Category Archives: Women’s Health

“Roe-bots” at SCOTUS, Courtesy of Aid Access

The organization Aid Access is behind the “Roe-bots” dispensing mifepristone outside the Supreme Court today. Here’s an excerpt from the Aid Access press release: Aid Access, a telemedical abortion service providing abortion pills in all 50 states, in collaboration with … Continue reading

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New UN Report on Female Genital Cutting

A new report by UNICEF estimates that 30 million girls have experienced female genital cutting since 2016. The NYT has coverage here (paywall; sorry).

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An Argument in Favor of Menstrual Leave in India

Bhaghamma G (Mysore) and Prof. (Dr.) Ramesh (Mysore) have posted to SSRN their article Addressing Menstrual Stigma: The Case for Implementing Menstrual Leave as a Legal Provision in India, 5 Indian J. of L. & Legal Research __ (2023). Here … Continue reading

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Which Countries Have Scrapped the Tampon Tax?

Writing for Reuters, author Diana Baptista has a nice summary here. An excerpt: Since Kenya became the first country to scrap VAT on sanitary pads and tampons in 2004, at least 17 countries have followed suit, according to research by … Continue reading

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The Macroeconomic Cost of Menopause? $1.8 bn in the US Alone

There is a new study from the Mayo Clinic, here: Impact of Menopause Symptoms on Women in the Workplace. The NY Times has a nice write-up here (paywall; sorry): Menopause costs American women an estimated $1.8 billion in lost working time … Continue reading

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@MarcSpindelman on Dobbs & State-Level Constitutional Amendments

Marc Spindelman (OSU) has posted to SSRN a version of his essay Countering Dobbs: A Sex Equality Approach by States Could Protect Abortion Rights, and then Some, published earlier this month in the American Prospect (Feb. 21, 2023), here. Here … Continue reading

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Posted in Women's Health | 1 Comment

Is Testosterone the New Frontier of Menopause Treatment?

Depends on who you ask.  Over in the UK, television presenter Davina McCall has been touting its benefits to her. The London Mail has some coverage in an article here. Some excerpts: Topping up testosterone levels can transform a woman’s … Continue reading

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Posted in Women's Health | 1 Comment

States Where Schools Are Required to Provide Menstrual Products

There’s an interactive map over here at Aunt Flo. Some state legislation is more (or less) comprehensive. And in related news, USA Today reports here that the Department of Education is considering making menstrual product provision part of schools’ Title … Continue reading

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Posted in Women and Economics, Women's Health | 1 Comment

How Much Would It Cost to Put “Free” Tampons and Pads in All School Bathrooms in the US? $60 Million a Year

I have previously blogged here, here, and here with speculation about how much it costs for schools to provide “free” menstrual products in bathrooms. Based on actual data from the Cambridge (MA) Public Schools, the figure appears to be approximately … Continue reading

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Did the Pandemic Disrupt Your Period?

You’re not alone. Here’s the abstract for Martina Anto-Ocrah et al., Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)–Related Stress and Menstrual Changes, Obstetrics & Gynecology (October 27, 2022; DOI 10.1097/AOG.0000000000005010). A total of 354 women of reproductive age across the United States completed … Continue reading

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Law Professor Commentary on Proposed Title IX Regs

Law professors are among those commenting on the proposed regulations under Title IX, issued by the Department of Education, Docket #ED-2021-OCR-0166: Nancy Chi Cantalupo & David Super, “Fifty for Fifty” Law Professor Comment on Standard of Evidence (with 50 law … Continue reading

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Privacy Concerns and Period Trackers; Mozilla Takes Notice

The concerns are not new. Michele Gilman (Baltimore) and others have been sounding this alarm for some time now.  (Read Professor Gilman’s important essay, Periods for Profit and Menstrual Surveillance, 41 Colum. J. Gender & Law 100 (2021)  here.) What … Continue reading

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North American Menopause Society 2022 Hormone Therapy Position Statement

The North American Menopause Society has updated its official position on hormone therapy for menopause (also known as hormone replacement therapy or menopause hormone therapy).  Here is the abstract: “The 2022 Hormone Therapy Position Statement of The North American Menopause … Continue reading

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Belgium’s Historic Decriminalization of Sex Work

