Podcast appearances and mentions of jennifer weiss wolf

In this episode, Dr. Vonda Wright sits down with writer, activist, and feminist Jennifer Weiss-Wolf, a leading voice in the fight for menstrual equity. Dubbed the “architect of the U.S. policy campaign to squash the tampon tax,” Jennifer is the author of Periods Gone Public and serves as VP at the Brennan Center for Justice. Her groundbreaking work has been featured in The New York Times, TIME, Cosmopolitan, MSNBC, and more. Together, they dive into how a local donation drive sparked Jennifer's national policy work, the cultural stigma surrounding menstruation, and the rise of the menstrual equity movement since 2015. They also unpack the critical need for accurate menopause education, public policy reform, and the long-lasting impact of the Women's Health Initiative's flawed messaging on hormone therapy. This conversation challenges outdated taboos and explores how both menstruation and menopause can serve as powerful starting points for advocating for women's health across every life stage.   ••• Connect with Jennifer Weiss-Wolf: Website: https://jenniferweisswolf.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenniferweisswolf/ ••• Make sure to follow Dr. Vonda Wright: Instagram: @drvondawright Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@vondawright Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drvondawright LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vonda-wright-md-ms-2803374 Website: http://www.DrVondaWright.com ••• If you enjoyed this episode, Subscribe to “HOT For Your Health” for more inspiring episodes. Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hot-for-your-health/id1055206993 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1Q2Al27D79jCLAyzp4hKBv?si=b62b374994884eed We'd love to hear your thoughts on this episode! Share your comments or join the discussion on social media using #HotForYourHealthPodcast.

Hello Menopause is back for another season! We're so excited to bring you more information, conversation, and guidance on midlife, perimenopause, menopause, and women's health. As always, everything is on the table, and with every episode, you'll get clear takeaways to help you navigate the menopause experience. This season, we welcome guests like Tamsen Fadal and Denise Pines, producers of the incredible documentary, The M Factor, Doctors Carol Tavris and Avrum Bluming, co-authors of the book Estrogen Matters, Author and advocate Jennifer Weiss-Wolf, Women's sexual health thought leader, Dr. Somi Javaid, and so many more incredible guests.  This season, we're so thankful to our sponsor, Versalie. The options for menopause care can be overwhelming, which is why they've done the research to help you navigate all of them. Versalie is a one-stop shop for expert advice, curated products, and access to virtual care. It's where menopause makes sense. Visit Versalie.com to learn more. The new season launches on April 9 with your favorite host, Stacy London.

Frustrated with menopause healthcare? You should be. Menopause is undertreated, underfunded, and under-researched. Channel your outrage into action with a game-changing conversation on making your voice heard! Host Katie Fogarty sits down with advocate Jennifer Weiss-Wolf, who has partnered with Dr. Mary Claire Haver, Maria Shriver and many of the country's leading menopause experts to create "The Citizens Guide to Menopause Advocacy"—a free digital playbook for change. Discover six simple ways you can help fix a broken system (did you know menopause research gets less than 1% of health funding?!) and learn how everyday women are already driving major change in states across the country. Whether you're struggling to find a knowledgeable doctor, shocked by treatment costs, or frustrated with mixed messaging about optimal care, you'll learn simple ways to fight for the healthcare women deserve. No policy experience? No problem. Busy schedule? They've got you covered. Make your voice heard, whether you've got 5 minutes or 5 hours to spare. No politics, no complex jargon—just clear steps to better healthcare for all. Time to turn your menopause frustration into real change! SHOW NOTES + TRANSCRIPT acertainagepod.com FOLLOW A CERTAIN AGE: Instagram Facebook LinkedIn GET INBOX INSPO: Sign up for our newsletter AGE BOLDLY We share new episodes, giveaways, links we love, and midlife resources Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to Perimenopause WTF!, brought to you by Perry—the #1 perimenopause app and safe space for connection, support, and new friendships during the menopause transition. You're not crazy, and you're definitely not alone!  Download the free Perry App on Apple or Android and join our live expert talks, receive evidence-based education, connect with other women, and simplify your perimenopause journey. “Perimenopause: From Personal to Policy with Samantha Bee” Today we are delighted to bring you a conversation between Stacy London, Samantha Bee & Jennifer Weiss-Wolf. Policy is something many people get overwhelmed by, especially with respect to women's health. Tune in for some plain explanations on what is going on at the moment and what you can do to influence policy in your area.  Discover What's New at Perry! Whether you're navigating perimenopause or empowering others as a women's health professional, Perry has something for you. Explore our latest features:

If approved, measure would amend state constitution Democrats pushed to get a constitutional amendment on New York's ballot because they believed it could energize liberals eager to protect abortion rights. Republicans are now hoping the same amendment will ignite a fire under people upset about transgender athletes participating in girls' and women's sports. Voters will decide on Nov. 5 whether to approve the state's proposed Equal Rights Amendment, which has already been the subject of a court fight over its broad language. The amendment, called Proposition 1 on the ballot, has emerged as one of the more unusual ideological battles of the 2024 election, partly because of disagreements about what it will do if passed. On paper, the proposed amendment would expand a section of the state constitution that says a person can't be denied civil rights because of their race, creed or religion. The new language would also ban discrimination based on national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, pregnancy outcomes or "reproductive health care and autonomy." While much of the news coverage of the amendment has focused on how it might protect abortion rights, Republicans have been running a messaging campaign warning that barring discrimination based on someone's "gender expression" would create a constitutional right for transgender athletes to play on girls' sports teams. "The consequences of the state constitution being amended is drastic," said Lee Zeldin, a Republican former congressman and gubernatorial candidate who is a leading critic of the amendment. In a debate on Oct. 16, Rep. Mike Lawler, a Republican who House district includes Philipstown, said: "I voted against this proposition when I was a member of the state Legislature. I am voting against it on the ballot. It goes far beyond abortion rights and goes well beyond any issue we're talking about. You have issues pertaining to parental rights. You have issues pertaining to boys - biological boys - playing women's sports. And it's not just trans-women. You're talking about the Department of Education talking about allowing boys to play field hockey. This stuff is absolutely over the top." The leading group opposing the amendment, the Coalition to Protect Kids-NY, has held rallies across the state and put out advertisements against the proposal saying banning discrimination based on "national origin" could allow noncitizens to vote, and that the amendment would also take away parents' right to have a say in their child's medical care. People who support the amendment argue that the group is trying to mislead voters. State courts have ruled that other parts of the constitution already bar noncitizens from voting. The New York City Bar Association said nothing about the amendment would wipe out existing laws requiring parental consent for a child's medical care. "They're looking to distract, to divide, to change the subject," said Jennifer Weiss-Wolf, executive director of the Birnbaum Women's Leadership Center at NYU School of Law. "New Yorkers will be able to see through that." Backers of the proposed amendment say it is true that a constitutional ban on discrimination based on someone's gender identity would benefit transgender people, including trans athletes, though not in the dramatic way suggested by opponents. State law already offers similar antidiscrimination protections to public school students, said Katharine Bodde, interim co-director of policy at the New York Civil Liberties Union. Under those laws, she said, transgender people have a right to play on sports teams that match their gender identity, she argued. But those protections would become codified into the state constitution, making it harder for the Legislature to change the law. "Opponents fearmongering about the small handful of students already participating in sports is dangerous and bullying of a vulnerable population of kids," Bodde said. Nass...

