Free menstrual products in SUNY Geneseo restrooms

Photo courtesy of News Editor, Nikolete Michalkow

SUNY Geneseo has recently put in place menstrual products in both gender neutral and women’s bathrooms in partnership with Aunt Flow.

Recently, it has been noted that various campus buildings now offer free menstrual products in both women’s and gender-neutral restrooms. Not only are these products free, but they are stored in a sanitary and organized box, with a sticker stating, “In partnership with Aunt Flow, we offer freely accessible period products in this bathroom.”

In August 2024, in celebration of Women’s Equality Day, New York Senator Michelle Hinchey announced that Governor Kathy Hochul had signed into law her bill requiring colleges and universities to provide free menstrual products in campus restrooms.

According to nysenate.gov, Hinchey stated, “Menstrual products are a fundamental health necessity, and no one should be held back in school, work, or life because they can’t afford or access them. I’m incredibly proud that our bill making menstrual products available for free in all SUNY and CUNY restrooms has been signed into law. This legislation is a huge step forward in our fight to end period poverty, reduce the financial stress and stigma often surrounding menstruation, and bring us closer to true equity and dignity for people who menstruate. I thank Governor Hochul for signing this important legislation on Women’s Equality Day.”

While this is a significant step forward, it appears that it took SUNY Geneseo some time to implement free menstrual products in both women’s and gender-neutral restrooms. 

One might question: If the bill was signed into law in August of last year, why did it take until late March for SUNY Geneseo to provide these menstrual products in a sanitary manner? Furthermore, one could also ask why it took a bill from the Senate to make free menstrual products available in restrooms when they should have been freely accessible.

To highlight the issue of period poverty affecting the nation, nysenate.gov reports that one in five college students face period poverty and that “almost 50% of college students surveyed have struggled to obtain menstrual supplies due to cost.”

This isn't the first time SUNY and CUNY schools have heard about the struggles college students face during their menstrual cycles. Prior to this bill, a petition posted on Nov. 25, 2023, on Change.org described the embarrassment a SUNY Geneseo student felt when they got their period and were unprepared. The student wrote, “Menstruation is a natural process that half the population experiences, yet access to menstrual products is often overlooked as an essential need. The lack of these products can disrupt our education, cause stress, and even lead to health issues.”

The petition received 166 verified signatures, but even those who did not sign or weren’t aware of the petition are likely to share the same concerns, particularly if they’ve experienced being unprepared for their menstrual cycle.

Although some efforts have been made to provide free menstrual products at SUNY Geneseo, such as pads and tampons accessible through small bins or containers on counters, a system like the one now in place through Aunt Flow has seemingly never been implemented.

SUNY and CUNY administrators and directors need to look closely at what students may be struggling with during their menstrual cycles and take action sooner. For example, it took two years for the petitioner’s request to be fulfilled, and even then, it was through a bill from the Senate, not directly through their petition.