Equal Access to Period Products for All Girls
Today in the US, more than 5,300 girls will start their period for the first time, and almost none of them will be prepared.
Sadly, these girls may also feel ashamed. They might cry in the bathroom, tie a sweatshirt around their waist, and hope they don’t bleed through. They’ll get in trouble for being late or skipping class and will be too embarrassed to explain why.
Schools offer toilet paper for free, which all students require. But half of the student body requires menstrual products, so why don’t schools provide those for free too?
Each Penny Pack is stocked with organic menstrual products from our partner, Aunt Flow, the company that produces 100% natural cotton pads and tampons. Aunt Flow also promotes period positivity, encouraging girls to embrace menstruation as a natural and healthy part of life. Their goal? To change the mindset about public access to menstrual products.
How You Can Get Involved
States like California, New York, and Illinois have passed legislation requiring schools to offer menstrual products for free. But the wheels of progress turn slowly. With no practical way for states to enforce these laws, many schools are simply not complying.
We can’t wait for every state to pass a law requiring this change, especially when the laws aren’t ensuring change. We believe in taking action now because it’s the right thing to do.
An adolescent girl’s life is fraught with many pressures. Having easy access to period products at school shouldn’t be one of them. We’re excited that Aunt Flow helps address this problem and we hope you’re excited too.
Change starts in small towns and communities with parents just like you. If you’d like to help, we have just the thing to get you started. Use this template to send an email or letter to your school board, PTA, or principal’s office. Together, we can do better for our daughters.
Download this Appeal to Schools to Offer Free Menstrual Products
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