A Sheffield-era education campaigner ‘honoured’ with OBE

A woman campaigning to improve menstruation education has said she was “very surprised” to be made an OBE in the King’s Birthday Honours.

Period activist Chella Quint founded the Period Positive campaign in 2006 when she was working as a teacher at a school in Firth Park, Sheffield.

Ms Quint, who was made an OBE for services to education, said she was “deeply honoured” that her work had been recognised.

“It reflects the collective efforts of all those who supported the Positive Period movement.”

Ms Quint said menstrual knowledge was important for everyone: “Whether you have a period or not, it’s important to know about menstruation.”

The campaigner said menstruation education was a “fundamental building block” for equality and accessibility and that it was essential to challenge taboos and misinformation around periods.

She added that the Period Positive campaign was the result of years of work by schools and volunteers.

Many more individuals and communities could foster an informed and supportive environment around menstrual health because of it, Ms Quint said.

The Period Positive team has worked hard to ensure that menstruation education is included in the curriculum of primary and secondary school children, and menstrual literacy must be included in education policies for everyone, she said.

“Together, we have made significant progress in transforming the way we talk about and approach menstruation in education,” she added.

However, she said the current draft curriculum review for Relationships, Sex and Health Education had “worrying omissions”.

Ms Quint is currently working with Sheffield Girls’ High School – which has a Period Positive club – to trial age-appropriate curricula on the menstrual cycle.

She said she didn’t even know she was nominated for the award in the King’s Birthday Honors and it’s great the subject is being recognised.

“I am deeply honored to receive this recognition,” she said.

“It reflects the collective efforts of all those who supported the Positive Period movement.

“Together, we’ve made significant progress in transforming the way we talk about and approach menstruation in education.”

Ms Quint added that the honor “encourages me to continue to advocate for literacy and menstrual equity”.

“Perio positive isn’t about loving periods or even having them,” she said.

“It’s a positive act to talk about menstruation, and menstrual literacy is important for everyone, regardless of gender.”