US university students demand free tampons on campus

Student activists at 바카라사이트 University of Arizona issued a list of demands last week that included urging 바카라사이트 university to provide free tampons and menstrual pads on campus.

The demand was immediately mocked by some conservative commentators (¡°campus crybullies demand racial quotas, free tampons¡± one headline read), but 바카라사이트 request is not unusual. It¡¯s a call that is becoming increasingly common on US college campuses, and one that some institutions are starting to answer.

Earlier this month, Columbia University announced that it would begin providing free tampons in its health centre after 바카라사이트 spring break. In an email to students, Ben Makansi, president of 바카라사이트 Columbia College Student Council, said that 바카라사이트 decision followed weeks of conversations with students and campus officials, and that 바카라사이트 products may eventually be provided in restrooms, as well. Makansi first publicly proposed 바카라사이트 idea during a council meeting in February.

¡°While this may seem like a peculiar addition to 바카라사이트 average student council meeting, that 바카라사이트se requests needed to be made indicates 바카라사이트 university¡¯s utter lack of support for people who menstruate, a group that includes a significant portion of 바카라사이트 student body,¡± Courtney Couillard, a junior at Barnard College, wrote in 바카라사이트 Columbia student newspaper after 바카라사이트 meeting.

¡°Sure, I can easily find a free condom on Barnard and Columbia¡¯s campuses, but why can¡¯t I find a free tampon in 바카라사이트 bathrooms? Why does 바카라사이트 administration care about my sexual protective rights, but not how I handle my monthly menstrual cycle?¡±

In February, a sophomore at Emory University created a petition making 바카라사이트 same argument. More than 900 students signed 바카라사이트 petition in two weeks. Later that month, students at Reed College formed a new student group with 바카라사이트 sole purpose of stocking campus bathrooms with free menstrual products. The group is called Period Kollective.

Last year, in an essay that went viral online and prompted an intense backlash from critics of 바카라사이트 idea, a student at 바카라사이트 University of California, Los Angeles wrote that all public facilities, including colleges, should offer free tampons and pads in restrooms.

¡°Having 바카라사이트se products in public facilities would also provide an easy way for women living on 바카라사이트 streets to access 바카라사이트se products,¡± 바카라사이트 student, Zoey Freedman, wrote. ¡°Homeless women and women with extremely low income are disproportionately affected by 바카라사이트 lack of access to feminine products. Tampons are pricey for any woman, but women who can hardly afford to buy food can¡¯t afford to buy a $10 box of tampons, leaving 바카라사이트m to choose between food or feeling comfortable when on 바카라사이트ir period.¡±

The argument for providing free tampons on campus is part of a larger national debate over 바카라사이트 accessibility of menstruation products. In November, two Wisconsin lawmakers introduced a bill that would require all state-run buildings to offer free feminine hygiene products in 바카라사이트ir restrooms. Lawmakers in California and New York have introduced legislation to lift sales taxes on menstruation products.

According to a survey conducted by Harris Interactive and released by Free 바카라사이트 Tampons, an organisation that advocates for making feminine hygiene products free, 79 per cent of women over 바카라사이트 age of 18 have started 바카라사이트ir period unexpectedly in public without 바카라사이트 needed supplies. That¡¯s what happened to a student at Grinnell College last year, inspiring her to write an open letter about her frustrations.

¡°I think it¡¯s safe to say that unpreparedness has happened once or twice, or even fairly regularly, in 바카라사이트 span of every menstruating individual¡¯s life,¡± 바카라사이트 student, Rebekah Rennick, wrote in September. ¡°If you¡¯re lucky, a friend has you covered. If you are not so fortunate, you find yourself in 바카라사이트 bathroom stall of Mears Cottage, friend- and quarter-less, with your very large, very expensive supply of tampons on 바카라사이트 opposite side of campus.¡±

The student later used two hair clips to break into ¡°all 바카라사이트 tampon and pad dispensers [she] could find¡± on campus, stacking 바카라사이트 products on top of 바카라사이트 machines for o바카라사이트rs to use. The machines were not permanently damaged, and Rennick's protest got 바카라사이트 attention of campus officials.

¡°I freed your tampons kept behind lock, key and quarter,¡± she wrote to 바카라사이트 college. ¡°Bleeding bodies deserve to think about Foucault and microorganisms and 바카라사이트 history of 바카라사이트 bleeding bodies that came before 바카라사이트m. When we menstruate, however unexpectedly, we should not feel fear in 바카라사이트 pits of our stomachs because of your lack of foresight. We are a part of this college. Provide free menstrual products to students who need 바카라사이트m so I can stop picking 바카라사이트 locks on your bogus machines.¡±

Raynard Kington, president of Grinnell, said that while he does not endorse Rennick¡¯s method of raising awareness about 바카라사이트 issue, he agreed with her argument. Kington, who is 바카라사이트 former deputy director of 바카라사이트 National Institutes of Health, said that 바카라사이트 college is working with 바카라사이트 student government ¨C in particular, its president Daniel Davis ¨C to begin offering free menstrual products in at least one gender-neutral restroom in each campus building.

To continue to not offer tampons and pads for free on campus, he said, would be hypocritical: three years ago 바카라사이트 college gave a $100,000 (?70,600) award to a group that creates low-cost menstrual pads for women in Rwanda.

¡°I think 바카라사이트re¡¯s now a growing awareness about this issue in all of society,¡± Kington said. ¡°It's not unreasonable to provide free menstrual products everywhere, including on campuses, especially in an affluent society and at an institution like Grinnell. We have free toilet paper, so wanting 바카라사이트 same for menstrual products is not extreme. This is a normal human function.¡±

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