Asha interviews Elise and Quinn Joy, co-executive directors of Girls Helping Girls Period and Jennifer Weiss-Wolf, Vice President at NYU Law's Brennan Center for Justice and executive director of the Birnbaum Women's Leadership Network and author of the book Periods Gone Public: Taking a Stand for Menstrual Equity. They discuss menstrual equity and the importance of access to menstrual hygiene products in school, at work, and wherever there are people with periods. This is episode 16 of our Growing Up Powerful miniseries! These are stories about dealing with big feelings, growing up, and connecting to the world around you. And just so you know, some of these themes may be mature for our younger Rebels. We encourage listening with your grown up. This podcast is a production of Rebel Girls. It's based on the book Rebel Girls: Growing Up Powerful. This series was produced by Joy Smith, Deborah Goldstein, and Haley Dapkus, with sound design and mixing by Mumble Media. It was written and edited by Abby Sher. Fact-checking by Joe Rhatigan and sensitivity read by Schuyler Swenson. Narration by Margaret Ying Drake as Asha and Imani Parks as Jestine. Original theme music was composed and performed by Elettra Bargiacchi. Our executive producers were Joy Smith and Jes Wolfe. Thank you to the whole Rebel Girls team who make this podcast possible. Stay rebel!

The midlife wake-up call. Yes, it's 2024—but menopause care is still not considered essential health care. But we are at a tipping point, and the clarion call for a “menopause moonshot” is on. Lawyer, activist, and menstruation activist Jennifer Weiss-Wolf is calling for a bold U.S. public policy agenda to bring a two-pronged approach to tackling menopause as a public health priority. In this week's show, Jennifer expounds on the five surprising ways our lack of a coherent U.S. menopause policy impacts your overall health and well-being and shares how current laws, tax codes, and even our workplaces and health systems impact access to menopause care. Bonus! Jennifer outlines actionable steps to ensure that science-backed menopause care is available to everyone who needs it. SHOW NOTES + TRANSCRIPT acertainagepod.com FOLLOW A CERTAIN AGE: Instagram Facebook LinkedIn GET INBOX INSPO: Sign up for our newsletter AGE BOLDLY We share new episodes, giveaways, links we love, and midlife resourcesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the 34 years that guest host Omisade Burney-Scott was a menstruating person, she always felt that blood held more significance than just the biological. She meets an OB/GYN who shares little-known facts about period blood, and talks with two menstrual health advocates about how art and community have connected them to their cycles. Plus, an attorney discusses what she's paying attention to this year in terms of period policy.Meet the Guests:- Dr. Charis Chambers, who is known as "The Period Doctor," talks about how period blood can inform menstruators about other things going on in their bodies, and why we don't want to think of a period as "a detox"- Vianey Blades, a certified exercise physiologist and menstrual embodiment mentor, traces her connections to menstruation activism back to her grandmother and how art has helped her feel connected to her period- Ashi Arora, a reproductive and menstrual health liberation activist and researcher, shares how complex trauma can affect menstruation and how community has been significant in her experience of her period- Jennifer Weiss-Wolf, attorney and executive director of the Birnbaum Women's Leadership Center at the NYU School of Law, discusses how and why she coined the term "menstrual equity" in 2015 and what she's paying attention to in terms of period policy this election yearDig Deeper:Omisade's work with Black Girl's Guide To Surviving MenopauseDr. Charis Chamber's Instagram and TikTok accounts (check her out on YouTube too, why not!)Explore the Society for Menstrual Cycle ResearchJoin Vianey's newsletter or sign up for her interactive sister circle meetupsJennifer Weiss-Wolf's book Periods Gone PublicWhy 2015 was the "Year of the Period"Learn more about the "tampon tax"Kiran Gandhi on bleeding and runningThe trailer for Lina Lyte Plioplyte's film "Periodical"Read the transcript | Review the podcast on your preferred platformLeave a message for Embodied

Download our free guide on 5 ways to take action!Coming at you live from Light House Studio's Vinegar Hill Theatre in Charlottesville, our fair city: Emily and Siva welcome Jennifer Weiss-Wolf and Samhita Sunya to the stage, as part of the Karsh Institute's Democracy360 forum. Sunya, a cinema expert, and Weiss-Wolf, a pioneering advocate for women's rights, discuss the power of film and print media to shape global feminism. From Bollywood to Ms. magazine, we look at why the women's movement and its representation matter for the health of a society.Additional InformationDemocracy in Danger PodcastMore shows from The Democracy Group

Coming at you live from Light House Studio's Vinegar Hill Theatre in Charlottesville, our fair city: Emily and Siva welcome Jennifer Weiss-Wolf and Samhita Sunya to the stage, as part of the Karsh Institute's Democracy360 forum. Sunya, a cinema expert, and Weiss-Wolf, a pioneering advocate for women's rights, discuss the power of film and print media to shape global feminism. From Bollywood to Ms. magazine, we look at why the women's movement and its representation matter for the health of a society.

Menstrual literacy has life-saving impacts, writes Jennifer Weiss-Wolf.

Madeleine Shaw (she/her) is a feminist entrepreneur and writer based on unceded Coast Salish territory (Vancouver, BC). She is best known as the co-founder of Aisle (formerly Lunapads), one of the first groundbreaking ventures in the world to commercialize reusable menstrual products. In her first book, The Greater Good: Social Entrepreneurship for Everyday People Who Want to Change the World, she offers encouraging tips and reflections for aspiring impact-based entrepreneurs. She is passionate about creatively deploying the tools of business in service of social change, drawing inspiration from natural growth patterns as ways to build regenerative organizations, and neo-sobriety culture and discourse. Madeleine is incredibly creative, compassionate, and curious. She truly embodies what it means to be a lifelong learner. You will be inspired by Madeleine and her commitment to social entrepreneurship and her initiatives to support everyday people who want to change the world.    Listen in as we talk about: What is sustainable menstrual equity? Madeleine breaks down what this is exactly, and why it's so important when it comes to social change. Why does this conversation matter right now? Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you need menstrual products and don't have access to them? Madeleine shares how triggering this can be and why we need to address it. Why Madeleine wrote her book. We get a behind-the-scenes look at why Madeleine wrote her book, and the impact it's making globally.    Connect with Madeleine: Websites:https://periodaisle.cahttps://madeleineshaw.ca/ LinkedIn: Madeleine Shaw  Instagram: @greatergoodbook  @periodaisle Medium: https://medium.com/@madeleineshawgreatergood   Shared by Madeleine: Satya Organic: https://satya.ca Book: Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing Worlds by Adrienne Maree Brown    Connect with Tiana: Website: https://tianafech.com LinkedIn: Tiana Fech Instagram: @tianafech  Facebook: @tianafech  Book: Online Course Creation 101: A step-by-step guide to creating your first online course    WHAT IS SUSTAINABLE MENSTRUAL EQUITY Menstrual equity is a concept coined by Jennifer Weiss-Wolf in 2015 that advocates for the fair and equitable distribution of menstrual products, education, and information to those who need them. As we know, the menstrual cycle is a fundamental part of human reproduction, yet it is often stigmatized and shamed within our society. As Madeleine explains, menstrual equity aims to provide support and dignity for those who experience periods and require products, privacy, medication, education, and information.  It encompasses both material and mindset changes. Materially, it looks like free provision of menstrual products in public bathrooms. Mentally, it involves de-stigmatization and education. Sustainable menstrual equity considers the environment and long-term viability, aiming for a permanent, universal solution that is not disposable and doesn't contribute to landfill waste. Madeleine also shares that disposables like pads and tampons take up to 500 years to biodegrade and are made of up to 90% plastic – an unbelievable statistic.  Menstrual equity is a crucial concept that values and supports a core feature of human biology. By providing fair and equitable access to menstrual products, education, and information to all parties involved, we can help to destigmatize periods, support those who need it, and contribute to a more sustainable future. WHY THIS CONVERSATION MATTERS RIGHT NOW To date, menstruation has yet to be normalized, despite efforts to improve the stigma. As Madeleine explains, legislation, such as that of the BC government, and countries like Scotland are beginning to declare menstrual products as necessary and should be made available for free to all citizens.  Also, universities in Canada have started providing reusable menstrual products for free to their students. As we discuss,

