NEWS COMMENTARY: Period product dispensers help West Essex achieve menstrual equity

Menstrual product dispensers were installed in the school bathrooms in October after over a year of advocacy from students. Access to free and clean menstrual products is a vital step toward achieving menstrual equity and ending the stigma around periods, and fully stocked dispensers are a large step toward that progress for West Essex. 

Members of the administration said they are proud of the decision to add these products in school restrooms and are happy the dispensers have finally been installed. 

“[The students] brought to light a situation that we were not aware of,” Assistant Principal Kimberly Westervelt said. “The students spoke, we listened and helped to make it happen.” 

Many students have helped to work toward achieving this goal, communicating with the administration about the importance of the availability of menstrual products. 

“I want to say thank you to [students] for coming forward and bringing this to our attention,” Westervelt said. “I do think something we are trying to do more of here at this school is listen to the student voice and listen to what is needed, and this is a prime example.” 

The Women’s Empowerment Club has been advocating for these dispensers for over a year and understands their importance, even beyond the realm of the school. Club adviser and history teacher Caroline Blanchard said she’s proud of members for helping make this change happen. 

“The Women’s Empowerment Club was absolutely essential,” Blanchard said. “They opened up the administration’s eyes to the need for it, and then the administration acted on that.”

Hailey Levenberg, vice president of the Women’s Empowerment Club, said she believes the dispensers hold an importance for all students overall.

“They enable women to feel empowered in their own bodies,” she said. “They make us feel like it is okay to want change to happen and that we have the power to do something in our community.”

The Women’s Empowerment Club is holding a period product donation drive and held a ribbon cutting on Dec. 6 to celebrate this achievement. They invited school nurse Karen Kinsey and Shara Lekston, secretary to the director of Building & Grounds, as they have all been crucial throughout the process. 

Lekston was in charge of ordering the products in addition to the communication between the school and vendors. After the first batch of machines were continuously getting jammed and the second batch was put on back order, the new, working dispensers were finally installed. Lekston said she understands the importance of the work she has been doing for over a year, acknowledging its impact on students. 

“I think it’s a great idea,” she said. “Periods are never talked about. They’re taboo, but it’s important; it’s a part of life.”

The menstrual products can be found in all of the girls’ bathrooms, and should be replenished by staff and checked every night to ensure they are full.  

The administration has taken a huge step toward ending the stigma around periods and instilling in students the importance of ensuring everyone has access to free menstrual products. But, this is not the end. It’s vital for all members of the public to continue working toward menstrual equity and access to hygeine products for all people.