Menstrual Equity and Schools

A resource for teachers about how schools can be a space to advocate for better menstrual policies and services. Topics include access to menstrual products, access to bathrooms, incompatibility of school uniforms with menstruation, addressing shame and stigma of menstruation, the need to include all students in discussions about menstruation, the connections between lack of menstrual products and school attendance, and more.

“Lack of menstrual equity is most often thought of as an issue in the Global South, where women may have limited access to menstrual products, be isolated and shamed, or miss work and school because of their periods. There’s a dearth of studies that show the economic and opportunity costs of menstruation for U.S. students, but activists point to numerous anecdotes that describe the struggles, including school absenteeism, barriers to accessing menstrual products and shame.”