In her Reuters article, “How COVID-19 helped sex workers in Belgium make history,” (May 31, 2022) writer Joanna Gill accounts for the Belgian Parliament’s groundbreaking decriminalization of sex work. With the law’s recent implementation, Belgium became the first country in … Continue reading

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“What’s In Your Period Product?” New Report by @women4earth

Women’s Voices for the Earth has some answers and lots of questions in a new report of the same name, here. Here are some of the report’s “main findings,” as summarized by WVE (here). Ingredient information is now standard on … Continue reading

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What Universities Don’t Understand About Menopause

From Linda Nordling, Why Menopause Matters in the Academic Workplace, Nature (May 11, 2022): In Australia, where women make up 57% of the higher-education workforce and 78% of the health and social-care sector, a survey last year of menopausal women … Continue reading

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Paudel & Shah on the Relationship Between Menstrual Discrimination and Child Marriage

The Global South Coalition for Dignified Menstruation andRadha Paudel Foundation have published a report by Radha Paudel and Noor Jung Shah, Isn’t Menstrual Discrimination a Driver for Child Marriage. Here is the abstract: This study is undertaken to examine the … Continue reading

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What’s Wrong with the Latest Proposed Federal “Menstrual Products Right to Know Act “

Emily Waldman (Pace) and I have a lot to say about the absence of adequate federal oversight of menstrual products in our forthcoming book, Menstruation Matters: Challenging Law’s Silence on Periods (forthcoming June 21, 2022, NYU Press). We devote an … Continue reading

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#PeriodTok is #MenstrualCapitalism in Disguise (and Period Underwear May Not be as Safe as You Think)

In an article for the New York Times, Menstruation Gets a Gen Z Makeover, writer Pooja Makhijani shines a light on the the stigma-busting, shame-free ways that some young people are talking about menstruation. She writes: Members of Gen Z … Continue reading

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Free Menstrual Products for 141 Middle Schools in Loire, France

Via the podcast Nova, this news of a program in the Loire-Atlantique region of France to make menstrual products available for free in 141 middle schools: Après une expérimentation de plusieurs mois dans quelques établissements, la mesure est étendue sur … Continue reading

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Menopause and the Law: 3 Forthcoming Articles Exploring Intersections of Gender, Age, Disability

Emily Gold Waldman (Pace), Naomi Cahn (UVA) and I have just posted to SSRN three working papers on menopause and the law. We had so much to say that we needed three articles to do it! Here they are: Contextualizing … Continue reading

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Posted in Feminism and Culture, Feminism and Technology, Feminism and the Workplace, Feminist Legal Scholarship, Sexism in the Media, Socioeconomic Class, Women and Economics, Women's Health | Comments Off on Menopause and the Law: 3 Forthcoming Articles Exploring Intersections of Gender, Age, Disability

Toxic Substances in Tampons and Pads Near You (Really Near You)

In a Journal of Women’s Health preprint, researchers at the University of Michigan have published the results of their study of exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in 25 users of tampons and menstrual pads. Here is an excerpt from … Continue reading

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Society for Menstrual Cycle Research “Extra! Extra! Menstruation Research Slam”

On Thursday, August 5, 2021, the Society for Menstrual Cycle Research (SMCR) will host an online mini-conference on menstruation and reproductive health. The program is a showcase of rapid-fire 5 minute oral presentation delivered by SMCR early career researchers, graduate … Continue reading

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Oregon Legislature Passes “Menstrual Dignity Act”

Oregon HB 3294, the Menstrual Dignity Act, passed both houses of the state legislature and now heads to the governor’s desk for signature. The bill provides access to free menstrual products in schools. There’s a short, easy-to-read description of the … Continue reading

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Free Period Products Coming to Public Bathrooms in Santa Clara County, California

In March, the Santa Clara (California) County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to stock half of all public restrooms in county facilities. News coverage here and here. Students at Stanford are now calling on their University to follow suit. See … Continue reading

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Michoacán, Mexico Makes Menstrual Products Free Schools and Requires Menstruation-Related Education

Earlier this year Michoacán became the first state in Mexico to require schools to provide free menstrual products to students and to require menstruation-related education in schools.  The original legislative proposal is here (in Spanish). Additional news coverage is here … Continue reading

