Ep 11: The Girl Flo Project

I have two guests with me today to talk about something that some people might feel uncomfortable discussing, but we are NOT afraid to talk about it. This is a problem solving show, and we are going to solve some problems here today.

I’d like to welcome Amaya Waymon, a high school student at Rickards High School. Amaya is the founder of the Girl Flo Project, which aims to end the problem of period poverty, that is the lack of access to sanitary products in schools and throughout the community. We’re going to hear about the inspiration for her work, some of the challenges she has faced, and how we can help. Welcome, Amaya!

Also joining us is Dana Brooks, a partner with Fasig Brooks law firm, who heard about Amaya’s project and wanted to support her. In fact, she feels so strongly about the rights of women to have access to hygiene products that she sued the governor of Florida in 2017 to remove the luxury tax hygiene products  which resulted in a change of the law.  We’re going to talk about how women can work together to make sure everyone has what they need. Welcome, Dana.

The School of Public Health at the University of Michigan shares that 1 in 5 girls miss school due to lack of menstrual products, because they are not able to afford pads, tampons, or liners. Instead, many people are forced to use items like rags, paper towels, toilet paper, or cardboard. Others ration sanitary products by using them for extended amounts of time. If this has you squirming in your seat, good. It should. Because everyone deserves to be able to menstruate with dignity. 

Period poverty encompasses not only this lack of access to products, but also inadequate access to toilets, hand washing receptacles, and hygienic waste management.

The reason this public health crisis is yet to be addressed is largely due to stigma and shame. Amaya, Dana, and countless others agree that access to menstrual products is a right, and feeling clean, confident, and capable during one’s period is a necessity. Today we are going to explore how they’re addressing the problem, and share how you can be a problem solver with three tips for smart activism.

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