working to plant farmlands in Gaza through their "Revive Gaza Farmlands" project, through which they had already started planting vegetables, fruits and leafy greens in Gaza.

Purchasing eSIMs is one of the only remaining ways to keep Gazans connected with the outside world, to get their stories out or even enable them to call for help after Israeli strikes.

The Sameer Project is a donation based aid initiative that provides tents, cash aid, diapers and formula for displaced families in Gaza.

Care For Gaza is an organisation that works to provide essential aid such as food packages and cash to deliver to displaced families in Gaza.

Palestine Children's Relief Fund, through their "Gaza Relief and Recovery" campaign, plan to provide essential medical supplies and treatments, as well as food and clean water.

The UNRWA has an Emergency Appeal for Gaza, where donations will provide families in Gaza with lifesaving food and water, winter kits and to repair UNRWA shelters.

Mutual Aid for the People of Gaza is a fundraiser managed by Mona in Gaza, who personally purchases and distributes basic supplies including food parcels to families in Gaza.

Help Gaza Children is another grassroots effort operating on the ground in Gaza to support families with food, water and clothing.

Medical care

Palestinian Red Crescent has been on the ground in Palestine since 1968 as part of the Red Cross & Crescent movement. They have had a continuous presence on the ground in Gaza as the main source of medical care and assistance.

Medical Aid for Palestine (MAP) provides medical supplies and supports healthcare services in Gaza.

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) provide medical and humanitarian aid in Palestine and have had their teams on the ground operating from MSF-supported health facilities across Gaza.

Gaza Wound Care is a medical team in a tent in Nuseirat, providing care to children and supporting pregnant women.

Help a Palestinian family directly:

gazafunds.com - Donate directly to a Palestinian family in urgent need of evacuation, medical attention, food, rebuilding homes/businesses etc. (Spotlights 1 verified gfm at a time so if you don't know who/where to donate to just go here and donate to the one they show you!)

Help provide tents (urgent):

The Sameer Project: Currently providing tents for displaced families in Gaza (emergency bc tents in Rafah are being burned as we speak) (paypal) (gfm)

Food, cash & essentials:

Care for Gaza: Working on the ground in Gaza to distribute food, cash, medicine & other essentials to displaced families. (paypal) (gfm)

Direct Aid for Gaza: also working on the ground in Gaza to distribute food, cash & other daily essential suppliess to displaced families. (paypal) (gfm)

Water:

Gaza Municipality's water project: The official Municipality of Gaza needs help rebuilding the water infrastructure in Gaza City to restore access to clean water and waste management services for the people of Gaza. (This campaign only has a couple of weeks left but it's still only at 15%!)

eSIMs (urgent):

guide to buy & send esims for gaza

crips for esims for gaza: If you don't know how to buy esims or don't have the capacity to manage them (e.g. topping up regularly), this team of volunteers are collecting funds to buy & manage gaza esims regularly

Medical Aid

This is the new flag, the old one was more vivid and in a z shape, but it's been made more neutral to be inclusive of people with seizures or sensory issues.

Each stripe represents a different aspect of disability:

Red: Physical disabilities

Yellow: Cognitive & intellectual disabilities

White: (And this is the key one I think) Invisible AND undiagnosed disabilities

Blue: Mental illnesses

Green: Sensory disabilities

Join us for a silent auction benefiting two initiatives in Ga2a!

We have nearly 90 items up from prints to tattoos to embroidery to a custom ring to our out of print tarot cards!

Bidding starts on Friday at noon EDT and runs through July 12th at noon EDT.

Link: https://32auctions.com/novaandmali

Please note: some items don't have photos yet. I'm working on it and they'll be ready by Friday <3

Proceeds will be split evenly between the two and I'll post receipts!

(Emoji description: two uses of the Palestinian flag emoji, end description)

This is a running list of users in Gaza who have reached out to me to ask to share their campaigns. They are all vetted campaigns, but not by me. That credit goes to users el-shab-hussein and nabulsi, and most of the verifications come from this spreadsheet that they compiled.

I will try to keep this list updated daily with any new users who reach out to me, as well as with the amounts raised. I’ll also try to keep the urls of each person up to date, as staff keeps banning Palestinian users and forcing them to remake.

Please follow all of these users and donate what you can to their campaigns!!

🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸

(Emoji description: three Palestinian flag emojis, end description)

Laila Shaqoura: €14k/€45k

@lailashaqoura, number 152 on this spreadsheet by el-shab-hussein and nabulsi

Wafaa Alnhal: €10k/€35k

@hebsnhel, number 171 on this spreadsheet by el-shab-hussein and nabulsi

Ruba Shaban: €22k/€60k

@rubashabansblog, number 90 on this spreadsheet by el-shab-hussein and nabulsi

Issam Aziz: €10k/€12k

@haifaaziz98, number 179 on this spreadsheet by el-shab-hussein and nabulsi

Amneh Sharif: $6.5k/$90k

@amnehsharif10, number 140 on this spreadsheet by el-shab-hussein and nabulsi

Nada Saftawi: €4.8k/€16k

@nadasaftawi, number 182 on this spreadsheet by el-shab-hussein and nabulsi

Iyad Sobhe: £8.4k/£60k

(terminated, formerly iyadsobhe), number 173 on this spreadsheet by el-shab-hussein and nabulsi

Dr. Nasser Mohammed: £3.2k/£50k

(terminated, formerly nassermohamed9), Verified by nabulsi

Nahla & Amal: €2k/€80k

@jrk85, number 178 on this spreadsheet by el-shab-hussein and nabulsi

Ahmed Iyd: £9.7k/£150k

(terminated, formerly ahmediyds), number 116 on this spreadsheet by el-shab-hussein and nabulsi

Renad Magid: £13k/£25k

@renadmagidnew, number 128 on this spreadsheet by el-shab-hussein and nabulsi

Amira Alanqar: €4.8k/€20k

@ameera-anq, Verified by nabulsi

Mohammed Hilles: €11k/€20k

@hmzamahamed3, number 176 on this spreadsheet by el-shab-hussein and nabulsi

Rania Ibra: £12k/£35k

@ranibra71, number 154 on this spreadsheet by el-shab-hussein and nabulsi

Malk Al Zaeem: $14k/$50k

@malkzaeem, number 129 on this spreadsheet by el-shab-hussein and nabulsi

Amal Abu Shammala: €53k/€57k

@amalisam, number 24 on this spreadsheet by el-shab-hussein and nabulsi

please donate to Renad @renadmagidnew and her family!! she is currently caring for her sick father, mother, and brother whilst living in a tent that collapses every time the iof missiles land near their area. we have been stagnating below the half-way goal for several days now!!

Renad needs our help to raise enough funds to evacuate her especially sick mother whose health has deteriorated alarmingly fast! Help them evacuate as a family so they could be safe and Renad could continue her studies!!