The Women’s Center plans to put free menstrual products in GC restrooms
Caroline Chadwick | Reporter
Women’s Center Director Jennifer Graham March 17, 2021.
(Milledgeville, Ga) — The Women’s Center is working on a project called “Menstruation Station,” which will have free menstrual products for the students and faculty who need them.
“We are going to prioritize all of the gender-neutral restrooms,” said Jennifer Graham, Director of the Women’s Center. “As well as selected women’s restrooms across campus like high impact kind of library, MSU, Arts and Sciences, all the academic buildings.”
The project started early last year, but they ran into some difficulties. “We had just gotten to the point where we were ready to start buying things and really start rolling things out when COVID hit,” said Graham.
Despite the initial setback, Women's Center staff say the plan is moving ahead, and they’ve ordered the items along with their custom bins. The organization plans to advertise the new initiative with custom signs.
Now students won’t have to worry about having to find products when away from home. This relates to the students who live at West Campus or off-campus housing.
“I am really excited about the free menstrual products,” GC Freshman Renata Ocampo said. “Because now, when I’m in a pinch, I don’t have to go all the way back to West. I can just go get it from the campus bathroom.”
The Women’s Center said the plan is possible thanks to a partnership with the Student Government Association and university custodial staff.
Graham told WGUR’s Caroline Chadwick custodial staff would play a key role. “If they see a basket that is empty, they’re going to text us too and give us a heads up, so then we have staff who can go and refill those.”
There will also be a website on the Women’s Center and LGBTQ+ programs webpage with a map to each station and a phone number to text when a bin is empty. The “Menstruation Station” is on an honor system where students and faculty only take the products they need. Graham believes that the people who use these products understand the need for them and can be trusted.
Graham expects the “Menstruation Station” to be up and running by the end of the academic year.