Many young women can vividly remember a time when they realize they have started their period at the most inconvenient time. During an exam, before a meeting, before a sporting event or even just during last-minute cramming in the library, this unexpected event leaves many women unprepared, searching through their bags only to come up with no pads and no tampons.
As a subpar and inadequate solution, many women are forced to resolve then to use the practically see-through toilet paper to remedy the issue for the time. At an institution that is 70% women and historically a women’s college, the lack of period products in bathrooms is concerning. Why are these products not seen as a necessity like toilet paper or hand soap?
However, there is a clear and concrete step Longwood can take: free pads and tampons in women’s bathrooms on campus. This is an affordable and achievable solution to fighting stigma around menstruation and protect the health, academic success and dignity of Longwood’s students.
This issue is not merely an occasional or hypothetical problem. One study found that 1-in-5 college students report experiencing period poverty, defined as the inability to access period products. This can impact attendance, participation and concentration; and at a university that has a strict attendance policy, Longwood needs to prioritize solutions to attendance issues, starting with access to period products.
Finances are also important. Most college students are on a small or fixed income, and the recurrent expense of period products can add up. Another study found that 1-in-4 students report not being able to afford menstrual supplies at times. Even for students who can afford these products, the stress of forgetting them at home or in the dorms can cause distress.
An article in Health Promotion Practice (HPP) reported 43% of college students who used the free products used them not because they couldn't afford it, but because they found themselves in an emergency. If these products had not been there it could have caused a lack of participation since the student would have to return home to change or grab supplies.
Longwood has already recognized this problem to an extent. Elwood’s Cabinet is a free food and hygiene closet for students which includes things like shampoo, toothpaste and period products. However, unlike the need for shampoo and toothpaste, the need for period products is not always predictable. Periods can sneak up on a person and lead to panic. Being forced to walk across campus and into another building causes disruption to studying and learning and can even dissuade women from using proper period products and instead opting to use toilet paper. Elwood’s Cabinet is an important support system for students who struggle with money but does not solve the immediate need for period products in bathrooms.
There is a realistic solution to this problem: free menstrual hygiene product dispensers in women's bathrooms in high traffic areas, such as Greenwood Library, Upchurch University Center and academic buildings. This system has already been implemented in other education institutions in the state. Virginia Tech introduced free period products in 2025 and has reported positive feedback.
Maintenance of this program is simple: as you refill toilet paper and soap, refill period products. The cost would be marginal compared to the widespread reach and accessibility this would add to the campus.
Longwood touts itself as a supportive learning institution, but this support shouldn't stop before menstrual needs. For a campus that is majority women, menstruation plays a large part in day-to-day life for the student body. These free period products would not be a luxury, nor should they be thought of as a luxury, instead they would offer necessary support to support and allow students to return their focus to participation in class and extracurricular activities.
By taking away the stress of inadequate or unavailable products for unexpected periods, Longwood can give students this opportunity. If Longwood wants to continue to be known as a supportive and student-focused institution, ensuring menstrual equity must be a part of that effort.
