No-cost menstrual product dispensers promote accessibility on campus
The collaboration among campus organizations works to alleviate period poverty by improving access to menstrual hygiene resources across the Blacksburg campus.
Lacking timely access to menstrual products can be a barrier to effective participation in spaces like higher education. Student Affairs has collaborated to improve access to menstrual products for everyone who uses the Blacksburg campus.
The installation of no-cost menstrual product dispensers last August was a collaborative effort by the Undergraduate Student Senate, Hokie Wellness, the Women's Center at Virginia Tech, Period at Virginia Tech, and Student Affairs. Found in spaces from residence halls to student centers, dispensers give students, faculty, and visitors at Virginia Tech timely, reliable access to products as needed.
"Providing menstrual products to students and making them visibly available helps students feel less alone in their situation," said Jacqueline Hou, president of Period at Virginia Tech. "Having access to these products can really support students' campus life. Menstrual health and the products we associate with it should be taken as a basic necessity."
There are 41 no-cost dispenser locations across the Blacksburg campus, primarily located in residential buildings. Hou said residential placement helps address an increased need for access among on-campus students.
Dispensers also can be found in select dining and student centers, including restrooms in Squires Student Center and the Graduate Life Center.
According to a 2021 study published in BMC Women's Health, over 14 percent of college-aged women had experienced period poverty within the last year. Hou said period poverty is not only being unable to afford or access period products, but using products longer than recommended.
Through Period at Virginia Tech, students have organized efforts to improve access to menstrual hygiene products through product drives, free subscription services, or by placing baskets of products in public bathrooms. However, Hou said some students may feel uncomfortable sharing their need for these services and that materials in public spaces have often been depleted before the organization could supply more.
Hou said the implementation of no-cost dispensers and the diligence of Student Affairs Facilities and Operations in refilling products monthly has been "tremendously helpful for students to have access to a long-term project where they're able to receive products consistently."
Student Affairs Facilities and Operations estimates reflect that over 2,000 period products, or about half of the first round of supplies, have been utilized since the dispensers’ installment in fall semester.
While dispensers fulfill a commitment to improving access to products for the Virginia Tech community, they also work to enhance the visibility of period-related topics.
"Period advocacy starts with education," said Hou. "We try to dispel misconceptions of menstruation and the stigma that comes along with it. It's all a part of promoting women's health — trying to cultivate an understanding of the importance of menstrual hygiene and having access to healthy resources."
To report a dispenser being out of products, submit a work order or call Virginia Tech Facilities at 540-231-1111.
Written by Kyndall Hanson, a senior majoring in multimedia journalism and philosophy, politics, and economics