New York, NY--May 26, 2023-- In advance of Menstrual Hygiene Day on May 28th, New York City Council Member Amanda Farias, alongside Council Members De La Rosa, Louis, and Won, joined forces with prominent advocates from CouldYou?, Period Law, Planned Parenthood, and others to host a press conference announcing the introduction of six bills addressing menstrual health. These bills reflect the ongoing commitment of the council member to empower women and eliminate period poverty in the city.
The bills, introduced through a collaborative effort with community organizations and advocates, tackle various aspects of menstrual health and seek to alleviate the challenges faced by women, girls, and other menstruators in accessing affordable and quality menstrual products. The bills target various aspects of menstrual health, including accessibility in schools and public facilities, tax exemption for menstrual products, workplace equity, education, and accessibility for incarcerated individuals.
In their fight to end period poverty, CouldYou? has been advocating for inclusion of the menstrual cup, a cost-effective, healthy, and sustainable period product, in the definition of menstrual products and Council Member Farias’ announcement to change municipal law to include menstrual cups in the definition and in their provision was a significant win.
Christine Garde-Denning, Founder and CEO of CouldYou?, expressed her support for Council Member Farias, saying, "Thank you Council Member Farias for taking this crucial step toward ending period poverty. This is a humanitarian win, an environmental win, and an economic win for New York City. Thank you for hearing us and supporting CouldYou? We are confident that because of your foresight, other cities and states will follow.”
CouldYou? has been distributing the CouldYou? Cup to disadvantaged communities globally to fight period poverty. “Where there is food insecurity, there is period poverty,” said Garde-Denning, “and we have a product that is sustainable, cost-effective, and should be available to those who need it,” she continued. If put into effect, the bill announced today would ensure that in New York, the cup can be included as part of the menstrual hygiene products already provisioned by the city.
"In New York City, we have an opportunity to lead the way in breaking down barriers and promoting equality when it comes to menstruation. I am proud to be introducing this bill package with members of the Women's Caucus, which includes amendments to the administrative code to include menstrual cups in the definition of what our City currently defines as 'feminine hygiene products.' Together, we can create an environment where menstrual equity is not just a dream but a reality, and ensure that no individual is left behind simply because they're on their period. Thank you to CouldYou? for being a fantastic partner in the fight for menstrual equity," said Council Member Amanda Farias.
CouldYou? Advisor Isabel Celeste and CouldYou? Board Member Tracie Hamersley were joined by Ukrainian and American actor, Ivanna Sakhno and Paola Martinez, a CouldYou? Advisor, to support Council Member Amanda Farias in her efforts to address menstrual health. Celeste highlighted the significance of menstrual cups in addressing period poverty, stating, "One menstrual cup provides 10 years of use” and calling attention to the dilemma many women face having to choose between buying food or menstrual products, a problem that can be alleviated with access to the menstrual cup.
“This is an exciting first step, but we know it is just the beginning,” said Garde-Denning. Impressed by New Jersey’s The Flow Initiative, CouldYou? hopes to see similar change in New Jersey where Eiko La Boria has worked closely with Assemblywoman Shanique Speight and Assemblywoman Angela McKnight to push forward groundbreaking menstrual health legislation. La Boria founded The Flow Initiative in 2019 and it has become the state’s leading menstrual health organization.
“We can end period poverty by 2040,” said Garde-Denning, “but we can’t do it without the menstrual cup. New York and hopefully soon, New Jersey, will get us closer to that end.” Garde-Denning continued, "Jennifer Weiss-Wolf summed it up well in the press conference when she said that the menstrual cup is a 'common sense solution but no one had thought of it before' and with forward thinkers like Council Member Amanda Farias we are finally changing that narrative."
