LONDON -- People have been posting selfies with tampons on Twitter all week, using the #JustATampon hashtag to raise awareness of menstruation and break the taboo about periods worldwide.
The campaign, which was launched by global children's charity Plan UK and news site V Point, has also been calling for people to text TAMPON to 7007 to donate £3 to Plan UK.
The money raised is going towards menstrual health work in the developing world, with a single donation able to provide a girl in Uganda sanitary towels for a year, according to Plan UK.
"Donations will help tackle discrimination faced by girls globally, not just around menstrual hygiene but other issues they face including child marriage and female genital mutilation," they say.
#JustATampon Text TAMPON to donate £3 to @PlanUK which will pay for a woman's sanitation in Uganda for a year. pic.twitter.com/3CNcAAly0o— JEN in a JAR (@Jeninajar) June 8, 2015
"Around the world, millions of girls face discrimination just for being girls. One way this manifests itself is through poor access to quality menstrual health and hygiene. It not only poses health issues, but means girls can miss school when they have their period and face bullying. Only 12% of girls and women have access to sanitary products around the world. And in Africa, one in ten girls miss school when they have their period."
Comedians, newscasters, reporters and presenters, including Jon Snow, Jenny Eclair and Carol Smillie, have joined members of the public in the campaign.
A worthwhile cause helping women who haven't got what we in the UK take for granted #JustATampon pic.twitter.com/l6DbGfFiyR— Robyn Fraser (@RobynF29) June 8, 2015
#JustATampon Text TAMPON to 70007 to donate £3 to @PlanUK & help girls like Moreen https://t.co/m8FdpctHT2 pic.twitter.com/57mAiVuexq— Jem Gregory (@Jem_Gregory) June 9, 2015
#Justatampon support the effort to stop taxing a female necessity :Text Tampon to 70007 to donate £3 to @planUK pic.twitter.com/Q52zgd2BKe— Jon Snow (@jonsnowC4) June 8, 2015
DON'T PANIC STAY CALM THEY ARE #JustATampon pic.twitter.com/9JigsOovtJ— Rush1875 (@KateXXY_2112) June 8, 2015
Don't panic it's #justatampon @PlanUK pic.twitter.com/tLfE7HerGm— Carol Smillie (@carolsmillie1) June 8, 2015
I don't need tampons any more but others do. Support #justatampon -break taboos - and...more info coming up pic.twitter.com/WDW8aS4lkg— Jenny Eclair (@jennyeclair) June 8, 2015
Guys, it's just a piece of cotton on a string...#JustATampon pic.twitter.com/GXg8B7kIkh— Cathy Newman (@cathynewman) June 8, 2015
Chill out, guys. It's #JustATampon http://t.co/diRQUZ7Lud pic.twitter.com/mbzLK73Cnr— Suzannah Ramsdale (@SuzannahR_MC) June 9, 2015
#JustATampon selfie. Even the Boris bikes are happy to transport tampons :) pic.twitter.com/UviNUYOuuU— Josephine (@JosephinePhipps) June 8, 2015
Here's my #JustATampon selfie. Text TAMPON to 70007 to donate £3 to help women.Let's fight the stigma around periods. pic.twitter.com/HkYl9N8G72— Kate O'Sullivan (@KateEOSullivan) June 8, 2015
Oh... #JustATampon I thought you said Justice Tampon. @PlanUK pic.twitter.com/xWgC3iKQaL— Hannah Ballou (@hannahfballou) June 8, 2015
Lots of people couldn't resist putting them in their noses.
our efforts to support #JustATampon and @PlanUK - notice the silly one with a nose insertion! pic.twitter.com/LARcmz80YW— Daniel James (@danieljd1982) June 9, 2015
Let's get this straight men, it's #JustATampon let's break the stigma attached today. (via @PlanUK) pic.twitter.com/PfNoxJICBN— Darren Gallagher (@DarrenGallagher) June 8, 2015
Others went for the beard.
Supporting @PlanUK #JustATampon campaign. Breaking the stigma around tampons with my beard. pic.twitter.com/gFOTTLmEXo— David Tapp (@David_Tapp) June 8, 2015
Putting the 'men' in menstrual health... #JustATampon pic.twitter.com/Y5Nf5XK6Uc— Andy Shipley (@andyshipley) June 9, 2015
One woman incorporated one into a weather report.
Watch me doing a different weather forecast than usual today... https://t.co/sRIQUR5b6i #JustATampon— Nazaneen Ghaffar (@SkyNewsNaz) June 8, 2015
Of course, some angry men got involved, unwittingly helping to boost the cause.
Angry men tweeting about #JustATampon make the point perfectly http://t.co/iTccpKaOnf pic.twitter.com/2gB6WWlbQ1— V.Point (@VPointNews) June 10, 2015
You can donate money to Plan UK here.