The S.E Wimberly Library installed free menstrual products in the women’s and gender-neutral bathrooms at the beginning of February as part of bills passed by Student Government on Nov. 18, 2022.

“We want to support our students in any way we can,” wrote Dean of Libraries Linda Golian-Lui in an email. “Removing financial barriers when accessing menstrual products means anyone studying or working at the library can get them when necessary. This important program will positively affect the health and well-being of our community.”

According to Isabella Feaheny, the speaker of the house, she was contacted by the library during her time as the previous library liaison to install menstrual products in the library after they were installed in the Student Union and Campus Recreation. 

“[Menstrual products] expensive, and we’re college students and of course not every college student doesn’t make a lot of money but a lot of us struggle to earn an income because not everyone has parents who support them, I’m fortunate enough to have them and I have an on-campus job but not everyone has that luxury,” Feaheny said. 

The bill was passed during Dylan Hobbs-Fernie’s time as house speaker and was a continuation of previous work that funded menstrual products in Campus Recreation and the Student Union. 

“I think bills like that are important because as a school, our top priority should be student health and student safety,” Hobbs-Fernie said. “And products like that are very key to students of the female gender and those who menstruate so I thought it was always important to provide resources for students.”

Ways and Means Chair Priscila Buono supports the expansion of the program as she has experienced this firsthand. 

“I’ve been in those situations growing up. I didn’t have enough money to buy myself some pads and whenever I went to these public restrooms and everything, I was always so grateful to see that they were able to give those out for free,” Buono said. “And it’s definitely an investment that Student Government has made. We always try to meet the student body’s needs and I think this was a big need that a lot of students really wanted so we’re glad to actually be there for the population.”

Leann Mervilus, speaker pro tempore, states that providing free menstrual products eases economic stress on students due to inflation and the existing sales “pink tax” on menstrual products.  The “pink tax” is the general term for the inflation and sales tax that is specifically targeting hygiene products for women.

“Having them on campus, having that availability takes the stress away from their mindset of trying to buy something that’s a basic need for most people and student government can’t say that we represent the students, that we serve the students if we don’t meet their basic needs first,” Mervilus said. 

Mary Rasura is a staff writer for the University Press. For more information regarding this or other stories, email [email protected] or DM her on Instagram @maryrasura.