國發會與ICRT共同製播的時事英語廣播“The World in Brief”固定於每周三在雙語資源網更新，與大家一起聽時事學英文。

本周主題：臺灣女孩日 Taiwan Girls Day

於巴黎奧運獲得金牌的林郁婷(Lin Yu-ting)成為女性衛生用品的倡導者，並幫助許多女性議題獲得關注，像是月經貧窮(period poverty)，而每年的10月11日為臺灣女孩日(Taiwan Girls Day)，也主要在關注這些重要的女性議題。在美國，四分之一的青少年和三分之一的成年人難以負擔個人護理產品；在孟加拉，僅有32%女性於第一次來月經前就具備相關知識；而臺灣女性一生中須花費約10萬元來購買相關產品。想知道更多嗎？讓我們用3分鐘一起跟著主持人了解更多吧！

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Transcript

Voice: You’re listening to the World in Brief …

Crowd: … On tour! c

Phil: ‘Dear ICRT, what kind of help is there for a single dad and his teenage girl?

Host: Phil in Fuxing wants his adolescent offspring to have a helping hand! Let’s go!

Host: Here we are! We’re in a gym. Big windows and tall mirrors line the walls. Everyone is training hard. They’re boxing! It’s a real hub of activity here.

Expert: Hi! Welcome to ‘Café de GTFP,’ one of Taiwan’s best female-only fitness centers. Are you here for a class?

Host: “Female-only?” I should come here on October 11^th, for Taiwan Girls Day!

Expert: Yes! Come and celebrate with us! We run a safe space here, where women and girls of all ages and abilities can socialize, get fit, and have fun!

Host: What a great idea! Do you just do boxing?

Expert: No, we run a whole range of different classes. We offer strength training, aerobic dance, aerial yoga, and lots more! Our boxing classes are really popular right now, thanks to Lin Yu-ting’s recent Olympic gold medal. What a champ!

Host: She’s an important voice for Taiwanese women everywhere.

Expert: She recently became an advocate for feminine hygiene products.

Host: You mean things like sanitary pads, tampons, and menstrual cups?

Expert: Yes. She’s bringing attention to some really important issues, like period poverty. Some people simply can’t afford to manage their periods safely. They don’t have access to the right education or facilities. In Taiwan, women spend at least NT$100,000 on feminine hygiene products in their lifetime.

Host: That’s outrageous!

Expert: More than 2 billion people around the world menstruate every month. In the USA, one in four teens and one in three adults struggle to afford personal care products. It especially affects teens of color and lower-income households.

Host: It’s an issue of stigma too, right? Many people are too embarrassed to talk about it, even with their children.

Expert: Absolutely. In Bangladesh, only 32% of girls said they were aware of menstruation before they got their first period. Imagine waking up to see blood, and not knowing where it came from!

Host: That would be terrifying! And unsafe too, I guess?

Expert: It can be very dangerous. In some places, girls and women have no access to feminine hygiene products at all. They have to rely on old rags or dried leaves instead. Period poverty can cause some really serious health issues.

Host: Isn’t anything being done to fix it?

Expert: Some things, for sure. Have you ever heard of the Taiwanese NGO “WITH RED?” They send personal care products all over Taiwan. They send items to disaster areas like Ukraine, and earthquake-hit Türkiye. They run a museum here in Taipei. It’s the first of its kind in the world.

Host: It’s a menstruation museum?

Expert: Yes. It’s called ‘The Red House Period Museum.’ It’s got loads of fun, interactive exhibits. People of all ages go there, from babies to seniors. Kids and teens love it. Families visit with their daughters before their first period.

Host: Do you think it’s a good place for a single father to take his teenage daughter?

Expert: It’s the perfect place! Why do you ask?

Host: My friend in Fuxing was looking for some advice. I’ll tell him right now. Thanks for everything, you’ve been super helpful!

Expert: You’re welcome! Bye! 

 

Vocabulary

adolescent (adj.) 青春期的

For adolescent people, already undergoing physical, emotional, and social changes as they grow into adults, the stigma attached to periods can be painful and confusing.   

 

offspring (n.) （人的）後代、子女、子嗣

Although parents may feel embarrassed, they can talk frankly with their offspring, regardless of gender, to demystify how bodies change during adolescence.

 

safe space (n.) （保護人們不受傷害、沒有危險的）安全空間、安全區

Starting from the big drop of blood on the bench outside, the Red House Period Museum provides a safe space for everyone to learn and openly talk about menstruation.

 

advocate (n.) 擁護人、支持者、提倡者

A Taiwanese university student became an advocate for people experiencing period poverty and founded an NGO to supply period products and education about periods.

 

feminine (adj.) （舉止或氣質）女性特有的、女性的

“Feminine hygiene” is a euphemism that companies and people often use to refer to period products; it veils the products’ relation to menstruation and female bodies.