It’s great to see Lauren Wasser on the cover of ELLE France April 2022 issue, Wasser’s story has been well-narrated on AOC in our coverage of her leadership on tampon safety in the period-products industry. Tangentially, learning about Wasser’s story and activism took us into the drive for period justice for women living in every nation of the world. We are speaking of America in this discussion, where many women cannot afford to buy their monthly menstruation-protection products — a reality called “period poverty”.

In her ELLE France cover story, Wasser — the “girl with the golden legs” — is styled by Hortense Manga in Prada on the cover, following up with Bottega Veneta, Fendi, Louis Vuitton, Salvatore Ferragamo, The Row, Valentino and more on the inside pages. Lauren Wasser is lensed by Sofia Sanchez & Mauro Mongiello [IG].

The year was 2012 and then 24-year-old model first experienced flu-like symptoms, followed by renal failure and then two heart attacks. Doctors gave her a one percent chance of survival and then placed her into a medically-induced coma in hopes of saving her life. Lauren Wasser was the rare victim of toxic shock syndrome, a deadly medical condition commonly associated with tampon usage among women.

Wasser’s right leg was amputated initially but after living with excruciating pain in her left leg for years into her recovery, she made the decision to amputate it as well in 2018.

WWD reports that Lauren Wasser had a front-row seat in March 2022 at fashion shows for Balenciaga, Dolce & Gabbana, Louis Vuitton, Margiela, Missoni, Off-White and Sacai. The model is working on a documentary about her journey and is also training for the New York City Marathon in November.

It’s important to note that TSS is not a deadly condition exclusive to women, nor is it only associated with tampon usage. Risk factors include recent surgery, open wounds and the use of superabsorbent tampons.

The description “superabsorbent” is important because typically the wearer knows that she can leave them in her body longer — with a potential increase in risk in select circumstances. Also there is concern that in women with a smaller vaginal canal, the larger, superabsorbent tampon can tear tissue in the vaginal wall — making it potentially a more welcoming host to bacteria.

Menstruation remains a taboo topic worldwide, and getting the risks associated with tampons to be taken seriously has been an ongoing challenge for women. For perspective, between 1978 and 1980 the CDC reported 1,600 cases of toxic shock syndrome associated with tampon usage.

In 2019, Wasser and New York Rep. Carolyn Maloney joined forces to raise awareness around toxic shock syndrome. “Right now there’s no research being done on them [feminine hygiene products} . There’s more research done on the safety, I’d say, of coffee filters than a hygiene product that is so intimately associated with a woman’s body,” Rep. Maloney points out.

Since 2015, Rep. Carolyn Maloney has promoted the Robin Danielson Feminine Hygiene Product Safety Act, merely an effort to have the National Institute of Health and manufacturers of feminine hygiene products research the materials and chemicals used in their production — and their potential danger to women’s bodies.

Congress has little appetite for such legislation and Maloney’s bill repeatedly stalls out without sufficient support — or interest — in its passage. Like every good soldier for a cause, Maloney reintroduces her bill in the next session of Congress.