Gov. Andrew Cuomo just fast-tracked the process to make it possible for you to know what your tampons, pads, or menstrual cups are made of. On Oct. 11, Cuomo signed legislation to make menstrual product packaging more transparent.
According to the (S.2387-B/A.164-B) bill, which is sponsored by Assembly Member Linda Rosenthall, the new ruling will begin within 18 months. The bill will require that each period product in the state of New York has packaging that contains a detailed “plain and conspicuous printed list” of all of the ingredients used.
Hana Shayna Gottlieb, a senior Musical Theatre major, expressed their opinion on Cuomo’s choice to sign the bill and National Period Day, saying, “I think that we have a right to know what we’re putting in our bodies. I’m glad that there’s someone who’s trying to give biological females and intersex folks an option to protect and educate ourselves in a situation that we normally would not have that autonomy.”
Gottlieb continues, “I’m angry a cis-gendered man has to push other cis men to respect biological females and intersex folks with the same respect they’d give to themselves and their colleagues! I’m angry we have to pass a bill to keep our bodies safe from the things we’ve been clueless are damaging our bodies for years. I’m angry we’ve blindly been harming ourselves with bleached cotton and heavily processed products because they wouldn’t make that information available to us. I’m glad someone is looking out. I’m beyond upset we’ve gotten here in the first place.”
Before Cuomo signed this piece of legislature, menstruators did not have complete access to the list of ingredients in their period products. Many see this as a lack of proper healthcare information.
Cuomo signed this bill on International Day of the Girl and just one week before the NYC National Period Day rally occurred on the steps of City Hall on Oct. 19. The National Period Day rally, created by the non-profit organization PERIOD, took place across every state in the nation to call for menstrual equity. The rally on City Hall’s steps across from the University grabbed the attention of students.
Lindsay Varzarevsky, University sophomore, International Business major and National Period Day rally attendee, explained what her experience was like at the rally. “It felt empowering to know that the rally was organized by two high schoolers, and to be surrounded by those who showed support. It shows that even younger girls are acknowledging the injustices against women and all who need access to women’s health products,” Varzarevsky said. “I am fully confident that our age and those under us are going to be the ones to finally do something about this issue.”
The call for menstrual equity is all about recognizing that not all menstruators are female-identifying persons as well as the fact that period products should not be taxed as a luxury product. New York does not have a luxury tax on menstrual products, but that didn’t keep protestors from calling attention to the global issue. While menstrual inequity exists globally, this is a step in a positive direction for menstruators everywhere.
