Feminine products are having a moment. With some to take the taboo out of menstruation, politicians across the country are trying to make tampons and sanitary pads as affordable and accessible as possible.
Five states have聽聽on pads and tampons: New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Maryland and Minnesota. In New York, a bill awaits the governor鈥檚 signature, and other efforts to improve access to sanitary products are underway.
The bill would reclassify pads and tampons so they鈥檙e exempt from the 4 percent state sales tax,聽聽on pharmacy shelves, including bandages, swabs and contraceptives.聽聽passed both houses of the legislature, and Gov. Andrew Cuomo鈥檚 media representative has spoken positively about it.
In New York City, a bill would provide free sanitary supplies in schools, homeless shelters and prisons. Council speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito backs the bill, and Mayor Bill de Blasio聽has expressed support for the cause.
New York lawmakers in Congress are working on the issue, too. Rep. Grace Meng, D-Queens, has introduced the Fund Essential Menstrual Products Act of 2015 (also known as the聽). It would make feminine hygiene products eligible for purchase with pretax聽. And Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-Manhattan, has asked the National Institutes of Health to聽聽of certain fibers and chemicals used in the products.
As is so often the case, politics is catching up with pop culture. Although menstruation management has long been a favorite topic among comedians including聽补苍诲听, tampon advertisements now聽聽the euphemistic聽, and period starter kits are being marketed with聽.
All that laughter may be helping聽get traction. 鈥淓veryone鈥檚 talking about this inequity,鈥� said聽New York Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal, who introduced the state tax exemption bill.
At the High School for Arts and Business in Queens, a simple machine may be a game-changer. It has dispensed free tampons and pads since September.
鈥淚t keeps me from missing class, in case I need one,鈥� said聽sophomore Emily Torres. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 have to worry about accidents. It鈥檚 always there if I need it.鈥�
The school is one of 25 around the city piloting the dispensers this school year. Previously, students had to get tampons or pads from the school nurse.
鈥淵ou go to the nurse鈥檚 office when you鈥檙e sick,鈥� said聽City Council Member Julissa Ferreras-Copeland, has advocated for free menstrual supplies in all schools. 鈥淭hese girls aren鈥檛 sick. Getting your period just says that you鈥檙e healthy.鈥�
Principal Ana Zambrano-Burakov thinks making it easier for girls to get these products has improved class attendance.
鈥淚 have heard sometimes girls stay home because they don鈥檛 have the money to buy what they need, and that鈥檚 no longer the case,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 just want girls to stay in school and do well, and we鈥檙e going to support them no matter what.鈥�
Rosenthal isn鈥檛 sure exactly where the momentum is coming from. When she introduced her bill last year it got nowhere. Even this year, despite the unanimous support, she said the legislative discussion was awkward for some.
鈥淚 used the words 鈥榩eriod鈥� and 鈥榖lood鈥� and they were shifting in their chairs,鈥� she said. 鈥淪ome couldn鈥檛 look at me because I was saying these words.鈥�
As High School for Arts and Business student Ashley Celik might put it: That鈥檚 on them.
鈥淪ometimes when guys overhear us, they鈥檙e like, 鈥極h my god! Gross! Keep it to yourself!鈥欌�� she said. 鈥淥f course we鈥檙e going to talk about it. It鈥檚 something normal. You shouldn鈥檛 be telling us we shouldn鈥檛 be talking about it because it鈥檚 awkward for you.鈥�
This story is part of a reporting partnership with聽NPR, 补苍诲听Kaiser Health News.