Periods are Wild
Peta Lawler
In the realm of outdoor camps and experiential programs, menstruation poses a significant challenge for young girls, often leading to discomfort, embarrassment, and exclusion from participation. This presentation addresses the impact of periods on girls’ involvement in outdoor activities, highlighting the physical and emotional hurdles they face. As educators and practitioners, it’s crucial to create inclusive and hygienic environments that support girls through these experiences. Programming for inclusion is essential (particularly in those formative years when girls first start menstruating) , requiring strategies to meet participants’ needs, including equipping ourselves with essential first aid kit items and practical tips.
Participants will receive a cheat sheet for initiating open dialogue about periods, reducing stigma and fostering inclusivity. Furthermore, it’s important to recognise that periods affect not only girls but also women, particularly teachers you will have arriving to programs and outdoor guides. Understanding these challenges enables us to create a supportive network that empowers girls and women to engage fully in outdoor activities. Join us as we explore practical strategies for navigating periods in the wild, ensuring that every girl has the opportunity to thrive outdoors without barriers. Let’s work together to keep girls in the game and create inclusive experiential spaces.
About Peta
Peta Lawler has spent 15 years in the Victorian outdoor education sector, shaping Experiential Learning that is meaningful, inclusive, and works in the real world. A VU graduate and early learning and primary school teacher, she has worked with schools and outdoor companies across the state, designing programs that help students connect with the world beyond the classroom.
As a female guide/coordinator, she has been pregnant in the outdoors, dealt with every possible menstrual mishap in the field, and continues to navigate her own endometriosis diagnosis while hauling gear through the bush. If there’s one thing she’s learned, it’s that outdoor education could do with a few more practical solutions—whether that means rethinking gear, improving support systems, or just making sure there are enough appropriately sized tampons to go around.
Having walked the tracks, paddled the rivers, and probably duct-taped more gear than she cares to admit, Peta knows this sector inside out. She’s passionate about making outdoor education as welcoming and accessible as possible—because everyone should have the chance to enjoy a great adventure.
