As of the 2024-2025 school year, accessibility to menstrual products in Calif. school districts have been increased with new tampon and pad dispensers being placed in women’s and men’s bathrooms due to the Menstrual Equity For All Act.

In previous school years, there have been free menstrual products located in the nurse’s office and small baskets in some of the bathrooms. That said, to make feminine hygiene products more readily available than ever before, the  Menstrual Equity For All Act was passed, supplies are being provided in public schools grades 3 through 12 and community colleges.

Junior Aiva Vasquez shared how the dispensers are a big help and come in handy.

“I have had incidents where I have started my cycle and I needed something right there on hand, and it is super nice to have something right there in the bathroom instead of going to the office and asking someone,” Vasquez said.

Though the overwhelming response has been positive, there have been some setbacks.

Thinking back to the first days of students accessing products from the tin boxes,Vasquez noticed the dispensers were being exploited.

“I saw that pads and tampons were kind of thrown everywhere, which was disappointing to see,” Vasquez said.

Many women across the country experience “period poverty”, or the inability to afford menstrual products. The tampon tax is a contributor to people not being able to afford menstruation products as the tax considers them a luxury raising the price. Free products being implemented will help those going through school who cannot afford feminine hygiene products. Those before who may have had to worry about the price of feminine care products now can attend school stress free.  

Junior Santiago Lee-Baez felt that it was a good idea for the feminine products to be in both boys and girls bathrooms -and that there is lots of diversity at Buena. 

“I think things like that, which are essential, should not have to be a concern for people who are coming here everyday,” Lee-Baez said. 

He felt that overall the Menstrual Equity for all act has had a positive effect on the school.