Disclosed is an absorbent article having a distribution member comprising non-biopersistent inorganic vitreous microfibers. The microfibers have an average effective diameter between about 0.1 micron and about 6 microns; are in a fibrous assembly having a basis weight between about 40 g/m 2 and about 350 g/m 2 ; and have a density between about 0.04 g/m 3 and about 0.25 g/m 3 . In preferred embodiments the fibrous assembly can vertically wick a 0.9% saline solution to a height of 5 cm in less than about 5 minutes.