College Democrats Hosts Grace Meng: Candid Conversations about Menstruation Equity
By Franchetta Groves
CUA College Democrats hosted Congresswoman Grace Meng to speak on menstruation equity and how it affects young women on September 17 in the Pryzbyla Great Rooms. She first became aware of the struggles many face when a high school junior wrote to Congresswoman Meng, explaining that she and many of her peers lacked access to necessary menstruation products. This leads many young girls to miss school or make products out of makeshift items.
Talking about menstruation can leave people uncomfortable, making it a challenging conversation to have. Individuals do not consider how many young women may struggle to find access to menstruation products needed to deal with this normal bodily function in a hygienic way. This was observed by Gemma Del Carmen, a sophomore politics and psychology major who served as Student Government Association senator last year. She used her voice to sponsor a bill which would require Catholic University to provide menstrual products after noticing the facilities lacked them.
After doing some research, Gemma learned about campuses that are required to provide these products for students, and asked why Catholic University does not provide them. One of the voices who she found inspiration in was Congresswoman Grace Meng from the sixth district in New York.
Menstrual equity was a problem which Meng herself had not deeply considered before she was inspired to propose legislation. She worked under the Obama administration to change regulation which did not allow homeless shelters to use Federal Grants towards the purchase of period products. Meng, and many supporters of this bill, argue that these products are not luxury items and are human rights. She spoke on inspiring everyone to get involved with this issue.
“Anyone can get involved,” Meng said. “(this is) a way to be active, get involved, and make a difference.”
Meng argues that another aspect which can be crucial to making a positive impact is better education in schools. For many, this is something that is not talked about except as “bathroom talk” and in whispers. Acknowledging that this is a normal and healthy process is the first step towards creating solutions to the problems that many face.
Menstruation is a normal bodily function that half the population deals with every single month. For young women, it becomes just a natural part of life. For those who cannot afford menstrual products, it becomes a hindrance towards their ability to learn, work, and live comfortably. One of the goals of this lecture and presentation from Grace Meng is to further candid conversations on the topic in order to alleviate the issues that arise.
