Rep. Sarah Roberts offered the following resolution

House Resolution No. 303.

A resolution to declare May 28, 2016, as Menstrual Hygiene Day in the state of Michigan.

Whereas, Menstrual Hygiene Day serves to increase public awareness of the need to ensure women and girls are able to maintain healthy menstruation practices; and

Whereas, Menstrual Hygiene Day is also a new effort to destigmatize women’s menstrual cycles and advocate for better access to feminine hygiene products for females who may otherwise be forced to resort to less sanitary options; and

Whereas, Menstrual hygiene is a worldwide issue and an issue of equality and inclusion; and

Whereas, Women and girls around the world face different challenges in managing their menstruation depending on social norms, customs, geography, and education; and

Whereas, Taboos and negative social norms surrounding menstruation are perpetuated by society as a whole, therefore creating an inclusive conversation with women and girls as well as boys and men, is critical to create understanding and foster a supportive and healthy environment in menstrual health; and

Whereas, Women and girls miss out on education, work, and other opportunities in life when they are unable to manage their menstruation with normalcy and dignity; and

Whereas, Feminine hygiene products are a $2 billion industry in the United States, and on average a female will use 17,000 feminine hygiene products during her life; and

Whereas, Forty million women in the United States live in poverty and the cost of basic feminine hygiene products can be a financial burden, even more so for a family with women and girls in the household; and

Whereas, In Michigan and around the United States, feminine hygiene products are subject to a sales tax and are not covered by food stamps, flexible spending, or health savings accounts; and

Whereas, In Michigan, there have been five cases of toxic shock syndrome, which can be caused from extended use of super absorbent tampons, reported since December 2015, whereas the previous ten years averaged a total of four cases; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives, That the members of this legislative body declare May 28, 2016, as Menstrual Hygiene Day in the state of Michigan; and be it further

            Resolved, That the members of this legislative body encourage all Michiganders to recognize the importance of menstrual health and access to feminine hygiene products and to start a conversation to recognize that menstruation is not a taboo and menstrual health is key for women and girls’ health and wellbeing everywhere.