Have you ever needed immediate access to feminine products while using the restroom? If you find yourself at Bellows Free Academy when something like this happens, you are out of luck. 

In all of the women’s restrooms at BFA, the feminine product dispenser is empty or nonfunctional. For females, this can be a big barrier in seeking necessary products while menstruating. 

According to nea.org, 86% of women said they did not have supplies when they unexpectedly started their period. Similarly, 79% of women had to improvise using toilet paper or something else. 

When asked about the lack of feminine products Alayna Carpenter (‘23) said “If there are free condoms available in the nurse’s office, why can’t there be free tampons in the bathroom?” 

Although feminine products are available in the health offices free of charge, Ashley Seymour (‘22) described the situation as “inconvenient.” She said, “it isn’t very practical to walk all the way to a nurse’s office when you unexpectedly start your period.”

According to nea.org, Kerry Stahl, a high school teacher in Delaware keeps a stash of feminine products in her classroom so students don’t have to “trek to the nurse’s office.”

When asked why feminine products are not available in BFA’s restrooms, BFA’s Kathleen (Katie) Deal, “nobody has really thought about the inconvenience.” 

The question remains if BFA will help to break this barrier for menstruating females.