The Vermont Legislature is advancing a positive bill (S. 115) that would, among other things, require all public schools to make menstrual products available to students at no cost. Please take a few moments to urge lawmakers to support this measure.
Much of the cultural stigma still attached to menstruation is deeply rooted in the fact that nearly all major religions have shamed this natural, life-giving function. This continues to have tangible consequences for women and girls worldwide, even in developed nations like the United States.
Read more about the religious roots of menstruation stigma.
Lack of access to menstrual products, especially for low-income women and girls, can result in lost education and lost employment and earning opportunities, which fuels inequality in countless ways. The work of undoing the harm caused by these archaic religious customs is a secular issue. Equalizing access to menstrual products is a key first step.
This bill has already passed the state Senate and has a hearing tomorrow, April 7, at 8:30 a.m. local time in front of the Vermont House Committee on Education. Click on the red “Take Action” link below to contact all members of this committee and urge them to support this important bill. Feel free to use or adapt the talking points provided.
