NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WVEC) — A student group at Christopher Newport University is trying to start a movement.
Their mission is to achieve what they call 'menstrual equity.'
The student group is called "PERIOD" and they're a CNU chapter of a national organization, bringing together the topics of basic rights and menstrual care.
Group leaders have already built relationships with different organizations for support, and they hope to soon talk funding with leaders to provide free and accessible feminine hygiene products for students.
"We are trying to support equity in menstruation. We are trying to service those in need and provide them with menstrual products," said Alyssa Barnett, a junior at CNU and member of PERIOD. "Initially when you step into a restroom and you find there aren't any menstrual products, it's kind of interesting to me because I feel as if those products are hygienic products, and just as necessary as toilet paper and soap."
"We're trying to boost our petition to get free period products on campus specifically on academic buildings and libraries, on the first floor, starting now," said fellow student and PERIOD at CNU member, Rachel Applebach.
That online petition has more than 350 signatures and counting, calling to put an end to "period poverty and achieve menstrual equity," and soon they hope to get the support of school leaders as well because they see this to be beneficial to all students on campus who use these products.
"We just feel as if periods can be distracting from school. If you don't have anything to use to take care of yourself in the bathroom, then where does that lead you to?" said Barnett.
"That's going to be a step we take next semester is to starting to talk to officials. We're going to reach out to the Dean of Students specifically, meet with him and see what he says, and take that further," said Applebach.
13News Now reached out to CNU officials and they gave us this statement saying:
Christopher Newport University welcomes a conversation about this with our students and student organizations and we welcome their ideas about innovative, effective strategies for meeting this need.
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