Free Period Supplies Coming to All Santa Clara Co. Restrooms

Santa Clara County has taken a stand for menstrual equity, approving a plan to stock restrooms in in all county facilities with free period products.

The referral approved unanimously by the Board of Supervisors Tuesday covers public and employee bathrooms of all genders at county facilities, “just as there are free paper towels and toilet paper,” Supervisor Cindy Chavez explained in a news release.

“Menstrual equity is equal access to hygiene products,” said Chavez, who pitched the idea. “Hygiene products, including menstrual products are a necessity. Much like soap and toilet paper, if we did not have those readily and freely available, we would be facing serious health consequences. There shouldn’t be any shame or stigma attached to menstruating or period products. It’s a natural bodily function.”

Supervisors in December had allocated $1 million to provide period products to disadvantaged communities during the pandemic. The move came after the county identified more than 63,000 people as experiencing “period poverty,” referring to people who cannot afford period products and other necessities.

The board also voted to support a bill by Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia (D-Downey) that would offer free access to period products in public schools, community colleges, state college campuses and state and municipal buildings.

16 Comments

  1. Sound good but not for those who don’t go to county buildings. How are those women get free product. To me it sounds like the county managers found a way not to pay for their own menstrual products.

  2. I worked for a company a number of years ago that started putting free menstrual supplies in the women’s restrooms, and they had to discontinue it because a few people were stealing all the supplies. One employee was caught leaving with multiple boxes of tampons that she took out the unlocked supply cabinet.

    This is why we can’t have nice things!

  3. Long ago, when I used to clean restrooms, including the women’s room, tampons were sold for like 25-50 cents. I can’t imagine that it is much more now. To say that so many cannot afford even this modest amount is stretching the truth a bit. The only outcome of this is that people will grab more than they can possibly use.

  4. “covers public and employee bathrooms of all genders”. So Period products will be placed in Mens restrooms. Insane. There are two sexes…XX and XY. Same for gender. If there are a gazillion genders, there is no gender. It becomes meaningless.

  5. So why are we stopping at pads and tampons? What about diapers, condoms for the guys, Viagra for the older guys and Depends for the incontinent. I mean come on folks, just get with the times. This is the age of everything goes. And hey, the ladies that decide today they want to be a boy what about them? Better put the supplies in the boys room too.
    In all seriousness, this is the most ridiculous thing in the world but then again, it is Santa Cara County and California. Those folks are all waked out of their minds.

  6. Though a component of nature’s reproductive scheme experienced by biological females, what the county has done is to make menstruation a budget item. But what is it about menstruation that qualifies it for this consideration, as opposed to, say, condoms for men (erections being also a natural reproductive component)? If one is worthy of tax dollars why not the other? Understand, this is merely a question, as I am wholly ignorant of the county’s current policy on genitalia or how it fits into the general plan.

  7. Id take a bit of a contrarian take then the rest of the commenters here. If you out and about and get in a situation which you are without, access to product seems like a good idea for you and frankly for my benefit as well. But if we want a world without menstruation mishaps, we should also protect the public from urination demonstrations as well. Depends is a must.

    However, I would not put anything in such a vulnerable place that ever resided in a public California restroom unattended, do so at your peril.

  8. The county is moving in the right direction by doing this. Period products should be free and easily accessible for all women. Of course there are ignorant men coming on here saying they should get free condoms and viagra. Those are not the same as period products. The federal government is already subsidizing your viagra.

  9. “If there are a gazillion genders, there is no gender.”

    That includes terms like “non-binary.” (Is there a Sliding Scale?)

    What clever critics should do is progressively remove the absorbent material in successively larger amounts from a set of tampons and place a sign with them saying something about choosing which kind based on how female you are.

  10. “But what is it about menstruation that qualifies it for this consideration, as opposed to, say, condoms for men (erections being also a natural reproductive component)? If one is worthy of tax dollars why not the other?”

    True privilege, again conferred by farther-leftists

  11. (and That Liberal Hypocrisy, Again™, you could argue — as “free” female birth control would be provided, not “free” condoms)

  12. Since I am a man, I didn’t feel qualified to comment on this topic. So, I asked my wife how she felt about the County spending a million dollars on period equity.

    Her response was, “On the two or three times when I was foolish enough not to have something in my desk or purse, I merely made a pad from toilet paper.” She then looked at me and said, “You’re kidding, right? How stupid do you think women are?” I didn’t answer.

  13. How about snacks and juices for people who are hypoglycemic?

    We need to expand our thinking here, people. Let’s go big on toilet issues. What about hemorrhoid cream? Men need this supplied in public restrooms because unlike womxn, men don’t have purses to carry their hygiene products in. Think of the shame men would endure if they have to carry a tube of hemorrhoid cream to the bathroom. Would you shake hands with that guy? And, if they forget to bring their own, they have to suffer in silence without treatment.

    Besides, we need to support our supercilious Supervisors’ search for resume filling silliness.

    It is surprising to me that more women are not upset with these types of patronizing gestures, which, in my view, diminish womxn by suggesting that they can’t even take care of their basic needs.

    Oh, and another thing, let’s get rid of all urinals. They are just so last century and since womxn can’t use them, they are little more than a sexist vestigial homage to toxic masculinity.

  14. “What about hemorrhoid cream? Men need this supplied in public restrooms because unlike womxn, men don’t have purses to carry their hygiene products in.” — HB

    I tend to carry my hemorrhoid cream in the fold of my t-shirt sleeve, like tough guys did their smokes in the fifties. It’s there when I need it, which is great, but I worry that if the tube leaks my bicep will shrink.

  15. I can’t believe that some of the sorority sisters (both male and female) who have labored for years in the word processing mines didn’t jump on me for my heartless and cruel posts.

    The Left just doesn’t seem to be as offended about this issue as one would have hoped. Was no one triggered?

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