In the United States itself, only ⅓ of the female population can afford menstruation products, such as tampons, pads, and much more. Our GirlUp club is here to help with that problem and has opened a drive going from November 6th to November 16th. In this drive, you are able to donate:
pads/tampons
body wash/shampoo/soap bars
hand sanitizer
chapstick
deodorant/shaving razors
toothpaste/toothbrushes
gently used sweaters, jackets, and blankets (for women and children)
** All bottles must be travel-sized **
All these donations can be made in the library, main office, and career center – whichever one is closest and more convenient for you. In the modern world, we have problems with feminine hygiene since they have something called the “pink tax”, which inflates any product targeted at women. Even though California passed a law prohibiting gender-based pricing, many other states in the United States still have the pink tax as an active problem. This just worsens the case for many females who live in poverty because many can't even afford hygiene products to begin with, adding more tax makes buying these necessities even harder.
GirlUp tries to help those in need so if you’re thinking of donating, try to donate before November 16th so you can help make a difference in our community. Here are some Q&A’s with one of our lovely staff, Ms. Colln:
1. What made you start this Drive?
Our club is always looking for ways to empower women and help those in need, so this feminine hygiene drive promoting menstrual health awareness was a perfect way to pair those two things.
2. How can we spread feminine hygiene or hygiene knowledge in general around campus?
The easiest way to help promote feminine hygiene is by helping to destigmatize menstruation. Periods are a part of life and no student on campus should feel ashamed to talk about them or ask to use the restroom to handle those types of issues.
3. How can this hygiene Drive improve Mayfair?
Last year we worked on getting period products available on campus at several key spots for all female students to access when needed. We were successful in that push, so now we've expanded to helping those outside of Mayfair. We'll donate all the collected items to the Alexandria House, a housing center for women and children. This will help us create a climate of care and compassion among students at Mayfair, particularly those who participate in the drive at any level.
4. Why is it important (in your view) to promote feminine hygiene around the world?
Studies show that having open, destigmatized conversations about menstruation helps immensely when it comes to women’s development, along with having the needed products available. Mayfair’s GirlUp wants to be part of a culture that recognizes menstruation as one of our natural, biological processes and not something to feel shame about. We're looking to help create a better world for those who come after us.
Remember to make a difference in your community, so let's go Mayfair Monsoons!!!
Flyers from GirlUp
Cover photo courtesy of Wikipedia Commons
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