Fearless Flow Foundation adds free period products to bathrooms

Lily Stroup, Editor In Chief|May 19, 2022

Lily Stroup

One of the free menstrual product boxes located in the women’s bathroom near the performance hallway. Tampons and pads of various sizes and flow levels are offered inside each container for students to take when needed.

For the first time in the community’s history, free pads and tampons are being offered in select women’s bathrooms around the school.

The Fearless Flow Foundation was started by three senior students, Medha Maroju, Vaishnavi Jagalur, and Varnika Chandra. The trio have worked together all around Michigan to create a conversation about accessible period products for all women and the importance of recognizing and understanding period poverty.

The group has done work in the community, like packaging period product kits and hosting drives for menstrual products. They’ve also worked on the effort to repeal the 6% period tax, which was eliminated in the state of Michigan on Nov. 4.

The Fearless Flow Foundation has provided free menstrual products in five women’s bathrooms as well as the school offices. They obtained these resources through donations, but are looking for a more sustainable way to provide the products. 

“I think it is helpful because a lot of times, you do not have a lot of time in between classes, or there’s a stigma against trying to find period products and having them readily available in the bathrooms is very helpful,”  Senior Elizabeth Hoy said.

The period products are available in the select bathrooms in plastic white containers, including pads and tampons of various sizes. Students are encouraged to take what they need at the time and make sure to leave products for others, as explained by Fearless Flow Foundation on their Instagram.

“The locations include the bathroom leading to the performance arts hall, both bathrooms in the science wing, the bathroom across from O’Leary’s room (#238) near the bridge in the upper old wing, and the room next to Brach’s room (#248) in the upper new wing,” said the Fearless Flow Foundation and school administration via an email sent by secretary Christine Harris to all students and staff.

In order to provide free menstrual products in the bathrooms, donations are being accepted at the Taft Rd. entrance in a box.