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Uruguay’s VAT on Menstrual Products is a Form of Gender Discrimination

Erika Johanna Lara-Vargas has published El Impuesto de Valor Agregado (IVA) en los productos de gestión menstrual en Uruguay: políticas públicas “neutras” al género vs feminismo estatal, in Revista Límbica Vol. II Núm. 2 (2021), ISSN 2718-7241.  Here’s the English-language … Continue reading

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Period Poverty, Menstrual Equity, Menstrual Justice, or Menstrual Health: Naming the Norms That Legal Scholars Seek

If 2015 was the “Year the Period Went Public,” maybe we’re now in the period period,  catamenial decennary, or menstrual age. Whatever words we use, it’s undeniable that menstruation-related issues have gained new traction in public discourse, academic scholarship, workplaces, … Continue reading

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What’s New in FemTech? You Can Find Out for $4,950

A market research company owned by Berkshire Hathaway has published a report called The COVID-19 Pandemic and a Rising Focus on Women’s Untapped Healthcare Needs are Transforming the Global Femtech Solutions Industry. To learn all about this, one needs only … Continue reading

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Findings from the “State of the Period 2021” Report

Thinx and PERIOD, a non-profit menstrual equity organization, has issued its State of the Period 2021 report. This follows up on a similar report issued in 2019. Here are some salient findings, all of which are direct quotes from the … Continue reading

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The SPOT Period: Philadelphia Non-Profit’s “Menstrual Hub” Addresses Period Poverty — It’s an Actual Building!

In February, 2021, the nonprofit organization No More Secrets Mind Body Spirit, Inc., founded by Lynette Medley, opened The SPOT Period, a physical gathering place that offers free menstrual products, menstruation-related counseling and education, a computer lab with three machines.  … Continue reading

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A New Environmentally-Friendly Banana Fiber Menstrual Pad Coming to a Store Near You?

India-based researchers Krishnashree Achuthan, Sharanya Muthupalani, Vysakh Kani Kolil, Anju Bist, Krishna Sreesuthan & Aswathy Sreedevi have published the results of their study: A Novel Banana Fiber Pad for Menstrual Hygiene in India: A Feasibility and Acceptability Study, 21 BMC … Continue reading

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13 Short Symposium Essays in Connection with “Are You There, Law? It’s Me, Menstruation?” @ColumbiaJGL

On April 9/10, 2021, the Columbia Journal of Gender & Law will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the publication of Judy Blume’s book, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret and the 30th anniversary of the journal with a symposium … Continue reading

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Posted in Feminism and Culture, Feminism and the Workplace, Feminist Legal History, Feminist Legal Scholarship, Law Teaching, Race and Racism, Sisters In Other Nations, Socioeconomic Class, Upcoming Conferences, Women and Economics, Women's Health | Comments Off on 13 Short Symposium Essays in Connection with “Are You There, Law? It’s Me, Menstruation?” @ColumbiaJGL

Montclair (NJ) High School Students Prevented from Placing Donated Menstrual Products in School Restrooms

A couple of years ago, students at Montclair High School in Montclair, New Jersey began placing in school bathrooms various menstrual products they gathered through school-wide tampon and pad donation drives. By all accounts, the project seems to have been well-received by teachers … Continue reading

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Making the Case of a Constitutional Right to Menstrual Products for Prisoners and Detainees: Flores v. City of New York (E.D. N.Y. Feb. 19, 2021)

The United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York issued a ruling last week that plaintiff Jennifer Flores can move forward with her suit alleging violations of her constitutional rights by failing to provide her with access … Continue reading

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“Young Australian of the Year” Isobel Marshall Honored for Menstrual Equity Work

Every year in Australia, the non-profit (and government owned) National Australia Day Council gives several awards: Australian of the Year, Senior Australian of the Year, Young Australian of the Year and Australia’s Local Hero. The awards are meant to serve … Continue reading

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Jennifer Weiss-Wolf, “The Fight for Menstrual Equity Continues in 2021”

Jennifer Weiss-Wolf (NYU Brennan Center and Period Equity) has published a new op-ed in Marie Claire. Here’s what she calls “the five menstrual equity policies we should commit to fighting for in 2021:” End the Tampon Tax Across the U.S. … Continue reading

