Menstruation Has Its Moment in New York, Legislatively Speaking

Many New York politicians are catching the red wave — a movement to bring menstruation into the open and make tampons and sanitary pads as affordable and accessible as possible.

City Council Member Julissa Ferreras-Copeland (D-Queens) recently introduced bills that would provide free sanitary supplies in schools, homeless shelters and prisons. Council speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito backs the bill, and the mayor has expressed support for the cause.

On the state level, Assembly Member Linda Rosenthal (D-Manhattan) proposed re-classifying pads and tampons so they’re tax-exempt, like many other items on pharmacy shelves, including bandages, swabs and contraceptives. Her bill passed both houses of the legislature and awaits the signature of Gov. Andrew Cuomo, whose media representative has spoken positively about it.

And Congresswoman Grace Meng (D-Queens) wants the I.R.S. to make feminine hygiene products eligible for purchase with pre-tax Flexible Spending Accounts. Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (D-Manhattan) is asking the National Institutes of Health to research the safety of certain fibers and chemicals used in the products.

As is often the case, politics is catching up with pop culture. Although menstruation has been long been a favorite topic among a certain subset of comedians, the last few years have seen a particularly rich bumper crop of cheeky ads and viral videos mocking the hush-hush euphemisms of yore.

All that laughter may be helping advocates get traction.

Five states have eliminated sales tax on pads and tampons: New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Maryland and Minnesota. New York could be next.

“Everyone’s talking about this inequity,” Rosenthal said.

At the High School for Arts and Business in Queens, a simple machine has dispensed free tampons and pads since September.

“It keeps me from missing class, in case I need one,” sophomore Emily Torres said. “I don’t have to worry about accidents. It’s always there if I need it.”

The school is one of 25 around the city piloting the dispensers this school year. Previously, students had to get tampons or pads from the school nurse.

“You go to the nurse’s office when you’re sick,” Ferreras-Copeland said. “These girls aren’t sick. Getting your period just says that you’re healthy.”

Principal Ana Zambrano-Burakov said making it easier for girls to get these products has improved class attendance.

“I have heard sometimes girls stay home because they don’t have the money to buy what they need, and that’s no longer the case,” she said. “I just want girls to stay in school and do well, and we’re going to support them no matter what.”

Rosenthal isn’t sure exactly where the momentum for her proposal came from. When she introduced her bill last year, it got nowhere. Even this year, despite the unanimous support, she said the legislative discussion was awkward for some.

“I used the words ‘period’ and ‘blood’ and they were shifting in their chairs,” she said. “Some couldn’t look at me because I was saying these words.”

As High School for Arts and Business student Ashley Celik might put it: that’s on them. 

“Sometimes when guys overhear us, they’re like, ‘Omigod! Gross! Keep it to yourself!” she said. “Of course we’re going to talk about it. It’s something normal. You shouldn’t be telling us we shouldn’t be talking about it because it’s awkward for you.”