HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — Aanya Patel is a Hillsborough High School senior who’s been advocating for menstrual hygiene.
“Menstruation should not affect our education,” said Patel.
She founded the nonprofit Global Girls Initiative after learning about period poverty in India through volunteer work, then doing research about the issue in the United States.
Period poverty refers to inequities related to menstruation, particularly the lack of access to menstrual hygiene products for many groups.
“It was kind of mind-blowing to see that period poverty isn’t only some distinct issue that’s happening in third-world countries but it’s something that’s really prevalent in first-world countries like America, and it’s affecting girls’ education here,” said Patel.
She started speaking at Hillsborough County School Board meetings a few years ago, urging leaders to put period products inside school bathrooms.
“So I started at GoFundMe to provide period products for my school and I ended up being about to reach 50,000 period products that I was able to donate not only to my school but work with Hillsborough County Public Schools to give out to all the Title I middle and high schools,” said Patel.
She then created dispensers for period products.
“I wanted them to be placed in bathrooms where they’re easily accessible and that students wouldn’t have to disrupt their learning to go get one of these basic products,” said Patel.
She was able to partner with the Hillsborough County School District to get more than 70 of her dispensers inside school bathrooms.
“I was finally able to work with them and install menstrual hygiene dispensers inside of our Title I low-income middle and high school bathrooms,” said Patel.
However, Patel wanted to expand further. That’s when she heard about House Bill 389, which authorizes public schools across Florida to provide period products to students at no charge.
She worked closely with legislators, like Representative Kelly Skidmore, to advocate for this bill and get it passed.
“I was informing them about what period poverty was, the negative effects it has, and the tremendous impact that this bill can have on improving girls’ education,” said Patel.
The bill was passed a few days ago, was signed by officers, and is now awaiting Governor Ron DeSantis’ signature.
“I am so excited that this bill has finally passed because it really has been this three-year-long journey of advocacy,” said Patel.
“This bill will allow students access to period products, and this is going to help them feel more confident and comfortable attending class,” she added.
Patel is now looking toward the future, hoping to work with legislators from different states to get bills like this passed nationwide.
“I’m just so excited to see that my nonprofit has been able to expand to such a level, and it’s been able to give girls access to these products that are a basic right that they should have. Being able to provide this is going to improve so many girls' education, their health, and their confidence,” said Patel.
“I am going to continue providing period products to as many people as possible,” she added.
