The Baltimore city council has proposed a bill that would put menstrual products in all men’s public restrooms.
Baltimore Councilman Paris Gray sponsored the bill and introduced it at the city council’s bi-monthly meeting, saying it reflects the city’s desire for menstrual equity.
“Access to menstrual products should be as fundamental as access to soap or toilet paper,” Gray said. “It is an essential part of personal hygiene, and yet, for far too many people, these products remain out of reach. Menstrual products are not a luxury. They are a necessity, and the absence of access can create undue stress and hardship.”
The bill would require all city-owned and leased buildings with public restrooms to provide free menstrual products — men’s bathrooms not excluded.
“This includes restrooms and all kinds of facilities, whether they are designated for men, women, family use or single occupancy,” he said, adding that Baltimore will be leading the charge for menstrual equity.
“Cities and municipalities are recognizing the point-importance of free access to menstrual products and Baltimore’s proudly taking this place at the forefront of this critical effort,” he said.
According to Fox News, the bill follows a similar measure taken by the Long Beach Unified School District in California this past February “when it notified parents in an email that all schools containing grades 3 through 12 would have menstrual products in girls bathrooms, all-gender bathrooms, and in at least one boys bathroom”:
The email told parents and caregivers the system is “committed to reducing barriers to learning and fostering a supportive environment for all students.”
The availability of period products in girls bathrooms and at least one boys bathroom is to “ensure that any student who menstruates-including transgender boys and nonbinary students-can access these necessary products with dignity and discretion,” per the email.
In California, the “Menstrual Equality for All Act” was passed in October 2023, and it mandated that changes must be enacted at or before the start of the 2024-25 school year.
This past presidential election, vice presidential candidate Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) earned the nickname “Tampon Tim” for having signed legislation putting menstrual products in boys restrooms.
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