Is there a correlation between the status of reproductive rights and the health of our democracy? Lindsay Langholz speaks with  Jennifer Weiss-Wolf about this question and her recent article in Ms. Magazine and Rewire Magazine that asks if women's rights are the canary in the coal mine in the backsliding of democracies.  Join the Progressive Legal Movement Today: ACSLaw.org Today's Host: Lindsay Langholz, Senior Director for Policy and Program Guest: Jennifer Weiss-Wolf, Executive Director of the Birnbaum Women's Leadership Network Link: "Are Women's Rights the Canary in the Coal Mine of a Democracy in Decline?" by Jennifer Weiss-Wolf Link: "Periods Gone Public," by Jennifer Weiss-Wolf Link: "Abortion Rights Are Essential to Democracy," series by Brennan Center Link: Birnbaum Women's Leadership Network Visit the Podcast Website: Broken Law Podcast Email the Show: Podcast@ACSLaw.org Follow ACS on Social Media: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn | YouTube ----------------- Production House: Flint Stone Media Copyright of American Constitution Society 2023.

It's no secret that abortion rights are under attack across America. Bob talks about this crisis, and what can be done about it, with guest Jennifer Weiss-Wolf, the executive director of the Birnbaum Women's Leadership Network at the NYU School of Law.

In the aftermath of the leaked Supreme Court ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, warnings to period tracking app users went viral. The message? Ditch them immediately. Weeks later, a New York Times headline countered, “Deleting Your Period Tracker Won't Protect You.” Join us for a panel discussion with academic, innovation, and advocacy experts who will explore how exactly such data is already or could be used – and misused. What privacy laws or legislation can be leveraged to protect FemTech users? And why does menstrual literacy – with or without tech tools – matter more than ever in our post-Dobbs reality?Moderator: Melissa Murray, Frederick I. and Grace Stokes Professor of Law, NYU School of LawPanelists:Dr. Caitlin Gerdts, Vice President of Research, Ibis Reproductive Health; Ambreen Molitor, National Director of Innovation, Planned Parenthood Federation of America; Salomé Viljoen, Assistant Professor of Law, University of Michigan Law School; Jennifer Weiss-Wolf, Executive Director of the Birnbaum Women's Leadership Network at NYU Law

According to Jennifer Weiss-Wolf, author of Periods Gone Public: Taking a Stand for Menstrual Equity, taxing menstrual products is discriminatory and unconstitutional. The good news is that the movement to get rid of what has been called the “tampon tax” has been successful in some states. There are still states, however, that continue to tax half of its population. Jennifer Weiss-Wolf joins us to discuss period equity and the injustice of the tampon tax.

According to Jennifer Weiss-Wolf, author of Periods Gone Public: Taking a Stand for Menstrual Equity, taxing menstrual products is discriminatory and unconstitutional. The good news is that the movement to get rid of what has been called the “tampon tax” has been successful in some states. There are still states, however, that continue to tax half of its population. Jennifer Weiss-Wolf joins us to discuss period equity and the injustice of the tampon tax.

There are orchestrated assaults being led by certain state legislatures against trans rights and reproductive rights in this country. While these attacks have been ongoing for years, they are ratcheting up. From Florida's "Don't Say Gay Bill" to a bill in Missouri that would bar pregnant people from accessing abortion services out of state, state legislators seem to be competing to come up with the most extreme, dangerous legislation. Jeanne Hruska speaks with ACS's own Christopher Wright Durocher and Lindsay Langholz about recent developments in key states and about why we are likely to see increasingly extreme legislation attacking trans rights and reproductive rights in the near term. They also discuss the 50th anniversary of the Equal Rights Amendment passing Congress and being sent to the states. ----------------- Join the Progressive Legal Movement Today: ACSLaw.org Today's Host: Jeanne Hruska, ACS Sr Advisor for Communications and Strategy Guest: Christopher Wright Durocher, ACS Vice President of Policy and Program Guest: Lindsay Langholz, Director of Policy and Program Link: "Issues Impacting LGBTQ Youth Polling Analysis," by The Trevor Project Link: "Texas Is Terrorizing Trans Youth," by Chase Strangio Link: "What If Roe Fell?" by the Center for Reproductive Rights Link: Equal Rights Amendment Link: "Women's Rights and Democracy Are Inextricably Linked," by Jennifer Weiss-Wolf, Brennan Center Visit the Podcast Website: Broken Law Podcast Email the Show: Podcast@ACSLaw.org Follow ACS on Social Media: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn | YouTube ----------------- Production House: Flint Stone Media Copyright of American Constitution Society 2022.  

In this exciting episode, we're having the sex talk you wish you got from your parents. Do you remember Judy Blume's Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret? Well, today it's me, host Michele Goodwin, asking the questions and inviting you to join us as we talk about sex, periods, non-binary healthcare, maternal health—and what don't we know or ignore about our own bodies.     Today we ask: What do you wish you learned from your parents, in school, or even now?  And when it comes to reproductive and sexual health as policy issues, what's on the docket and on the ballot in 2021? Whose rights are at stake?    Very special guests tackle these questions and more:Kelly Davis, a maternal health policy expert and vice president for global birth equity and innovation at the National Birth Equity Collaborative, an organization devoted to Black maternal and infant health. She is a public health professional and has worked in the past with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to launch programs for maternal health, HIV prevention, food access and more.  Dr. Fatu Forna, a maternal health consultant, obstetrician-gynecologist and epidemiologist. She has worked with the World Health Organization as their lead for reproductive and maternal health in Sierra Leone, and with the CDC as a medical epidemiologist. She is also the founder of the Mama-Pikin Foundation, which works to fight Sierra Leone's high maternal mortality rates.  Mary Emily O'Hara, an LGBTQ media and policy expert and rapid response manager at GLAAD. They are also an award-winning journalist specializing in LGBTQ+ issues, and have written for Teen Vogue, Vice, Rolling Stone, The Advocate, Al Jazeera and more.  Jennifer Weiss-Wolf, an advocate for menstrual equity and the founder of Period Equity, a legal organization devoted to achieving menstrual equity through advocacy and policy change. She is also a lawyer with expertise in nonprofit leadership and development, and is currently a fellow at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law. In addition to being a regular contributor to Ms., her writing has been published in the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, Time magazine, Harper's Bazaar and more. She is also the author of the book Periods Gone Public: Taking a Stand for Menstrual Equity.  Check out this episode's landing page at MsMagazine.com for a full transcript, links to articles referenced in this episode, further reading and ways to take action.Tips, suggestions, pitches? Get in touch with us at ontheissues@msmagazine.com.Support the show (http://msmagazine.com)

