Menstrual Equity

As the name implies, GENup’s Menstrual Equity Coalition seeks to end period poverty and guarantee access to menstrual products for all, with a particular emphasis on students within California’s education system.

 

A lack of access to menstrual products has been correlated with not only strong feelings of shame, self-consciousness, and embarrassment, but also with absenteeism and significant performance gaps, especially for students in low-income and marginalized communities. Thus, mitigating the impacts of period poverty on California’s students is crucial to closing the achievement gap and ensuring a quality and comfortable learning environment.

 

The Menstrual Equity Coalition works to achieve its goals by mobilizing GENup members to pass AB 367, by Assemblymember Cristina Garcia, into law. If enacted, AB 367 would increase access to menstrual products by mandating that public schools with students grades 6-12, California State University and community college campuses, and public agency buildings stock at least 50% of bathrooms at all times.

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