By Sia Bansal
I care deeply about period poverty.
Feminist Gloria Steinem once stated that if men got their periods, they “would brag about how long and how much” and that sanitary supplies would be “federally funded and free.” But men don’t get them or care about them. This brings up the question- when menstruators get their periods, why are sanitary supplies not free?
As families lost jobs due to Covid-19, many students resorted to missing school while menstruating due to the inaccessibility of affording products. To combat this locally, my chapter of the National Organization of Women held a Period Product Drive and donated over 100 care packages to a women’s shelter in South Orange, providing temporary aid.
This is a great way to give back to your community and is manageable to execute. A great place to start is to contact a local women’s shelter and ask if they need products. From there, reach out to your school administration and ask permission to hold a drive. If you get approval, I recommend using social media to advertise since most teenagers can be found on social media, and you can reach a broader audience digitally!
On a larger scale, I’m a member of NJ’s Equality Period coalition, which is working to pass legislation S-3645, a bill that would require public schools to offer free menstrual products. Menstruating is just as inevitable as using the bathroom, which is why at the very least, all public spaces, including public schools, should provide free products. Just like men do not have to worry about paying for toilet paper, women should not miss school or work because of a natural body process. Joining a coalition is another excellent way to get involved; a quick Google search can help you find one locally.
I hope to continue my work with this coalition till it is passed in NJ, and eventually on a national scale, as I see myself immersed in human rights law and policy change! An extra X chromosome can no longer determine whether a child receives education or not.
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