Together with 5 plaintiffs and the law firm Emery Celli Brinkerhoff, Laura Strausfeld and Jennifer Weiss-Wolf filed a class-action lawsuit against the state of New York for taxing tampons. Since 2016, their organization Period Equity has helped 20 states repeal the tax. In this episode, Laura talks about the winding creative road that lead her to this fight and asks women to join together and speak up on shared problems that demand equity. TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE: How being a twin tied into Laura’s career steps and her mission to get women to collaborate. Laura’s non-toxic perfume business started as an accident and turned into a passion. What Laura learned about environmental risk in the perfume business and how these government regulations started her interest in manufacturing practices. Why creatives often become unexpected entrepreneurs and how they succeed. What is period equity and why does it matter? States collectively make over $150 million annually from taxing menstrual products. The tipping point that got the legislature to take action against the period tax in the NY state case in 2016. Women were excluded from medical research until the 1980s and early 1990s. We need to overcome being embarrassed about the issue of menstruation and use our voice to ask for necessities such as menstrual products. Scotland has made period products free. The goal of Period Equity and how women can get involved in their own communities. How litigation can alleviate menstrual inequality and fund free products for those in need. Whey menstrual companies aren’t doing their job when it comes to fighting for period equality. Why are most of the world’s billionaires male? Why feminine leadership often represents those who don’t have a voice.

This week is all about periods. Sarah and William welcome Lizzy MacRae Garvin--a Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) professional--to Down the Rabbit Hole to discuss menstruation... what are the challenges, barriers, and stigmas that impact how people view and experience their periods. They talk in both the global and domestic contexts and explore some of intersecting challenges such as homelessness and incarceration. As always if you have any questions about the episode or want to discuss it further, you can reach out to prevention@tcfv.org. Here are some resources from the episode: ALCU report on period equity: https://www.aclu.org/report/unequal-price-periods Marni Sommer's research on menstruation and homelessness: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1353829220310923?via%3Dihub Periods Gone Public: Taking a Stand for Menstrual Equity by Jennifer Weiss-Wolf: www.periodequity.org/book-1 Dolly Parton and Patti LaBelle playing their nails: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1g8sPWiKw-4

