An influencer shared how she was stopped at the border with Senegal for having a tampon in her bag and was forced to spontaneously give a demonstration.
Tara Katims was travelling from Gambia when stunned border guards removed the object from her bag.
There was some confusion when the officers asked her to explain what it was.
Fortunately, the quick-thinking traveler was able to overcome the language barrier with a demo.
“They didn’t give any suggestions as to what they thought it was, but after they pulled 10 out of my bag and said ‘open it,’ I decided to take matters into my own hands and explain it,” Katims said. Newsweek.
Influencer Katims is a CTA-certified travel agent and full-time traveler (pictured during her vacation in Costa Rica)
Despite a language barrier, she was able to explain the object through a physical demonstration
She described the situation as “hilarious on all fronts” and later posted a TikTok about the incident.
In the video, Katims, a certified CTA travel agent, is seen pushing out the tampon and then pointing to her crotch, causing the border agent to laugh.
After a thorough investigation, she and her party were allowed to continue their journey.
“There are no X-rays being taken, so I understand the precaution,” Katims said.
The exchange caused hilarity online as others shared similar experiences.
“Hahah no, you don’t have to show him,” someone said.
“Aw this is actually healthy hahaha. He seems like a good sport,” added another.
However, some took the opportunity to raise the issue of period poverty.
Influencer Tara Katims has revealed how she was stopped at the Senegal border for having a tampon in her bag and forced to stage an impromptu protest
“I went on a medical trip to Guatemala and no one knew what a tampon was. And most of them didn’t know what a sanitary napkin was,” one person said.
‘The same thing happened to me in Dubai. They didn’t know what a tampon or a sanitary towel was.’
According to the UN, period poverty is ‘the inability to afford and obtain menstrual products, sanitation and hygiene services, and to receive education and awareness about menstrual health management’.
According to the non-profit organization Speak Up Africa, menstruation is still a “taboo topic” in Senegal, as in many parts of West Africa.
According to the organization, Senegalese women lose 40-45 percent of their income during menstruation and 40 percent of girls between the ages of 9 and 17 miss school at least once a week during their period because they do not have the means to control their periods.
The problem is known worldwide, especially in countries such as Bangladesh, Egypt, India, Madagascar and Zimbabwe.
But it’s also a domestic problem. According to UN data, one in four teens and one in three adults in the US struggle to afford menstrual products.
