Youth activists from the PERIOD movement in Arkansas will host arally at the State Capitol on October 19, 2019, at 10 AM. They will be collecting period products to give back to those in need in our community.
Members of the Menstrual Movement believe that it is a fundamental human right to have access to menstrual hygiene products. Currently, 35 states in the US still have a sales tax on period products considering them luxury items, while products for men’s sexual health such as Viagra are considered essential goods. In addition, only 4 U.S. states have laws requiring public schools to provide free menstrual products in their bathrooms.
The average woman will spend around $11,000 in her lifetime on tampons, and one in four women struggled to afford period products in the last year. The most recent city-based study on period poverty revealed that “46 percent of women had to choose between food and menstrual hygiene products.” PERIOD is working to eliminate this.
On National Period Day, PERIOD and its chapters will be rallying to fight for equitable access to menstrual hygiene. They are calling for two major actions: for clean and healthy period products to be freely accessible in schools, shelters, and prisons, and for the elimination of the “tampon tax” (sales tax on menstrual products).
“In the last four years, PERIOD has addressed over 700,000 periods through our work distributing PERIOD packs and products. Our work and activism this coming year will be critical to addressing our goal of ending period poverty and stigma. We demand change NOW.” said Nadya Okamoto, Founder and Executive Director at PERIOD.
ROBINSON HIGH SCHOOL will hosting a product drive the week of October 14 - 18. Anyone who is wishes to donate products (i.e. boxes of pads and tampons) is encouraged to bring them to the school library and front office. Donations will be gifted to schools and shelters for menstruators that have little or no access to menstrual products.
About PERIOD
Nadya Okamoto started PERIOD when she was 16 years old and living in Portland. Currently a junior at Harvard, Nadya recently published her debut book, Period Power: A Manifesto for the Menstrual Movement with publisher Simon & Schuster.
Founded in 2014, PERIOD is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, whose mission is to eliminate period poverty and stigma through advocacy, education, and service. With the support of generous partners, sponsors, and individuals PERIOD delivers menstrual products and PERIOD packs to those in need. Through thoughtful education geared to destigmatize the way periods are thought and talked about, the organization is working to eliminate the taboo through a growing network of high school, college, and community chapters.
Emmarie Gates
emmariegates2@gmail.com
501.398.9344