Aine 0:00 This podcast has been produced in partnership with Diva International (makers of the DivaCup) and Media One Creative. This is Pandora's Box: a podcast that is on a mission to uncover how periods affect the lives of those that experience them around the globe. Join us as we travel the world to find real stories by real women and people who menstruate who are championing change and bringing light to the global impact of menstruation. I'm Aine, Cait 0:27 and I'm Cait your hosts.Aine 0:33 People who menstruate around the world that are lacking access to products. In the UK alone, one in 10 people struggle to afford menstrual supplies. Cait, how much do you think you're spending on period products?Cait 0:43 I think I used to spend $20 a month on menstrual products because I always got the kind of fancy comfortable tampons, I think. But since I've been on birth control, an IUD, I don't get my periods very often. So I got those period panties. And I find them to be fantastic. And they were expensive to begin with, but it's a great reusable option. I don't have to spend money anymore.Aine 1:12 I feel the same about the DivaCup. I was thinking about that the other day, I was walking by the tampon aisle and I just thought, "I haven't bought tampons or pads in a year." But it's just the liberation of never having to think about anything. I get my period and I'm like, okay, here's the thing that I use, and it's just there. There's something really, really liberating about that and I just think it's a revolutionary product.Cait 1:35 I can definitely say that when I was a student and walking into the drugstore, I was like, "Oh, I have to spend money on this. I guess I'll take that out of my budget." But it was something I could always afford.Aine 1:48 Whenever I was a student, or whenever I was just started working and was not earning a lot of money, it definitely felt like a big strain on my finances to have to buy menstrual products. So I can't even imagine what it's like to be in a position where you have to choose to buy medical products or to buy food or to buy clothes. Really, over the course of this process in this journey, so many times I've put myself in the shoes of people not being able to afford menstrual products, and I can't imagine how vulnerable that must make them feel not being able to deal with something that you can't stop. It's flowing, it's coming and not being able to control that, that must be so awful. They can't participate. They don't want to go out into society. That must just be a really awful feeling.Cait 2:33 I would think it would be pretty frustrating, too. Because when you think about it, there's toilet paper for free and public washrooms because nobody can control needing to go to the washroom. Like, that's a normal thing you can't stop. It's the exact same thing with periods. It's not like, "Oh, this month, I'm just going to not have it, I'm going to make that choice." So why aren't they giving out free products for periods as well? It would be really frustrating to be like, I don't have money for this. And this is something I have to deal with, but this guy doesn't have to worry about it.Aine 3:08 So that's interesting that you bring that up, because in lot of the studies that we did and a lot of looking into how periods are perceived, a lot of comments have been made by men, that, "Why can't you just hold it in?" Because they think that we can control the flow and that we choose to turn it on, and it's just like a top. I think we watched a video when we doing research and some guy was like, "Girls are just disgusting. Like, can they not hold it in? I don't pee myself. And they're just like, getting blood all over themselves." Like this is an actual thought that people have about periods because they just don't understand the anatomy. And they think that we're just choosing to bleed whenever we feel like it's so pretty shocking.Cait 3:45 To learn more, we sat down with Dawn Butler in London. Dawn is a government champion for those who can't afford period products.Dawn Butler 3:54 Hi, my name is Dawn Butler. I'm the Member of Parliament for Brent Central. I am the opposition spokesperson. So for the Labour Party, I'm the Shadow Secretary of State for Women and Equalities. I used to be a minister under the last Labour Government and I was the first elected black female minister in the UK. Period poverty is almost like phenomenon that's all of a sudden come to light over the last 10 years. It's quite shocking, you know, the sixth richest country in the world, and we've got children, young menstruators who can't go to school because they're on their periods. We've got menstruators who are going to work and using socks instead of towels or cups. And it's quite a shocking thing, because at first you think, "That can't be happening here in the UK." But we've found it's happening more and more often, as people haven't got enough food to eat. They're having to make the decisions on whether to eat, whether to heat their homes, or whether to get menstrual products. It happens everywhere: it happens in the cities, it happens in rural areas, I mean food banks now have started to provide products for people who are menstruating because there was such a need for it.Aine 5:21 After speaking to Dawn, it was really refreshing to hear that there are people focused on fighting period poverty. The more you hear about this issue, the more shocking and frustrating it becomes because you hear about people in impossible situations where they're forced to sit home and just bleed because they cannot get access to the products that they need. We shouldn't have to suffer in silence or just miss out on participating in society because of something that is a bodily function that is just not prioritized at a government level.Cait 5:50 Being born with the ability to menstruate, it shouldn't mean that you don't get to participate and when I've talked to people here in Toronto about how this happens in the Western world, they're totally convinced that it doesn't happen here. But it absolutely is a problem here. There is period poverty and it surprised me how adamant people can be about their idea that it's not a Western world problem at all. After hearing about how period poverty is affecting individuals around the world, we wanted to hear stories from those who have suffered through this crisis. We visited Rachel Krengel to learn more about her story and how she created an organization called Fourth Wave.Rachel Krengel  6:33 And then, what came out of that was that of six lower-middle-class or working-class women, two of us had a personal experience of menstrual poverty that we've never mentioned before. And bear in mind, we're a feminist collective. We talk about our vaginas constantly, but we never ever have shared these stories. There are so many people who are living in really abject poverty but are just managing to hide it because they're juggling, you know, this week we won't buy any food, this week we were buying the menstrual pads, this week we won't turn the heating on. Between it all, we're just about holding together an appearance that we're surviving and not a lot goes on.Aine 7:19 It was at that point that a news article came out reporting that children from Rachel's hometown were regularly missing schools during their periods because they couldn't afford menstrual products.Cait 7:28 Rachel's vision for Fourth Wave is inspiring. Her organization is determined to make a change. It reminded us about something Dawn said on the topic.Dawn Butler 7:37 It shouldn't be the case that you have to worry about something that happens naturally to you that you can't stop. And governments and organizations and societies should ensure that that isn't the case, and that's wherever you go to work, school, university, or prison.Aine 7:58 Dawn isn't the only political figure who believes that menstrual products should be a right, not an expense. We spoke to Danielle Rowley, a Labour Member of Parliament for Midlothian in Scotland, to hear her story.Danielle Rowley  8:09 I'm Danielle Rowley, Labour Member of Parliament for Midlothian in Scotland. Came into parliament and I had a question about period poverty and I happened to be on my period so I decided to sort of contextualize the cost of, you know, periods that a lot of women face by saying that I'm on my period and talking about how much it had cost me. I had no idea of when I said in parliament I was on my period that it was the first time anyone had said that before. And I've discovered it's not only in the UK, but I don't think anyone has said in any parliament that they're on their period before. It's not being talked about enough, you know, so I think a lot of people might not come out and say, "I don't want to discuss that." But they're not making sure it's high up on the agenda. And that's just, you know, shown by the fact that I was the first person who said I was on my period in parliament. If we had debates on it like we should do, because it's such a huge issue, then someone would have said that before. So it's not getting the prominence that it deserves.Cait 9:12 Dawn was actually in parliament with MP Danielle Rowley when she stood up and spoke about her period.Dawn Butler 9:18 MP Danielle, she stood up. She ran in, actually, sort of out of breath for a debate and said, "I'm really sorry. I'm on my period." And there were a few gasps, I think, in the chamber. And remember, it's a chamber that's not used to women in the first place. And I felt like putting my hand up and saying, "I'm on my period too." And I found it quite an empowering moment and it's a situation where we should be able to just talk about it without feeling dehumanized, without being ridiculed.  Aine 9:50 Change isn't only happening in the UK. In the U.S., changemakers such as Jennifer Weiss-Wolf are fiercely combating period poverty.Jennifer Weiss-Wolf  9:57 So if the people making the rules aren't people who've experienced menstruation, there's a really good chance they're not even wondering if it's a problem or not. So the combination of the silence, of the shame, of the stigma, with the fact that we do not have a government here in the United States, and I venture to say in most places in the world, where women's needs and women's bodies and women's experiences are elevated and acknowledged, and the laws that we live by viewed through that perspective, you sort of have your perfect storm of menstruation just not being part of the systems that we talk about. And as I'm sure lots of folks have said, that you've talked to, if you don't talk about it, you certainly can't start solving the problem.Cait 10:46 Jennifer brings up an interesting perspective on the need for diverse voices amongst policymakers is the reason that period poverty isn't prominent in government conversations simply because there's a lack of menstrual representation.Aine 10:59 I find this really frustrating, because to me, it seems so obvious that is an issue that should be taken into account, and also that these are products that shouldn't be taxed. So it just seems so obvious to me. But that's because I experienced menstruation. So if there's no representation of people that menstruate in governments, then that has got to be the reason why these policies are being ignored and not given priority at all.Cait 11:29 It's impossible to understand what the policies need to be if you can't understand the experience of menstruation. I find it very frustrating that I don't have somebody to advocate for me with the full knowledge of what it's like to have your period and what the costs associated are and what the barriers are involved in menstruating.Aine 11:51 I think this is an example of gender inequality contributing to further gender inequality. So the fact that there's less women in government is due to gender inequality, and now that's contributing to further gender inequality, because women and people who menstruate are not being given the priority that they deserve in order to get these issues solved. I think the tampon tax is such a clear example of this. If you had somebody who menstruates sitting in the room when they decided that this was a luxury item, they would have said, actually, wait a second. There's nothing luxurious about having a period. It's just something that happens. To help us answer this question, we asked Elissa Stein, a menstrual historian, and familiar voice from episode one.Elissa Stein  12:34 So women only got the right to vote not even 100 years ago, and because of the mindset of hysteria, and emotional imbalance, and women were just intrinsically more frail, because of their uterus and because of menstruation, so many people in the world thought that, you know, in the United States in England, women didn't have the right to vote, because they were not stable enough. And there was a huge political discourse in the United States about whether women should have the right to vote. And for a couple of years, politicians, leaders in the country were coming out making public statements about whether they thought that women should be able to vote or not. So the whole fight about suffragettes wasn't just about the right to vote, it was whether women were strong enough or emotionally capable of voting. So that to why women couldn't have a job outside the home, why a woman couldn't own property, why a woman became her husband's