When it comes to talking about menstruation, governments across the globe are generally behind the times. The topic of periods has only recently become slightly less taboo and Jennifer Weiss-Wolf wants to further the conversation and inspire policy changes. Take a listen!
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!
- What menstrual equity means
- The evolution of the term menstrual equity since Jennifer first coined it
- How Jennifer became involved in advocacy around gender and menstrual equity
- Why we should view laws in the context of whether they meet the needs of people who menstruate
- What the “tampon tax” is and why Jennifer decided it was a good candidate for policy reform
- Jennifer’s early campaigns to remove the “tampon tax” in the United States
- The importance of crossing the political aisle to implement policy reforms
- Common misconceptions about the “tampon tax”
- The power of local state advocacy
- How making periods political helps to promote gender equality
- How you can get involved in the menstrual equity movement
- The progress being made towards menstrual equity outside of the U.S.
- The future of menstrual innovation and equity
- Jennifer’s main goals for her book, Periods Gone Public
Jennifer Weiss-Wolf’s Book | Periods Gone Public: Taking a Stand for Menstrual Equity
Academy Award-Winning Documentary | Period. End of Sentence.
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