NYC Joins ‘Free the Tampon,’ Handing Them Out in Schools, Jails
- The law would affect about 323,000 in schools and shelters
- The stigma causes some girls to skip school, students say
Energizer Holdings Inc. Playtex brand tampons sit on display in a supermarket in Princeton, Illinois, on April 30, 2014.
Photographer: Daniel Acker/BloombergOn the 200-year-old steps of New York’s august, columned City Hall, lawmakers gathered a crowd and shouted "Tampons!" "Panty liners!" "Periods!" in a cheer for demystifying menstruation.
The rally, organized by City Councilwoman Julissa Ferreras-Copeland, came moments before a unanimous vote last week to provide unfettered access to tampons and sanitary pads in schools, foster homes, jails and homeless shelters. Mayor Bill de Blasio, who ran for office with a vow to make the city more affordable, said he intends to sign the bills soon. New York has become the first U.S. city to enlist in the fast-growing worldwide movement to “free the tampon.”