possession when they got married, it's all based on her not being capable of making decisions on your own because she menstruated and that rendered her too emotionally insecure. To function as her own person, she needed to have a man to take care of her and make decisions. In our current political environment, where women are being demonized in many ways, where gender and sexuality are at the top of the list of reasons for hate crimes. This brings menstruation back into a conversation in a different way. What sets men and women apart menstruation. So it's an easy target. It's an easy way for people to belittle, to judge, to tell women that they're not competent.Cait 14:14 Dawn also had an important point on this topic.Dawn Butler 14:18 It's about respecting women and respecting people who menstruate. Because too often, our legislation and policies are all geared towards dehumanizing and devaluing women, and the role that women play in society. And I think this is part of it. This is part of us owning it and saying, "This is what happens. This happens to me and this is what we need to do to make it easier for me to go about my daily business." And so I think we take it from a perspective of empowering. This is an empowering conversation. And it means that, you know, it adds dignity and pride to everybody else that's going through it. Aine 14:58 So if these are the issues the Western world is facing, what's happening in the global south?Cait 15:03 65% of women and girls cannot afford menstrual products in Kenya. A pack of 10 sanitary pads costs just over $1, which is roughly the daily wage of an unskilled laborer. Kenya was actually the first country to promise free menstrual products in school.Aine 15:20 While we were in Kenya, we talked to Esther Passaris, the women's representative for Nairobi, to learn about the country's stance on period products.Esther Passaris  15:28 The discussion on the importance of having sanitary towels given to our girls, and how not having it impacted their education, it didn't give them an equal opportunity, started because you had more women in parliament. And then the women were also able to lobby the men because the men understand that their daughters go through this. So the men, I guess, rather than stand in Parliament and oppose it, which would be an embarrassing situation to even discuss it, it was an easy sale. But the thing is, making the budget, you know, allocating budget for women issues, is always a challenge. So it took a while before the president accepted into law, the provision of sanitary towels, and it's still going to take a while before we can actually implement it.Cait 16:19 Despite what people may think, Kenya is progressive in regards to menstrual policy. Sabrina Rubli, who's the founder of Femme International had an interesting take.Sabrina Rubli  16:28 It's just gonna take time. It's one of those issues that even though it's extremely widespread, and so many people have to manage their periods every month, it's going to take time for that to actually turn into concrete changes at the community level and at the very local level where these girls need it the most. But with the growth of Menstrual Hygiene Day, over the last five years, governments are getting involved. The Kenyan government especially has been super progressive. Tanzania's government is also starting that conversation at the higher levels, which is really exciting. And organizations like Femme are going to be here to make sure that they follow up on their promises and maintain that commitment to girls' education. Aine 17:08 It's exciting to hear that shifts are starting to happen. People are taking action against period poverty.Cait 17:14 It's incredibly motivating to see changes being made in the political space, I think it's really important for governments to support people who menstruate. And I think that there's a lot that we can do as citizens to also contribute to this change. I think that reaching out to your representative and really highlighting the issues around period poverty is incredibly important. I think it goes under the radar because nobody talks about them. So it's really difficult as well for your government to address these issues if nobody is talking about them.Aine 17:48 As frustrating as it is that this is still such a huge issue, it is reassuring to see there are so many people who are making noise right now. There are so many changemakers and influencers who are really yelling from the rooftops that this is something that governments need to take notice of this is something that people need to get their heads out of the sand and start dealing with. There are so many people starting public conversations about this, that I feel like it's going to spur on the movement.Cait 18:18 One thing that we learned when we were in Kenya was that a lot of people from the Western world are making reusable pads and then sending them to countries in East Africa. But there are amazing groups in East Africa that are helping women to set up businesses where they make reusable pads and then sell them for a really affordable price to people in their community. And they were saying, "Please don't send us reusable pads. That doesn't help us as much as if you were to send us the materials that you need to make reusable pads." So that specific material that absorbs is really hard to come by, it's much more helpful to send this particular type of material called poly urethane laminate, which they use for the reusable pads as the moisture barrier. Because this allows women to actually sew their own reusable pads and sell them in their community which allows them to get an income and then they can spend that money in their community. And that really grows their community's economic wellbeing. After hearing about Kenya's move on free menstrual products, we were curious if this was a global phenomenon amongst governments. After all, Canada, the U.S. and Scotland have been providing free menstrual products.Aine 19:41 To start off, we talked to Dawn Butler in the UK. Dawn Butler 19:45 What we said as the Labour Party is that once we're in government, we would provide free products in schools, colleges, and homeless shelters. And it's to ensure that anyone who's menstruating have access to products without feeling ashamed without having to miss school and without having to miss work. And so we found the money. And we're dedicated to ensuring that there's products in schools, colleges, universities and homeless shelters. And we're committed to do that on day one of us entering office in government. So the Labor Party at the moment and one of my Shadow Ministers, Carolyn Harris, she's going around giving out these products in prisons, to women who on the street, just to make sure that's one less thing that they have to worry about.Aine 20:39 After speaking to Dawn, we wanted to see what's happening in North America. So in September of 2019, the Toronto District School Board announced they were going to provide free menstrual products for all girls and students that menstruate. This is huge. I mean, this just means that it's eradicating period poverty within schools, which is a lot of the time where girls and students that menstruate are impacted the most because it's affecting their education and their ability to participate.Cait 21:06 So Kenya was actually the first country to get rid of the sales tax on menstrual products. And that happened in 2004. Since then, Australia, Canada, Colombia, India, Ireland, Slovakia, and a few other countries have cut down the taxes on menstrual products.Aine 21:27 So we have this fun little segment of the documentary where we show all of the items that are exempt from sales tax. So there's cowboy boots, Twizzlers, Bibles, Cait 21:39 Fruit Roll-ups,Aine 21:40 gun club memberships, Cait 21:42 Pop Tarts, Aine 21:44 golf club memberships, Cait 21:46 Viagra, Aine 21:46 Rogaine. They're not seen as luxury items, but tampons are. We actually had this very interesting discussion. We were at the Women's March in New York, and we met these guys who were actually protesting the Women's March. And we talked to them about this. And we said, "What do you think about the fact that Viagra is not taxed? Rogaine is not taxed?" And one of the guys said, "Well, that's not men's fault." And we said, "Okay, so periods are a woman's fault." And they were like, "Yeah. Yeah, they are." So that was pretty eye-opening. Next, we spoke with Elissa Stein, to see what the U.S. is doing to combat period poverty.Elissa Stein  22:26 In the past nine years since it came out, the conversation has exploded. In New York City, girls now have access to menstrual products at school, free of charge. This is a necessity of life for women. And it's taxed in so many places, it's being repealed. That's amazing that the conversation is going from beyond the United States to all these different countries where women don't have access to products don't even have conversations about what menstruation is. That people are taking the time and thoughtfulness to educate is profound.Cait 23:03 Hearing from Dawn and Elissa made us think about Kiran Gandhi's story about free bleeding in the London Marathon during our first episode. We were curious to hear her thoughts on the tampon tax.Madame Gandhi  23:14 I think that we live in a world that profits off of women's bodies and bodies in general, taxing something like a tampon as a luxury item in the same way. Viagra, which is actually a luxury item gets taxed is not an equal parallel. And one of the most problematic things that we do in this society is that in order for us to understand women's bodies, men and the society constantly feel the need to identify the male parallel. And so when I ran, I remember so many times people will be like, "Well, that's like a man doing number two when he's running." Or like, "Oh, that's like a man having an ejaculation when he's running." And I'm like, "Actually, it's unlike either of those things, because women have the parallel of those two exact things." And it's okay that there's no parallel of menstruation to men. You don't have to masculinize our bodies in order to understand them. In fact, I think we're a little bit more intelligent than that. And so with this tampon tax, because people parallel it to something that's a false parallel, it gets taxed incorrectly. And it is certainly a necessity. It's a public health necessity. Aine 24:21 It's inspiring to hear the passion that these individuals have to change the way we interact with period products.Cait 24:27 Because a lot of people really want to understand comparable products for men that are like tampons. But somebody made a really interesting point who we talked to, and they said, "Why do you need a comparable product? Not everything is all about men. Women can just have something that's a women's thing, and you don't need to defend it by coming up with a comparison with men."Aine 24:51 I'm going to guess that the tampon tax exists because when it was introduced there, most likely were no people who menstruate around the table. And I would say something that is defined as a luxury is something that we don't need, something that we want. But we need these products. They're not luxury, they're necessity. Definitely representation in governments by all genders is so important because this is just one thing that's being missed and overlooked of course there are other things that only women experience that are not getting enough priority because they're misrepresented in governments.Cait 25:32 To get to the bottom of the issue, when we sat down with Rachel Krengel, we asked her why she thinks premium tampon taxes exist.Rachel Krengel  25:39 The tampon tax is an interesting and complicated issue and a lot of misinformation exists on it. What it really is, it's an issue of political representation because the UK government was given X amount of time to decide what products were going to be tax free when they entered the EU, and at that point, there were very few menstruators in parliament. So who was going to say, "Actually we probably should put menstrual pads and tampons as tax free." Nobody, because the vast majority of people in parliament weren't menstruators and that still remains that there are still considerably less menstruators than non-menstruators in all levels of political representation. It's getting better, but it's getting better slowly.Aine 26:21 In this episode we tackle the period poverty crisis and explored why it is a global issue. We learned why it's happening and what's been done to take action. We talked to multiple women in parliament pushing to make change.Cait 26:33 Period poverty has remained invisible for a long time, but now it's finally beginning to receive the light it deserves.Aine 26:40 Tune into our next episode where you learn about the new products and innovations being created within the menstruation space.Cait 26:47 Also a big thanks to her podcasting team for producing this. This episode was edited by Brittany Nguyen, Alison Osborne and Stephanie Andrews.Aine 27:04 Since recording this podcast, huge progress has been made in the UK. Menstrual products are now available for free in all schools and in 2021, the UK government eradicated the tampon tax. Pandora's Box is also an award-winning feature-length documentary. To find out where to watch the film, you can visit pandorasboxthefilm.com 

