WHEREAS, Access to menstrual products is a basic necessity for individuals who menstruate [1], yet it is estimated that 16.9 million menstruating women in the United States live in poverty [2], two-thirds of low-income women in the U.S. reported being unable to afford menstrual products [2], and nearly one in five menstruating U.S. college students are forced to decide between purchasing menstrual products and meeting other personal costs [3], creating barriers to social inclusion, mental health, and participation in education;
WHEREAS, 86% of women have started their periods unexpectedly in public without access to sanitary menstrual hygiene [4], more than 1 in 3 low-income menstruators have reported missing work, school, and other important appointments due to a lack of period supplies [5], and 68.1% of college-aged women reported symptoms consistent with moderate or severe depression from a lack of menstrual product access, claiming to feel embarrassed (47%), ashamed (35%), or depressed (32%) from period poverty in academic settings [6];
WHEREAS, Hispanic ethnicity, low-income status, and lower educational attainment are strong predictors of menstrual product insecurity [7], the largest ethnic group of the 1.9 million California Community College (CCC) students is Hispanic (48%), 54% of CCC students identify as female, 65% of students across the system are classified as Perkins Economically Disadvantaged [8], and 92% of California’s 116 community colleges are considered Hispanic-serving institutions [9], making menstrual equity critical to CCC student success while necessitating immediate action due to relevancy in CCC populations; and
WHEREAS, The California Education Code (Section 35292.6) requires California public schools serving any grades 6-12 to stock free menstrual products in all women’s restrooms, all-gender restrooms, and in at least one men’s restroom, yet California Community Colleges (CCC) are only required to stock one location per campus [10] despite the equity gaps in CCC student populations due to insufficient resources, funding, and policy support; Now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges urge the Chancellor's Office to allocate dedicated funding for the installation and maintenance of menstrual product dispensers in at least one women’s bathroom per building across California community colleges with the aim of providing access to menstrual products in all campus bathrooms;
RESOLVED, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges advocate for state legislators to secure additional funding for menstrual equity initiatives and for policies ensuring consistent availability of free menstrual products on college campuses;
RESOLVED, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges partner with local organizations and nonprofits to raise awareness about menstrual equity and provide workshops or resources to destigmatize menstruation and educate students on available support services; and
RESOLVED, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges conduct annual assessments of menstrual equity initiatives across community colleges to identify gaps, ensure accountability, and recommend best practices for effective implementation.
Citations:
[3]https://www.statista.com/statistics/1424077/us-college-students-period-poverty/#statisticContain er
[4]https://info.primarycare.hms.harvard.edu/perspectives/articles/fight-period-poverty-and-stigma#:
~:text=Access%20to%20menstrual%20hygiene%20products,without%20the%20supplies%20th ey%20need
[6]https://bmcwomenshealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12905-020-01149-5
[7] https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/jwh.2023.0367
[10]https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB367