Professional Documents
Culture Documents
InSupportofPlacingMenstrualHygieneProductsinHighTraffic
CampusCenters
INTHEUNIVERSITYOFTEXASATAUSTINSTUDENTGOVERNMENT
Authors: REPRESENTATIVEFABIOLABARRETO(CollegeofLiberalArts),CASEYBRENNAN(President,
CommunicationCouncil),REPRESENTATIVEKATARINADELAROSA(CollegeofLiberalArts),
REPRESENTATIVERAPHAELJAQUETTE(CollegeofLiberalArts),JULIAOHANLON(Financial
Director,CommunicationCouncil),JORDEERODRIGUEZ(President,LiberalArtsCouncil;Member,
TexasOrangeJackets),ANDUMAVAIDYANATHAN(Member,TexasOrangeJackets)
Sponsors: SPEAKERMADISONHUERTA(StudentGovernmentAssembly),REPRESENTATIVEKENWOO
KIM(CollegeofLiberalArts),TEXASORANGEJACKETS,ANDREPRESENTATIVEMAHER
RAHMAN(University-Wide)
WHEREAS, TheUniversityofTexasatAustinhasastudentpopulationthatcomprisesof51.1%
females;1and,
WHEREAS, Menstruatingindividualsbegintheirperiodsaroundtheageoftwelve,andenter
menopausearoundtheageoffifty;2and,
WHEREAS, TheTexasConstitution'staxcodedoesnotexemptfemininehygieneproductsfrom
salestaxes,despitethefactthattheyaredeemedmedicallynecessarybymedical
professionals;3and,
WHEREAS, TheNewYorkCityCouncildeemedtamponsasnecessaryastoiletpaper;4and,
1https://www.utexas.edu/about/facts-and-figures
2http://www.huffingtonpost.com/?icid=hjx004
3http://www.dallasnews.com/news/texas-legislature/2016/12/26/texas-lawmakers-want-help-women-removing-tampon-tax-period
4http://www.smh.com.au/world/theyre-as-necessary-as-toilet-paper-new-york-approves-free-tampons-20160623-gpqodv.html
WHEREAS, Tamponsandpadscancostapersonupto$7-$10everymonth,amountingtomore
than$18,000overalifetime;5and,
WHEREAS, 86%ofmenstruatingindividualsarecaughtwithoutneededsuppliesinpublic;6and,
WHEREAS, Femininehygieneproductsareamongstthemostrequesteditemsbyhomeless
shelters;7and,
WHEREAS, MenstruatingpeoplebecomesusceptibletoToxicShockSyndrome,apotentially
deadlydisease,iftheydonotchangetheirtamponeveryfourtosixhours8;and,
WHEREAS, Morethanathirdofallcasesoftoxicshockinvolvemenstruatingindividualsunder
theageofnineteen;9and,
WHEREAS, [Menstruatingindividuals]riskfindingthemselvesinasituationwheretheylose
theirdignityandfeelhumiliatedbecauseoftheconsequencesofnothavingaccessto
whattheyneed;10and,
WHEREAS, Menstruatingindividualsoftentimesmissschoolbecausetheydonothavemenstrual
productsandendureembarrassmentandbullyingbecauseofthestigmasurrounding
menstruation;11and,
WHEREAS, TheUniversityofArizona,ColumbiaUniversity,ReedCollege,andtheUniversityof
Minnesota,amongothers,havelaunchedprogramstoprovideaccessiblemenstrual
hygieneproductsoncampus;12and,
WHEREAS, StudentattendanceinNewYorkCityschoolsactuallyincreasedby2.4percentafter
NewYorkCitypassedlegislationinJulytoprovidefreemenstrualproductsinall
publicschools;13andtherefore,
BEITRESOLVED,ThattheSenateofCollegeCouncilsandUTStudentGovernment,along
withtheirrespectiveassemblies,supporttheplacementofmenstrualhygiene
5http://www.kvue.com/mb/news/college-students-are-demanding-free-tampons-on-campus/382454108
6http://www.kvue.com/mb/news/college-students-are-demanding-free-tampons-on-campus/382454108
7http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/08/25/the-fight-to-give-homeless-women-a-dignified-period.html
8http://www.webmd.com/women/guide/understanding-toxic-shock-syndrome-basics#1
9http://www.webmd.com/women/guide/understanding-toxic-shock-syndrome-basics#1
10http://college.usatoday.com/2017/01/04/college-students-are-demanding-free-tampons-on-campus/
11http://www.kvue.com/mb/news/college-students-are-demanding-free-tampons-on-campus/382454108
12http://college.usatoday.com/2017/01/04/college-students-are-demanding-free-tampons-on-campus/
13http://college.usatoday.com/2017/01/04/college-students-are-demanding-free-tampons-on-campus/
productsinmajorbuildingsacrossTheUniversityofTexasatAustin(including,
butnotlimitedto:Perry-CastaedaLibrary,EngineeringTeachingCenterII,Dell
MedicalSchool-HealthLearningBuilding);andtherefore,
BEITFURTHERRESOLVED,ThatStudentGovernmentandtheSenateofCollegeCouncils
supportcampus-widemeasurestomaintainandfundthedistributionofmenstrual
hygieneproducts;andtherefore,
BEITFURTHERRESOLVED,TheWomensResourceAgencyofUTStudentGovernment
coordinatewiththeGenderandSexualityCenter,TexasOrangeJackets,Texas
Blazers,andtheSenateofCollegeCouncilstoannuallysustainthecollectionand
distributionofmenstrualhygieneproducts;andtherefore,
BEITFURTHERRESOLVED,ThattheOfficeoftheDeanofStudentsandUniversityHealth
Servicescontributetothisinitiativethroughcontinuedfundinganddistributionof
menstrualhygieneproductsinhightrafficcampuscenters;andtherefore,beit
further,
BEITFURTHERRESOLVED,ThatacopyofthisresolutionbesenttotheMr.Gregory
Fenves,PresidentofTheUniversityofTexasatAustin;Dr.SonciaReagins-Lilly,
DeanofStudents;LizElsen,InterimDirectoroftheGenderandSexualityCenter;
GeoffreyR.Bahre,BuildingManagerofthePerry-CastanedaLibrary;TriciaBerry,
WomeninEngineeringProgramCoordinator;andTheDailyTexan.