Recent Controversy Over Feminine Products Hits All Time High

By Madeline Abel

There has been a lot of controversy surrounding feminine products lately due to a new law passed in California. The law says that all public schools from grades 6-12 must provide free feminine care products in half of the bathrooms on campus. This is mainly due to the number of low income families that send their children to school every day without supplies they need to get them through the day.

This new law states that feminine hygiene products are a health care necessity and not an item that can be foregone or substituted easily. According to the Washington Post, access to feminine hygiene products is a serious and ongoing need. When students do not have access to affordable feminine hygiene products, they may miss multiple days of school every month.When students have access to quality feminine hygiene products, they are able to go on with their daily lives with minimal interruption.

Arizona is trying to pass a bill to give more free feminine products to the prison inmates. Right now, as it stands, each female inmate gets 12 free pads a month. They are not allowed tampons or any other type of hygiene products. Due to this, there is a new bill being considered that would allow each woman an unlimited amount of pads, tampons, cups, and sponges whenever they needed.

When asked about the recent hygiene problems in the prisons, Adrienne Kitcheyan who has served six years in prison says “Bloodstained pants, bartering and begging for pads and tampons was a regular occurrence.”

According to Mayo Clinic, the average menstruation cycle lasts two to seven days and occur every 21 to 35 days. Most feminine care product companies suggest changing one’s pad or tampon every 4 to 6 hours to avoid odor and infection. Therefor, on average, each woman would need around 20 pads or tampons a month to accommodate for their menstrual cycle.

Because the jails only provide female inmates with 12 pads a month, the women who need extra must pay $3.99 for a box of tampons or pads. While this may not seem like a lot of money, it takes 27 hours of labor to earn that much money.