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Advocacy Brief Socw 403 1
Advocacy Brief Socw 403 1
What are “Menstrual Products” and Why are They Important in Bathrooms?
This act is an important step in normalizing the process of menstruation and recognizing
menstrual products as bathroom necessities. In this act, “menstrual products” are referencing
both tampons and pads. Additionally, it is important that these products are rightfully placed in
bathrooms to limit the various barriers to access that these products often have when placed
elsewhere. When placed in locations like a nurse’s office, or with a teacher, students are less
likely to use that resource as it is often more stigmatized and causes unnecessary difficulties. The
students are using these products in the bathrooms, therefore they should be placed in the
bathrooms. While some have argued previously that these products will be misused, stolen, or
neglected, when placed in bathrooms, the same argument could be made about other bathroom
necessities. However, it is unethical to deprive students of those materials like toilet paper and
paper towels, and depriving students of menstrual products requires the same sentiment.
Works Cited
- Geng, C. (2021, September 16). What to know about period poverty. Medical News
Today. Retrieved from
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/period-poverty#statistics.
- NBC Chicago. (2013, October 18). Study says 70 percent of urban public school students
in Illinois in poverty. NBC Chicago. Retrieved from
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/politics/study-70-of-urban-public-school-students-in-i
llinois-in-poverty/1965710/.
- Poverty in Illinois. Illinois Poverty Rate. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.welfareinfo.org/poverty-rate/illinois/.
- The Learn with Dignity Act, Public Act 100-0163 2018,
https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/publicacts/fulltext.asp?Name=100-0163
**While I attempted to replace as many gendered terms regarding menstrual products and
menstruation, I couldn’t alter direct quotes from studies or legislation. However, it is important
to recognize that not all women menstruate, and not all menstruators are women.**