Period policy reviewed

Mar 1, 2019 | 6:53 PM

After a landmark decision by the New Westminster School District to provide free pads and tampons in an open non-judgemental format for students, School District 83 says they have recently reviewed their policy surrounding access to menstrual products.

” At the request of a committee, I actually recently surveyed our middle and secondary schools regarding the availability of tampons. All of them responded that tampons were available at each office and from at least one other adult in the school, typically a school counselor, said School District 83 Superintendent Peter Jory.

Schools in School District 22 in Vernon also have access menstrual products at their facilities through the main office or medical room .

” These products are available either in the main office or medical room. For those schools which keep the supplies in the medical room, the principals all said the girls can go in a help themselves,” said School District No. 22 Communications coordinator, Maritza Reilly.

Proponents say that while it is good to see that some schools have product available, they are urging them to take it a step further by providing them in a free and open area like they did in New Westminster. Advocates say this is necessary to avoid the period shaming that comes along with having to ask someone for a pad or tampon.

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Why is access important?

Advocates such as those at the United Way of the Lower Mainland say period poverty, which describes a woman’s inability to access menstrual products, has a huge impact on women and how they are able participate in school, work or other functions.

” It’s quite shocking, it is much more wide spread than people believe, ” said Neal Adolph from the United Way of the Lower Mainland.

” What we know is that 1 in 7 Canadian girls misses school because they don’t have access to product, which is a really shocking number, we don’t know what it means for the trans community but we suspect that it is much higher.” he said.

Period poverty also impacts women in the workplace, who often have to leave work while menstruating to get access to pads or tampons.

” This is a natural process , it shouldn’t be a barrier to people.”

Adolph along with advocates with the United Way have been addressing Period Poverty through various initiatives like Tampon Tuesday which collects and donates feminine hygiene products for women in need and through their newest initiative Period Promise, which helped play a role in the New Westminster school district’s decision to provide free menstrual products in schools in an open non-judgemental format .

Adolph says that since the movement took flight they have been seeing wide-spread interest in other areas of the province, including the North Okanagan .

“As the news from New Westminster has spread, our partners in the Okanagan and the Kootenays tell me they’re excited by the momentum we’re generating. Whether you’re running a Tampon Tuesday campaign, or joining the Period Promise initiative, we’re making a big impact, province-wide.” said Adolph.