The Women and Gender Studies Activism class at Binghamton University is announcing to the media that we will be having an open, public speak out in support of Fund Essential Menstruation legislation on December 7th at city hall at 6:30pm during the scheduled city council meeting.. We have written a proposed legislation titled Fund Essential Menstruation (FEM) Hygiene Act 2016. See their Facebook Page for more info.
Our mission statement is as follows: One of the most difficult things about being homeless is being a person who menstruates. There is no single “rulebook” guiding homeless people to the resources they need. Not every person has the privilege of reaching into their purse and grabbing a sanitary napkin. Without access to these sanitary items, they are susceptible to a range of health challenges including, but not limited to, yeast and bacterial infections and toxic shock syndrome.
Therefore, we are proposing legislation entitled, Fund Essential Menstruation (FEM) Hygiene Products Act 2016, requiring the city of Binghamton to provide feminine menstrual products in all city owned public facilities. Menstrual hygiene products should be included alongside the other sanitary items currently provided by the city of Binghamton in its public facilities.
If Binghamton City Council passes this legislation, we will be one of the first cities in the country to provide sanitary items for free.