20220302-002d: Recommendations for Menstrual Equity — original pdf

Recommendation

COMMISSION FOR WOMEN RECOMMENDATION 20220302-02d: Recommendations for Menstrual Equity Date: March 2, 2022 Subject: Menstrual Equity Motioned By: Rebecca Austen Seconded By: Flannery Bope Recommendation to Council WHEREAS, the Commission for Women (“Commission”) of the City of Austin (“City”) serves as an advisory body that advocates for and inspires the City Council (“Council”) and City Manager to prioritize women’s quality of life, so that Austin becomes the most equitable city in the nation for women and girls; and WHEREAS, the average woman has her period for 2,535 days of her life, which is about seven years, and will spend about $18,000 on menstrual products. Tampons and pads are subject to sales tax and not covered by food stamps. For women below the poverty line, this means they may go without menstrual products, which may lead to missed work and school; and WHEREAS, to create equity for menstruating individuals, there is a growing movement to provide menstrual hygiene products in schools and workplaces for free; and WHEREAS, the commission requested, via recommendation 20190814-0303 on July 10, 2019, funding be put in place for the development and enactment of a menstrual equity program in all City facilities, and worked with Austin Public Health to launch a menstrual equity pilot program at several City facilities, WHEREAS, in 2019 Austin Public Health conducted a pilot project to distribute menstrual supplies to Austin residents via neighborhood centers, health centers, and other City facilities, and one outcome was that 72% of those receiving supplies saying it enabled them to not miss school. 1 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, the Commission for Women recommends for the FY2022-2023 budget: The City of Austin should allocate funding to Austin Public Health to distribute menstrual hygiene supplies, and implement the lessons learned from the 2019 pilot project. Date of Approval: March 2, 2022 Record of the vote: Unanimous on a 7-0 vote, with two commissioners absent. Attest: Jonathan Babiak Jonathan Babiak, Staff Liaison 2