Menstrual products are free! Bucknell Student Government’s initiative to make these products, which are a necessity, accessible to all women on campus is an amazing breakthrough. It’s awesome that no one has to go through an embarrassing moment when they forget to bring a tampon to class, because we all have those days. Also, let’s be honest, we never seem to have the twenty five cents in our pocket to buy a tampon from the machine when we forgot one.
Sometimes it’s about more than forgetting, and for the students who have trouble affording menstrual products, they no longer have to worry about such a natural part of life. Estimates on the number of hungry college students have been as high as 40 percent and estimates on the number of homeless students have been as high as 10 percent.
When can’t afford your food and housing, it is a pretty good bet that you have trouble affording period products and in case you havent noticed, GETTING A PERIOD IS EXPENSIVE! Every month I probably pay $30-$40 on pads, tampons, pain meds, heating pads, new underwear, (and you can’t forget my terrible chocolate cravings).
Imagine (maybe you can) not having any tampons, cups, sponges, etc., while on your period. It seems like a nightmare to me. I am lucky enough to have access to these things and I already stress about making sure I don’t bleed through my clothes. Without access to period products, women often have to find creative ways to protect their clothes and take care of their bodies. Imagine using toilet paper as a pad or having pain so bad you can’t work (again maybe you can), and not being able to do anything about it.
So, what can you do?
DONATE! DONATE! DONATE!
Shelters often offer many of the things women who use their services need, like food, water, blankets, and job training. But menstrual products is something that is often not donated.
So next time you donate to a shelter, please think of donating tampons, pads, panty liners, menstrual cups, sponges, period underwear, reusable pads or any other period products. By doing so, you will make someone’s month.
Also a big thanks to Bucknell Student Government for making revolutionary steps to make the world a better place and making it easier for every college student to focus on what they are there for: getting an education.