The ladies who luncheon together every Friday at the Bay Club know how to enjoy themselves. They reserve a long row of tables lined end to end and, on days like May 24, they cram as many seats in as they can while sipping blood orange mimosas and chatting, laughing, and celebrating their fortune of friendship. Sometimes they just have lunch and play a favorite game, LCR (Left Center Right), a dice game involving one-dollar bills that can get pretty exciting when you have over a couple dozen players contributing $5 each to the “center” jackpot.
Then there are Fridays like this past one when the group’s ambassador of good will, Wendy Russo, invites them all for a special purpose where one small good deed on behalf of the individual suddenly becomes something much bigger when the ladies converge at the table.
It wasn’t long ago that the purpose of one ladies’ luncheon was to provide baby shower gifts for opioid-addicted newborns born in Southcoast hospitals. A few of those items such as diapers, bottles, and baby booties hadn’t been bought by some of the ladies in quite some time, except for perhaps a new grandchild. This Friday, many of these ladies again found themselves buying products they hadn’t in a while, and they didn’t mind doing it at all. They were products that no woman should ever have to go without, period. Yet, many often do, especially young women still attending school and living in relative poverty.
It’s a problem, one that Russo had never heard of, and neither had the other luncheon ladies. It’s called “period poverty” and it’s a real thing in this world, even in communities we live in or at least visit.
According to Brigit Latham from the YWCA of Southeastern Massachusetts, one in five girls misses school while on her monthly cycle. It’s just easier for them to stay home while having their period than be in school. It’s also a major disruption to the girl’s academic achievement and growth, and the broader impacts of period poverty include risks of depression, anxiety, and physical conditions like toxic shock syndrome from using menstrual products for longer than the recommended stretches of time.
Latham is spearheading a campaign with the Girls Exclusive project at the YWCA called “Justice Flow,” which was started as a result of some of the startling confessions from girls at New Bedford schools. When discussing potential changes at school that might improve the girls’ school experience, one girl told Latham, “I’d love to not have to be charged for pads anymore at the nurse’s station,” Latham said.
“I’ve had to choose between buying a snack or buying a pad,” 12-year-old Jeana reported. Najah, also 12, told Latham, ”Sometimes it’s easier to just stay home when I have my period.”
“I didn’t know this was an issue,” said Latham. “Access to menstrual products is an issue – a human rights issue.”
A pilot program was launched to make menstrual products available for the girls, for free, in designated bathrooms throughout the schools. And it’s working. It even brought some of these girls to the State House in support of a bill that would make menstrual products available at all schools to all girls at no cost.
“These products are not covered by EBT cards, and many of these parents use EBT,” said Latham. “These are families with a household income below $10,000. There’s just not that extra bit to take care of the cost of these products.”
“I just couldn’t believe it when I heard about it,” said Russo.
Russo got a message to the luncheon ladies that for this lunch they were to bring in plain paper bags filled with as many boxes of menstrual products that they could, and they did not disappoint. By the time all the guests arrived and squeezed into their spot at the crowded table, there were thousands of these essential products stacked neatly in paper bags, just as Russo requested.
“This is so fabulous,” said Latham, clearly overwhelmed by the response. “You’re amazing,” she told the group. “I really can’t believe we collected so many in one seating. I’m just speechless.”
The pilot program includes a workshop on menstrual health and hygiene that students and staff are required to take, and members of Justice Flow are also working towards a statewide movement to achieve access to menstrual products for all girls in schools, prisons, and homeless shelters.
Because no girl or women should have to worry about how she’s going to get through another month without supplies, period.
The YWCA is collecting pads and tampons to distribute to the Greater New Bedford Youth Alliance to ensure that not only do girls have access to sanitary products while at school, but also outside of school hours and weekends. Help them end period poverty by donating menstrual products at the YWCA Standish House, 20 South Sixth Street, New Bedford during drop-off hours Monday through Friday 9:00 am – 4:00 pm. You may also contact Jordan Latham at 508-999-3255 or at jlatham@ywcasema.org.
By Jean Perry