A MUM is appealing for women’s toilets to provide cubicles with discreet access to running water to support women who are menstruating.

Leisa Taylor, who stood in the Bedwardine ward for the Women’s Equality Party (WEP) in Worcester, has said she feels strongly about introducing running water to women’s cubicles in order to subtly clean their menstrual cup after use. A menstrual cup is made of silicone and collects flow, rather than absorbing it like other sanitary products.

Ms Taylor, aged 47, said: “This is something I feel strongly about. There’s a stigma attached to periods. It’s still a taboo subject in our society.

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“Personally, I don’t mind coming out of the toilet to clean my menstrual cup, but I don’t because it may offend other people. I know I make people feel uncomfortable. The alternative is to use a disabled toilet. I always make sure I wait for the disabled toilet to be free and no one is waiting before I use it.”

Ms Taylor has been using a menstrual cup for 13 years, adding: “Shelf products like tampons and sanitary towels are bad for the environment. I can only imagine how many women use them and all the waste that ends up in landfill.

“There are so many chemicals in products that they are actually bad for women’s health. It would be better for women and the environment if people designing women’s toilets provided access to running water in some cubicles. We just need to think about gender equality when we are planning and constructing things. We need to address the issue and talk to women about their needs.”

Ms Taylor is the Worcester branch lead officer at WEP. She said: “It’s about setting up and giving women in Worcestershire a party to be part of. We put on events for women to explore.”