We are college students with the Massachusetts Menstrual Equity Coalition Student Sub-Committee who are calling for YOUR support in passing the I AM Bill: An Act to Increase Access to Disposable Menstrual Products in Prisons, Homeless Shelters, and Public Schools (H. 534/S.2491). This bill would provide free menstrual products to all menstruating individuals in schools, shelters, and incarcerated facilities.

Menstrual products are not a luxury. Over half of the world's population menstruates and yet access to menstrual products is still scarce in many parts of the world, including Massachusetts. It's unjust to force menstruators to choose between a meal, shelter, clothing, or menstrual products– and it's our job to help change that reality.

The I AM Bill is integral to changing the narrative around menstruation. Some reasons the (H. 534/S.2491) I AM Bill is important to us are:

• Over half of Massachusetts school nurses have witnessed students forced to miss class to get menstrual products (Mass NOW 2019 State of Menstrual Access Survey)
• Menstrual products can cost families more than $200 per person, per year (Sam Bleiweis at 7 News)
• The federal government does not currently allow food stamps to be used to pay for menstrual products, meaning menstruators don't have a subsidized way to access products (Massachusetts SNAP Program)
• Massachusetts shelters report menstrual products are among the least donated items to homeless shelters, meaning unhoused menstruators are actively deprived of products (Mass NOW 2019 State of Menstrual Access Survey)

So what will the (H. 534/S.2491) I AM Bill do for menstruators in Massachusetts? It will make menstrual products accessible to people across the state and fundamentally change the lives of menstruators.

Specifically, the (H. 534/S.2491) I AM Bill will:

• Access to FREE menstrual products in public schools, homeless shelters, prisons, and county jails
• Relieve menstruators from the stress of choosing between shelter, food, or menstrual products
• The I AM Bill has unanimously passed in the Senate for the second consecutive legislative session. This time, we need YOUR HELP bringing the I AM Bill: An Act to Increase Access to Disposable Menstrual Products in Prisons, Homeless Shelters, and Public Schools (H. 534/S.2491), to a vote in the Massachusetts Senate.

As college students, we have seen firsthand how period poverty can affect and limit educational opportunities for menstruators. As activists, students, and menstruators ourselves, we stand against menstrual inequity and continue to advocate for all college campuses to supply students with free menstrual products.

For more information, please contact (H. 534/S.2491) I AM Bill lead sponsors Senator Jehlen and Representatives Livingstone and Barber for more information. Alternatively, contact Mass NOW Executive Director Sasha Goodfriend at sasha@massnow.org for more information.

Join us in our fight for menstrual equity and equal rights for all menstruators. 

Sincerely,
Massachusetts Menstrual Equity Coalition Student Sub-Committee