This week in honor of International Women's Day, we're taking up menstruation rights on Times Will Tell, the weekly podcast from The Times of Israel, and speaking with Jennifer Weiss-Wolf, the co-founder of the advocacy group, Period Equity (https://www.periodequity.org/). Weiss-Wolf is a lawyer and the vice president and the inaugural women and democracy fellow of the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law. Her work focuses on gender, politics— and menstruation, including the ongoing campaign to squash the “tampon tax” in all 50 United States. She speaks about the need for discrete, open-access to menstrual products for all those who need them, including the growing transgender population. For many, the financial burden of purchasing these products presents a dilemma -- food for the family, or a hygienic means of disposing of bodily fluids. Weiss-Wolf's 2017 book “Periods Gone Public: Taking a Stand for Menstrual Equity” is great fun to read and incredibly enlightening. (Spoiler: Walt Disney even had a finger in the period pie.) We have a frank conversation about menstruation and its role -- or lack thereof -- in popular culture.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

J. J. Huggins of Patagonia and Time to Vote and Jennifer Weiss-Wolf of New York Univ's Brennan Center for Justice on corporate voter outreach. Shane Tews of Logan Circle Strategies on the TikTok deal. Luke Montrose of Boise State Univ on wildfire smoke. Jeff Bock of Exhibitor Relations on theatres reopening. Kirsten Hawkes of Parent Previews on hopeful Millennial and GenZ movies. Author and illustrator Kelley Donner on pandemic picture books.

What we're talking about in this episode Examining the conversation around the taxation and profitability of menstrual products Tips to get more involved in advocacy and how to commit to policy change Ways that you can get your legislators talking about the economics of menstruation How to embrace the political aspect of periods and remove the stigma Exploring the lack of access to menstruation products in America and on a global scale   Episode Summary Did you know that there are women in the US right now who cannot afford or gain access to menstrual supplies? The passion to bring awareness to menstrual product accessibility for women and girls all over the world is one I share with today's guest, Jennifer Weiss-Wolf. A gender, politics and menstruation advocate, attorney and the architect of the US campaign to squash the tampon tax, Jennifer is taking her dedication and expertise to the policies and laws that we live our lives by.  Over a dozen states have taken action towards menstrual accessibility in the past four years since Jennifer started working on this issue, and 32 have taken steps to eliminate the tampon tax. Jennifer is moving the needle in policy and actually moving lawmakers to action through vocabulary, framework, tools, and most importantly, support from women like you.  Jennifer works to open up the conversation around the lack of access to menstrual products in the United States, and wants to ensure that menstruating does not pose an obstacle in people's lives regardless of their age, race, or social status. By putting the issues around menstruation in front of legislators in a way they can understand, Jennifer expresses her civic duty to get everyone fully engaged in the conversation.  It is time to change how menstruation exists in our public spheres and change the policy our government creates in order to accomplish global and locally appropriate solutions. Our current policies and laws do not reflect our wellbeing or our reality, and it is only through becoming involved in advocacy that you can be more represented in your legal structures and in turn push the issues you believe in into the limelight.  How do you work to normalize the discussion around menstruation and impact systemic change? Share how you feel about removing the stigma around periods in the comments on the episode page.   Quotes “I really sort of turned my attention to where my interest lied and where my skills could be most useful, and that was really in thinking about how we change the policies and laws by which we live to better reflect and represent all of us.” (12:33) “It's not just a few unfortunates who can't afford these products, its that our entire systems are actually built and structured to not ensure equality and to not ensure equal opportunity for those who need it the most.” (16:16) “If anything about menstruation, access to products, access to safe products or otherwise, inhibited or kept people from doing so, well then it was our obligation to right that wrong.” (22:40) “Its been sort of extraordinarily high energy and really really exciting to be previewing and going public with these arguments that we have been toiling over for the past several years.” (33:06) “For the 5 years that I have been doing this, I have to say my mind has just kind of been on fire since all of this. It's just completely opened my eyes to an entire way of thinking and advocating and communicating and existing that is so much better than the 47 that lead up to it.” (40:48)   Resources Mentioned Periods Gone Public by Jennifer Weiss-Wolf Follow Jennifer on Twitter Tax Free. Period. Website Period Equity Website Days for Girls Website   Other Resources: The Essential Oils Hormone Solution by Dr. Mariza Check out the full show notes page Keep up with everything Dr. Mariza Follow Dr. Mariza on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube

Jennifer Weiss-Wolf is the vice president of the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law and the organization’s inaugural Women and Democracy Fellow. A passionate advocate for issues of gender, politics, and menstruation, Jennifer was dubbed the “architect of the U.S. campaign to squash the tampon tax” by Newsweek. Her 2017 book Periods Gone Public: Taking a Stand for Menstrual Equity was lauded by Gloria Steinem as “the beginning of liberation for us all.” In this episode, we talk about what menstrual equity means, how Jennifer became involved with the politics of periods, what you need to know about the “tampon tax,” why policy reform around menstruation helps to promote gender equality, how you can become part of the menstrual equity movement, and so much more!   To learn more about Jennifer Weiss-Wolf, visit the show notes.

