#Pads4Dads: Campaign launches with Michael Sheen to urge dads to talk to daughters about periods
Michael Sheen is fronting a campaign to encourage fathers to speak openly with their daughters about periods and feel comfortable purchasing sanitary products.
The campaign, called #Pads4Dads, has been launched by sanitary product company Hey Girls in an effort to combat period poverty in the UK.
"If you're out shopping for your daughter, you know what food they like, right? But when it comes to pads and tampons, you don't have a clue," Sheen says in the promotional video.
"I have a daughter, I get it. It can feel hard to start the conversation, but that's ok."
The actor and activist adds the aim of the campaign is to end the stigma that surrounds fathers speaking about periods.
"And let's not leave dads out of the bloody conversation!" he says.
Hey Girls carried out research to assess how men feel about periods for the campaign.
According to the survey of 1,500 men, one in three fathers don't feel prepared having conversations with their children about periods.
A third of the men stated they've never bought menstrual products, while half admitted they've never spoken to their daughters about periods.
An online guide written by fathers for fathers has been released to accompany the #Pads4Dads campaign.
The guide contains information fathers may need regarding periods and how to talk about the topic.
Celia Hodson, founder of Hey Girls, explains why it's important to ensure fathers are provided with information about periods and menstrual products.
"Education is so important to break down the myths and taboo that still surround periods," Hodson states.
"Everyone in my family is totally used to chatting about periods now but I do understand talking to teenagers about puberty can be awkward. However, for Dads of daughters with no female relatives around, it can be more than that – it’s often quite scary."
Aileen Campbell MSP, cabinet secretary for Communities and Local Government in the Scottish Government Cabinet, has praised the initiative, saying it's "important to engage dads and other male role models by encouraging them to talk about this important subject".
On Wednesday, it was announced by chancellor of the exchequer Philip Hammond that a free sanitary product scheme will be provided across secondary schools and colleges in England from September.
The announcement came following a two-year campaign by teenage activist Amika George, who called for sanitary products to be offered for free in schools through her #FreePeriods movement.