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CFP: Symposium on the COVID Care Crisis and its Implications for Legal Academia

The COVID care crisis and other multiplying effects of related shutdowns, embedded inequalities, and health and safety risks are likely disproportionately impacting people with caregiving responsibilities in academia. The division that separates work from home has collapsed, threatening the very … Continue reading

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New Article: “Period Poverty in a Pandemic: Harnessing Law to Achieve Menstrual Equity”

Emily Gold Waldman (Pace) and I have posted to SSRN a draft of our article Period Poverty in a Pandemic: Harnessing Law to Achieve Menstrual Equity, 98 Wash. U. L. Rev. (forthcoming 2021). Here is the abstract: Period poverty is … Continue reading

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Remarks of Zelle W. Andrews at Westchester Women’s Agenda Conference at Sarah Lawrence College (circa 2012)

Dr. Zelle Andrews, a graduate of Wheaton College and the University of Hawai’i, had a long career as an organizer and activist.  She served as president of the New York State and Westchester chapters of the National Organization for Women, … Continue reading

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New Book Announcement: Palgrave Handbook of Critical Menstruation Studies

Here is the publisher’s description of the newly-published Palgrave Handbook of Critical Menstruation Studies (Bobel, C., Winkler, I.T., Fahs, B., Hasson, K.A., Kissling, E.A., Roberts, T.-A. eds.) : This open access handbook, the first of its kind, provides a comprehensive … Continue reading

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Greer Donley @PittLaw Receives 2020 @HaubLawatPace Emerging Scholar Award in Women, Gender & Law

Professor Greer Donley of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law has been selected as the winner of 2019-2020 Haub Law Emerging Scholar Award in Women, Gender & Law for her paper Contraceptive Equity: Curing the Sex Discrimination in the … Continue reading

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Signatories Sought for Letter Urging NCBEX to Require All States to Permit Test-Takers to Bring Menstrual Products to Bar Exam

We recently have been made aware that certain state bar examiners – including some administering the exam next week – prohibit people from bringing their own menstrual products to the bar exam.  For the reasons explained below and in the … Continue reading

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Protestors Are Getting Period-Shamed and Mistreated

In an opinion piece for Newsweek, Jennifer Weiss-Wolf (NYU Brennan Center) highlights here the ways that jail officials are withholding menstrual products from detainees, including those arrested in recent protests. Here is an except: Just last week, a New York … Continue reading

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How Much Do “Free” Tampons Cost Schools? $2.48 Per Student Per Year in Cambridge, MA

I have previously speculated (here) about what it would cost for public schools in Yonkers, New York to put menstrual products in the bathrooms of public schools serving students in grades 6 through 12. According to press reports (here), the … Continue reading

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Tampon Shortages in a Pandemic

From the New York Times, this column about hte hoarding of menstrual products in these unsual times.  Here’s an excerpt: Just as the pandemic has disrupted work, school and social routines, so it has disrupted the menstrual supply chain. Those … Continue reading

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Coronavirus Aid Package Would Change Rules on Purchases of #Tampons, Pads

The corona virus aid package before the house contains a provision that would allow flexible spending accounts to be used to pay for menstrual products.  Business Insider has the story (here): The change in law would allow people to pay … Continue reading

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High School Students in Idaho Taking on the Tampon Tax – @MHS_Bobcats

Students at Madison High School in Idaho are taking on the tampon tax. The local newspaper, the Standard Journal, reported here that a group of seniors are proposing solutions as part of their “Project Citizen” work: Adeline Winn, Madison Jensen, … Continue reading

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Utah Poised to Repeal #Tampon Tax

Yesterday the Utah legislature passed a bill that will exempt from menstrual products (tampons, pads, etc.) from state sales tax.  Read more here.

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Johnson, Crawford & Waldman on “Title IX and Menstruation”

Margaret Johnson (Baltimore), Emily Waldman (Pace) and I have posted to SSRN our article Title IX and Menstruation, forthcoming next year in the Harvard J.L. & Gender.  Here is the abstract: “Oh no. Could I borrow a tampon or pad?” … Continue reading

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