Today I'm talking to Jennifer Weiss-Wolf, menstrual activist, author of Periods Gone Public and a contributor to Periods: Twelve Voices Tell the Bloody Truth, about the politics of periods. This is the last episode of Heavy Flow for this season! We'll be taking a hiatus over the summer and replaying some of our favourite episodes while we're away. Subscribe to my newsletter to get updates on book news, the new season of the pod and other exclusive content I only share in email. See you in September! Listen now: [powerpress] Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Email | RSS What we discussed: The New Year's Day moment that ignited Jennifer's passion for menstrual activism "The Year of the Period" The policy agenda shaping the fight to remove taxes on menstrual products and ensure access across the US, state-by-state Period: Twelve Voices Tell the Bloody Truth, a new collection of essays and the first YA book to take on menstruation as a social-political-cultural issue Connect with Jennifer:  Website Instagram Twitter Periods Gone Public Periods: Twelve Voices Tell The Bloody Truth Resources mentioned in this episode:  HFP Episode 15 with Kiran Gandhi Rupi Kaur 'period' The Case for Free Tampons Out in the Open - Periods #NoTaxOnTampons Subscribe & leave a review:  If you're into Heavy Flow, please subscribe in iTunes and write a review - that's the best way to support the show and help others find this podcast! Music Credit: Julia and Bradley of Home Studios Graphic Design: Rachel Laird

Josh discusses the First Step Act with Ames Grawert, Jessica-Jackson Sloan, and Jason Pye The First Step Act will be voted on in the U.S. House of Representatives on 5/22/2018. Ames Grawert is a Senior Counsel at the Brennan Center for Justice. Jessica Jackson-Sloan is the co-founder of the Cut 50 initiative. Jason Pye is the Vice-President for Legislative Affairs at Freedom Works. Jess Sessions is well-known for his antipathy towards criminal justice reform and for his undying commitment to mandatory minimum sentencing. Jared Kushner's father did 14 months in a Federal facility in Montgomery. Senator Chuck Grassley has introduced the complementary (or rival) Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act, which is currently in the US Senate. I misspoke, a President cannot "table" passed legislation but he can refuse to sign it for up to ten days. If the President does not sign a passed bill after ten days it becomes law. The First Step has exposed splits in the left-leaning criminal justice reform community and between the right-leaning criminal justice reform community and the more conservative members of Congress. Not surprisingly, it has also created a fuss among the Grassley contingent in favor of sentencing reform. Alex Gudich is the Deputy Director of the Cut 50 Initiative and another in my long line of criminal justice reform Twitter friends. Robert Caro's book about Lyndon Baines Johnson, "Master of the Senate" is part of an incredible series on the late President. Lauren-Brooke Eisen was my guest on Episode 5 of the Decarceration Nation podcast, we discussed her excellent book "Inside Private Prisons." Ames was one of the co-authors of the report, "Criminal Justice One Year Into the Trump Administration." Ames was talking about Jennifer Weiss-Wolf and her book, "Periods Gone Public." More about my #Bars2Ballots initiative can be learned on episode 17 of Decarceration Nation or from this article I wrote on Medium. Cut 50 and many other organizations, including two I volunteer with, are fighting for full passage of the Dignity For Incarcerated Women Act. Jessica was not only invited to the FIRC event earlier this year but just two days after our interview she was on stage at the White House supporting the First Step Act. Topeka K. Sam spoke at the White House event yesterday and is one of Cut 50's brightest lights. Cut 50's has built a First Step Act Site where you can read the stories of people the bill would help. Here is the article Jason wrote that first inspired me to contact Jason and the other article he mentioned that he posted the next day. Jason also wrote an article yesterday after President Trump publically endorsed the First Step Act. Pat Nolan is a conservative advocate for Criminal Justice Reform. Kevin Ring was both formerly incarcerated and formeLegislativelative Aide on Capitol Hill. Now he is also a supporter of Criminal Justice Reform. The letter I respond to at the end of Episode 18 was written by Richard Durbin, Cory Booker, Kamala Harris, Sheila Jackson-Lee, and John Lewis. I greatly respect all of these legislators but respectfully disagree with them on the importance of passing the First Step Act. Oddly enough, the day after I name dropped Federal Bureau of Prisons Director Mark S. Inch, he resigned. My reference to Tom Cotton and Fentanyl refers to his attempts to increase penalties, and mandatory minimums, for the distribution of the drug fentanyl.

Join the Brennan Center’s Jennifer Weiss-Wolf, author of Periods Gone Public, and Malaka Gharib, Deputy Editor and Digital Strategist of NPR's Goats and Soda, to learn more about how this campaign emerged, why the issue resonates across party lines, and what is next for “menstrual equity.” Gretchen Borchelt of the National Women's Law Center and Congresswoman Grace Meng, (NY-6), sponsor of the Menstrual Equity for All Act of 2017 (H.R. 972), will introduce the conversation.          

In an otherwise treacherous political era for women’s bodies and health, activists and lawmakers are advancing a new, affirmative agenda – for the very first time, one that meshes menstruation and public policy. From tax reform to public benefits to corrections policy, periods have become the surprising force fueling a high-profile, bipartisan movement. Join Congresswoman Grace Meng, (NY-6), sponsor of the Menstrual Equity for All Act of 2017 (H.R. 972); the Brennan Center’s Jennifer Weiss-Wolf, author of Periods Gone Public, and Newsweek senior reporter Abigail Jones to learn more about how this campaign emerged, why the issue resonates across party lines, and what is next for “menstrual equity.”

Periods Gone Public (Arcade Publishing) The first book to explore menstruation in the current cultural and political landscape and to investigate the new wave of period activism taking the world by storm. After millennia of being shrouded in taboo and stigma, periods have gone mainstream. A new, high-profile movement has emerged—one dedicated to bold activism, creative product innovation, and smart policy advocacy—to address the centrality of menstruation in relation to core issues of gender equality and equity. In Periods Gone Public, Jennifer Weiss-Wolf—the woman Bustle dubbed one of the nation’s “badass menstrual activists”—explores why periods have become a prominent political cause. From eliminating the “tampon tax,” to enacting new laws that ensure access to affordable, safe products, menstruation is no longer something to whisper about. Weiss-Wolf shares her firsthand account in the fight for “menstrual equity,” introducing the leaders, pioneers, and everyday people who are making change happen. And she challenges readers to face stigma head-on and elevate an agenda that recognizes both the power—and the absolute normalcy—of menstruation. Praise for Periodss Gone Public “This book may be the beginning of liberation for us all.”—Gloria Steinem “Periods Gone Public gives powerful voice to one of the most ignored human rights issues around the globe. It’s required reading for every one of us.” —Abigail Jones, award-winning journalist and New York Times bestselling author “Jennifer Weiss-Wolf’s passion and vision for menstrual equity continues in Periods Gone Public. While both inspiring and educating, she continues to keep menstruation on front pages and at the forefront of conversations across the globe.” —Elissa Stein, author of Flow: The Cultural Story of Menstruation “Periods Gone Public shows why menstrual stigma is not only a social justice issue but an economic and political one. The policy landscape is carefully outlined and bolstered by Jennifer Weiss-Wolf’s deep knowledge of the subject, making it even clearer why this issue has become a focal point of the modern fourth-wave feminist agenda today.” —Madame Gandhi, musician and activist “One of the most important pieces of literature on women’s rights and health policy in decades. A game-changing blueprint for action.”—NYC Council Member Julissa Ferreras-Copeland Jennifer Weiss-Wolf is a leading voice and advocate for equitable menstrual policy in America. Newsweek deemed her the “architect of the U.S. policy campaign to squash the tampon tax.” Weiss-Wolf’s writing and work have appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post, TIME, Newsweek, Cosmopolitan, Glamour, the Nation, Bloomberg, and Ms. Magazine, among others. She is a lawyer and vice president for the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law. She lives in Maplewood, New Jersey.