Every day, millions of people rely on New York City’s public bathrooms. Yet one basic health necessity is often missing: menstrual products.
Soap and toilet paper are standard in public restrooms because they protect hygiene and public health. Pads and tampons should be treated the same way.
Without access to menstrual products, people are often forced to leave work, cut trips short, miss school, or improvise with unsafe alternatives. Ensuring these products are available is a matter of health fairness - everyone who uses public spaces should have access to the basic supplies needed to manage their health with dignity.
New York City has made progress on menstrual equity in some public institutions. Extending that commitment to public bathrooms is the next step toward a city that prioritizes health fairness for all.