What's Behind The Movement For Free Menstrual Supplies?

When Sarah Groustra was a senior at Brookline High School, she wrote an op-ed in her school newspaper about the shame and stigma surrounding menstrual periods. That op-ed was the impetus for Brookline to offer free tampons and pads in all of its town-owned restrooms.

The Boston Public Schools system followed suit last week. It will now provide menstrual supplies to students in sixth grade and above.

Massachusetts is not the first to offer these products for free in public spaces. In 2018, New York required all schools to provide these products. Salt Lake City also will provide free products in public facility restrooms as of last week.

What's behind this movement for free menstrual supplies and where else is it gaining traction?

Sarah Groustra, a former Brookline High School student who graduated in 2018. she wrote an op-ed in her school's newspaper about the shame and stigma surrounding menstrual periods. She's now a rising sophomore at Kenyan College in Ohio.

Jennifer Weiss-Wolf, co-founder of Period Equity and Vice President for Development at the Brennan Center for Justice. She's also the author of "Periods Gone Public." She tweets @jweisswolf.