We interview a social worker, Mary Coyle, who helps people on Rikers Island get products to manage their period. We asked her many questions about what is allowed to be used and how they access to products.
Mary Coyle helping Rikers Island
by Io
Jennifer Gone Public
by Io
Jennifer Weiss-Wolf came to talk to our class about her book, Periods Gone Public – Taking a Stand for Menstrual Equity. She told us about how she came to realize that menstruation was an issue, she saw it on a Facebook post. She told us about her struggles in changing the taboo, people thought periods were “gross”. And she told us about how we can make a change, talk openly about periods because it’s not something to be ashamed of. She was so inspiring to our group because she used her book to spread awareness about such an unspoken topic. That is what we are trying to do for our school. Afterwards, we interviewed her privately (with our group only) asked her questions like people she knows in the field, her new book coming out (Period: Twelve Voices Tell The Bloody Truth), and we asked her about one of her personal period stories.
Period Con Party!
by Io
we met with Sarah at Ramscale Studio for the first Period Con in history after a night at Olivia’s house. Zoe, Jemma, Olivia, and I all met will many inspiring people including Assembly Member Linda B. Rosenthal, Carinne Chambers (Founder and CEO of DivaCup International), Nadya Okamoto (Founder & Executive Director of PERIOD. The Menstrual Movement), Ingrid Nilsen (Lifestyle Expert and Online Video Personality), U.S. Congresswoman Grace Meng, Nicole Cushman (Executive Director of Answer), Alma Gottlieb (Cultural Anthropologist), Damaris Lewis(Top Model and CEO of Gorudo Candles), David Linton (Co-Editor for the Society of Menstrual Cycle Research), Elizabeth Yuko (Health & Sex Editor at SheKnows), Eudora Olsen (PERIOD Programs Director), Alison Nakamura Netter (Chief Communications Officer of ZanaAfrica), Alaina Wayland (Educator in Buffalo, NY), Sarah Hillware (Founder and Executive of Girls Health Ed), Mari Malek (Model),Tracy Puhl (CEO – GladRags), Kenneth Alvandi (CEO – Maxim Hygiene), Siobhan Lonergan (VP of Brand for Thinx), Cathy Chapman (President of Lunette Cup), Cass Clemmer (Creator of Toni the Tampon), Jax Gonzalez (Ph.D. Student and Gender Studies Scholar), Mason Pierce (President of Portland Menstrual Society), Claire Coder (Founder and CEO of Aunt Flow), and Nancy Kramer (Founder of Free the Tampons). We heard panels from Menstrual Educators to people taking actions. One thing that I learned is how we should not use names such as “feminine hygiene products” because first of all, it’s not just women who use these menstrual products but anyone who menstruates. Second of all, the word “hygiene” sounds like it’s cleaning something dirty but Periods should not be seen as dirty, they should be seen as care products. Ingrid Nilsen (Lifestyle Expert and Online Video Personality) was one of the speakers that brought this to our attention, “… and not using terminology like feminine products because that’s just outdated and I think using language that actually captured what it is that we’re talking about, using the words that represent these actual products, so instead of saying feminine hygiene products, saying tampon or pad or menstrual cup, what ever it happens to be, say what it is. That within itself can be really huge,”
Changing The Taboo In City Hall
by Io
We visited City Hall to meet with the Commission on Gender Equity, Sara Shoener. We asked questions like if she knew about the tampon tax and if she knew why not to say the phrase “feminine hygiene products”.
History Of Periods With Liliana Tandon
by Io
We interviewed Liliana Tandon, the founder of Period Piece. Period Piece is a website with short clips of people getting their period throughout history and how the reaction to menstruation changed in time. Liliana and her friends made it not thinking that it was such a big issue, but made an impact and brought the attention to Cosmopolitan, Seventeen, Women’s Health, Marie Claire France, India Today, and many more. We asked Ms. Tandon questions like why she made the site and how it affected people who don’t menstruate in her life. For example, “Did they feel comfortable helping her with the videos?” or “Did they willingly act in the clips?”
Ingrid’s Impact
by Io
We interviewed Ingird Nilsen about her opinion and experience as an activist for menstrual equity. We had met with her at Period Con and set up an interview after listening to her, as the keynote speaker.
