Transcriber: Natthaphan-on K Reviewer: omar idmassaoud
Has anyone used a public bathroom?
Yes.
Now, when you use the bathroom, do you have to pay for the toilet paper?
No.
Do you have to pay for the soap?
No.
Do you have to pay for the paper towel?
No.
That’s because those things are essential.
Now, ladies, when you go to these public bathrooms,
if you see menstrual psychopath’s, do you have to pay for them?
Yes.
For women and girls, menstrual cycle so essential.
So why do we have to pay to use them?
Hi, my name is Micaela Bailey.
Sadly, these period products that might be available in some public restrooms
are not free.
For some women and girls, that is very inconvenient.
That’s because they might suffer from period poverty.
Period poverty is when women and girls do not have
the correct access to menstrual cycle products due to financial limitations.
Based on the 2014 Shriver Report,
at least 42 million impoverished women in the United States
show with period poverty.
Some of those people are students, low income and homeless women and girls,
transgender and non-violent individuals, and currently imprisoned women.
Period poverty can have many adverse effects on women and girls,
as reported by the devastating consequences of period poverty,
period poverty can impact attendance of school, freedoms and choices,
work and community life, safety and emotional stress, anxiety.
Also, women can lack period supplies
because they need to buy food and other necessities.
According to the World Bank,
period poverty can affect girls attending school
Because girls worldwide miss 10 to 20 percent of school days per year
due to lack of menstrual supplies,
an adequate sanitation, period pain, social stigma.
Now, I don’t think it’s fair that girls have to miss a day of being educated
just because they don’t have the supplies to care for themselves during the period.
Do you think that’s fair?
Many organizations are trying to solve the problem of period poverty.
One organization is an alliance for period supplies.
They are trying to bring awareness to period poverty
by creating Period Poverty Awareness Week, which occurs on May 24th to May 30th.
There are also people in government trying to make a change.
Congresswoman Grace Meng introduced
the Menstrual Equity Act for All in March, 2019.
This legislation would ensure that incarcerated and homeless women
have access to menstrual products.
It will allow schools to use federal funds for period products
and request that states end the tampon tax
and the bill will require that public restrooms
provide period products free of charge,
also it requires menstrual companies to list what their product is made of.
Plus, Medicaid will have to cover the cost of menstrual products.
So far in 2021, almost 20 bills have been introduced to an advance menstrual equity.
There are even people like me trying to solve the problem.
I’m a Girl Scout, when we are juniors, the girls who are juniors and the troop
need to complete a community service project of our choice
for 20 hours to earn our bronze award.
The Girl Scout bronze award is the highest achievement a junior can earn.
We chose to help out a lady named Lynette Medley,
the founder of No More Secrets Mind Body Spirit Inc.
No More Secrets Mind Body Spirit Inc. is an organization based in Philadelphia
that collects menstrual cycle products and toiletries,
puts together a bag of the supplies, then gives them to women and girls need.
we help so by collecting money to buy menstrual cycle products
from our family and friends,
they then donated all the supplies we bought to her.
The organization now has a menstrual hub called the spot period in Philadelphia,
and it’s the first menstrual hub in the United States.
So next time you’re in the store and see some menstrual products,
consider buying some and donate them to No More Secrets Mind Body Spirit Inc.
On for each one is they like it.
And if you even want to try to step it up,
try writing to your local council person.
And that’s all I do as a part in ending period poverty.
Thank you.