Schools, Prisons, Shelters In NYC To Get Free Tampons, Announces Mayor
- JWB Post
- July 18, 2016
For very long, women’s products, be it clothes or razors are way more expensive than those of men. Included in that category are menstrual products which are charged at super high prices around the world. Well, I guess, that’s all about to change.
Mayor of New York City, Bill de Blasio has signed legislation on Wednesday which makes free menstrual products available in all New York City public schools, shelters, and jails.
The bill was passed unanimously by the City Council in June, after council member Julissa Ferreras-Copeland proposed it earlier this year.
“There should be no stigma around something as fundamental as menstruation,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio in a release. “These laws recognize that feminine hygiene products are a necessity ― not a luxury.”
*Stares at companies charging pink tax*
According to the Associated Press, these new laws will ensure that free menstrual products are readily available in public school restrooms for 300,000 girls and 23,000 women in shelters. Advocates say that menstrual supplies are inadequate even though jails provide them. Under the new law, jails will be required to offer feminine hygiene products to inmates immediately upon request.
“Students should be able to concentrate on their studies, New Yorkers in shelter should be able to focus on rebuilding their lives, and women in our Correction Department should be able to work toward rehabilitation and release without the indignity of inadequate access to tampons and pads,” said Mayor de Blasio.
The legislation makes New York City the first city in the nation that proactively guarantees access to menstrual hygiene products, as per said by the city council.
Tampons and pads are unaffordable for many women, costing an estimated $18,000 over a lifetime. The new law is meant to provide hygiene supplies to low-income women and girls who need them the most.
“No young woman should face losing class time because she can’t afford or simply cannot access feminine hygiene products,” Ferreras-Copeland said in a release this year. “Providing young women with pads and tampons in schools will help them stay focused on their learning and sends a message about value and respect for their bodies.”
The next win for menstrual rights in New York is expected at the state level. In May, the state legislature had approved a bill to remove all taxes on menstrual products, according to the New York Times, and Governor Cuomo is expected to sign the bill into law later this year.
Laws like these serve to push back against cultural taboos revolving around menstruation.
“For too long, we’ve kept silent about menstrual periods, and that silence has hurt our young people,” said First Lady Chirlane McCray in the release. “Young women hear far too many negative messages about their bodies. I’m so proud our city has chosen to send such a decisively positive one.”
Literally, a Concrete Jungle where dreams are of!
- 0
- 0
-
-
JWB along with the brand Jewel Saga bring you a selfie contest inspired by the campaign AidToMaid.