A California school district has announced that all public schools containing grades 3 through 12 will have menstrual products in girls’ bathrooms, all-gender bathrooms, and at least one boys’ bathroom. This decision is in response to a California law that previously required the same of all public schools teaching grades 6 through 12, but has now been extended to include schools with grades 3 through 5 as well. The Long Beach Unified School District sent an email to parents, guardians, and caregivers stating that they are committed to reducing barriers to learning and fostering a supportive environment for all students. The availability of period products in various bathrooms is to ensure that all students who menstruate, including transgender boys and nonbinary students, can access these necessary products with dignity and discretion.
The email from the Long Beach Unified School District also requested patience as dispensers are currently being installed in restrooms across school sites, and encouraged families to discuss the appropriate and safe use of period products with their children. The district expressed gratitude for the support in fostering a healthy, equitable, and inclusive learning environment for all students. This initiative is in line with the “Menstrual Equality for All Act,” passed in October 2023, that mandates the stocking of menstrual products in school restrooms for students in grades 3 through 12. The bill specifies that the products must be available and accessible, free of cost, in all women’s restrooms and all-gender restrooms, as well as in at least one men’s restroom.
The text added to the state’s education code when the bill was passed outlines the requirements for stocking menstrual products in school restrooms and states that it is the state legislature’s intent to promote period equity through adequate access to products in schools serving grades 3 through 5. This legislation is part of an effort to ensure that all students have access to necessary menstrual products, regardless of their gender identity. The Long Beach Unified School District, along with other public schools in California, is working to comply with this law by the start of the 2024-2025 school year.
Emerson College has also made strides towards menstrual equality by adding period products to men’s restrooms, meeting demands from a group advocating for equal access to menstrual products. The “Menstrual Equality for All Act” underscores the importance of providing free, accessible menstrual products in schools to support students’ health and well-being. By implementing these changes in school restrooms, California aims to create a more inclusive and supportive environment for all students, ensuring that no one is hindered by menstrual barriers in their education. The Long Beach Unified School District and other districts in the state are taking steps to fulfill these requirements and promote menstrual equity for students across all grade levels.
