Addressing Period Poverty and Enhancing Student Life

Abstract

Period poverty, the lack of access to menstrual products and hygienic facilities to use them, impacts 16.9 million menstruators in the United States and often forces people to choose between menstrual products and food (Michel et al., 2022). For our project, we developed recommendations to assist State Senator Robyn Kennedy in addressing the impacts of period poverty on students in Massachusetts. To accomplish this, we conducted 18 interviews with non-profit organizations, public school staff, and Massachusetts legislators. Additionally, we collected 22 survey responses from public school nursing staff and analyzed 26 pieces of legislation. We analyzed and compiled the data gathered through these methods into 10 key findings and 9 actionable recommendations for legislative and community efforts.

Project Sponsors

Massachusetts State Senator Robyn Kennedy, representing the First Worcester District, has been an advocate for menstrual equity throughout her career in public service. Her membership in numerous committees dedicated to this cause underscores her commitment to advancing gender equality.

Bryan Bates is the Legislative Aide for State Senator Robyn Kennedy. He has a Masters in Public Administration from Suffolk University; and a Bachelors in Political Science from Providence College. Prior to working for Senator Kennedy, Bryan has interned at multiple levels of government in Rhode Island and Massachusetts.

Student Researchers

Meet the Team

(From Left to Right)

Patrick O’Brien, working towards a career in fire code consulting. Patrick is passionate about helping ensure that students have easy access to essential period products, because menstruation is a natural part of life, and students should not have to face barriers in managing their health and well-being.

Simon Scott, studying computer science, believes that everyone should have an equal opportunity to learn, no matter the gender.

Elijah Rothschild, pursuing video game development, aims to understand the workings of local government, and eventually incorporate solutions to help as many people as he can.

Tej Melekote, studying industrial engineering, is a transgender man and has experienced menstruation for six years. Having grown up in a rural, low-income area in India, Tej has witnessed the direct effects of period poverty on his relatives and neighbors. This personal connection fuels his determination to find viable solutions.

Project Goal and Objectives

This project aimed to understand the impacts of period poverty on students in Massachusetts and identify effective strategies to mitigate these, thereby enhancing the educational experience and well-being of students affected by period poverty. To achieve this goal we established four objectives:

Objective 1: Understand the impacts of period poverty upon students and level of awareness within schools.

Objective 2: Identify successful strategies employed by organizations to combat period poverty.

Objective 3: Examine the “I AM BILL” and pieces of legislation enacted in other states.

Objective 4: Develop recommendations for legislative and community initiatives.