Mayoral Menstrual Equity Initiative in Boston (+ Organization Plugs!)
Recently, the Mayor of Boston, Michelle Wu, and the Office of Women’s Advancement spearheaded the Menstrual Equity pilot, the goal of which is to offer free menstrual products and educational programs at 6 Boston Public Library branches in Boston. The pads will be supplied by Aunt Flow along with educational programs from Love Your Menses Inc. Aunt Flow, founded by entrepreneur Claire Coder, is a novel solution to ensure businesses and schools could sustainably provide quality period products in bathrooms─free of charge. Likewise, Love Your Menses is a Boston-based non-profit organization that is geared toward providing education and support to both menstruators and non-menstruators, alike.
Free product dispensers will be available at Brighton, Codman Square, East Boston, North End, Mattapan, and Roxbury libraries.
Aunt Flow
While I have prefaced Aunt Flow a bit in the previous paragraph, I will now dive deeper into the actual impact made by the organization, pad by pad, within local bathrooms and beyond. First and foremost, since 2021, the organization has donated a remarkable 6 million plus pads to menstruators in need. The motto of the organization is “By menstruators, for menstruators,” ensuring the highest standard of comfortability and accessibility of products.
Aunt Flow dispensers are made rust-resistant, while other dispensers are usually rusty and dirty. Furthermore, Aunt Flow dispensers hold up to 5x the product and take 30 seconds to refill. Most importantly, the dispensers lack the dreaded coin dispenser, commonly seen in bathrooms. Aunt Flow prides itself on providing convenient, cost-free access to high-quality pads and tampons.
Love Your Menses (LYM)
Love Your Menses is a non-profit organization to meet the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Their priority SDGS are Good Health and Well-Being, Quality Education, Gender Inequality, and Reduced Inequalities. The organization has robust program offerings including 1) FlowTech4Girls, 2)Menstrual Education and Period Distribution, 3) Understanding and Embracing My Flow, 4) LYM One Day Childbirth Education Program, 5) Postpartum Education and Support, 6) Annual Empowerment Events, 7) Sustainable and Empowerment Workshops (S.E.W), 8) SistaDocs, 9) Menstrual & Mental Wellness, and 10) LYM Story Time and Book Club.
Sources:
https://www.boston.gov/news/mayor-wu-and-womens-advancement-announce-launch-menstrual-equity-pilot
