The I AM Bill
Increasing Access to Menstrual products
No one should have to choose between food, housing, or menstrual products
An Act to Increase Access to Disposable Menstrual Products in Prisons, Homeless Shelters and Public Schools: S.1381 and H.534 (I AM bill). The I AM bill would provide access to free menstrual products to all menstruating individuals in schools, shelters and incarcerated facilities.
This bill, championed by lead sponsors Senator Jehlen, Representative Livingstone and Representative Barber, would ensure access to free menstrual products to all menstruating individuals in incarcerated facilities, homeless shelters and public schools. The bill also contains language to ensure the products are truly accessible without stigmatizing the individual seeking them.
As of October 2023, the I AM Bill was passed out of the Senate Ways and Means Committee and has now been sent to the Senate! We need your help to bring it to a vote this calendar year!
Keep calling your legislators to encourage them to become active champions for the I AM Bill.
Don’t know who your legislators are? Find your legislators!
Founded in 2019, the MA Menstrual Equity Coalition is a group of menstrual activists, advocacy organizations, non-profits, businesses, and public servants who’ve come together to end period poverty statewide. Learn more at mmecoalition.com and join us!
Menstrual Equity Summit
January 2023
Hundreds of activists came together at our Menstrual Equity Summit on Saturday, January 28, 2023 at Northeastern University. Go to our Youtube channel to watch the keynote by Dr. Chris Bobel, a panel on Mobilizing to End Period Poverty moderated by State Senator Liz Miranda and a workshop by Bria Gadsen, co-founder of Love Your Menses, on managing period pain.
Fall River & New Bedford Menstrual Equity Project
Mass NOW in partnership with Fall River Mayor Paul Coogan, United Neighbors of Fall River and the Fall River Coalition Against Period Poverty was awarded a grant in 2022 through the Commonwealth’s Community Empowerment and Reinvestment program to provide free menstrual products & menstrual equity workshops in Fall River schools, shelters and community centers. We partnered to distribute over 30,000 menstrual products, hold menstrual equity workshops and produced a report on what we learned. We’re thrilled to be regranted this year to sustain this work in Fall River and expand to New Bedford. Learn more at mmecoalition.com/fall-river.