(QueensPost)
April 15, 2020 By Christian Murray
New York City has set up meal hubs at schools across the five boroughs and now several Queens legislators are calling for free feminine products to be available at these locations too.
Assemblywomen Cathy Nolan and Aravella Simotas—along with Congresswomen Carolyn Maloney and Grace Meng—are calling on the Department of Education to provide free feminine hygiene products at the approximately 400 school locations where free meals are being distributed on weekdays from 7:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
The legislators have joined forces with Femstrate, a group formed by students at the Young Women’s Leadership School of Astoria, who are calling on the DOE to make free menstruation products available. The group note that the DOE has already purchased these products and they are currently sitting in supply closets at city schools.
“Our mission is to bring menstrual equality to every school in New York City and beyond,” Femstrate said in a release. “New York City can easily fulfill this promise … by providing period products to those in need.”
Simotas said that it is important that all women can get period products at this time.
“Period poverty affects so many New Yorkers and the ongoing COVID-19 crisis has left many people without incomes, exacerbating the problem,” Simotas said. “Using supplies the city already has and redistributing them to those who need them most is a feasible action that will bring relief to many people who menstruate.”
Nolan said that it was important that access to these products remains available to students and adults during the crisis.
“The need for these supplies does not stop, even when the City has to.”
The founders of Femstrate has set up a GoFundMe page to help sponsor their initiative.
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7 Comments
To David: I own a home in the nabe, sweep the front and gutter, put out the garbage, get smacked with higher taxes, expensive health care, homeless shelters everywhere and a city that is becoming more and more unaffordable on the verge of economic and social collaspe. Since your holed up in your apartment take the time to read a book to your kids and if you want to make it entertaining and interesting you dress up in Drag. No more money to be wasted on BS, including JVB’s ribbon cutting ceremonies like his inauguration of new toilets at PS199 and fund his library Drag story hour. It’s time for JVB to breakout his power washer to blast all the graffiti going up in the neighborhood and earn his keep. The days of our politicians overspending, not saving for that rainy day is over. There is no money, the 1970’s will seem like a cake walk with what is coming. NYC is broke and our country is broken. We are ready for change, enough already!
Do you wealthy ever stop giving away low waged workers earnings to show how woke you are to your friends and relieve yourself of guilt for living such over-privileged lives? We pay taxes just like everyone else. Stop trying to shut down our voices.
LIC Direct- You profess too much about drag queen story hour. I hope you get my drift. We took our kids and they really enjoyed the two books that were read and checked out two related books. It’s entertainment. Maybe you’d be more comfortable in The Jim Crow South
Why must I as a taxpayer pay for feminine hygiene products WHY? Why work, why pay taxes, now with Corona Virus and millions potentially out of work where is the money for Drag Queen story hour? Sunnyside all of a sudden riddled with graffiti all over the place looking more like the beginning of the 1970’s south bronx and the down fall of NYC.
Maybe condoms would be a better idea ! PERIOD POVERTY are you kidding me .
Nothing is free- Trump said the $2 Trillion tax cut was free. Do you low wage non contributors ever stop crying?
How can it be free if the Tax payers are paying for it. Politicians have got to stop saying “FREE” . if they want to give out stuff then do so out of their own post tax salary