Georgia is gearing up for an empowering celebration of Period Action Day on Saturday, October 14, 2023. Founded in 2019 by PERIOD.The Menstrual Movement, this global day of advocacy highlights the monumental strides of the menstrual equity movement. The Georgia celebration will be hosted officially by Georgia STOMP, a statewide coalition championing menstrual equity and combating period poverty. The event promises to be a beacon of awareness, education, and collective action.
During the time we have been actively working in Georgia, the number of states in the US with no sales tax on period products has more than doubled.
Held at Urban Pie (2012A Hosea L Williams Dr. NE, Atlanta, GA) from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., this event will bring together state legislators, school nurses, and prominent leaders working at the forefront of menstrual equity in Georgia. A “packing party” will be held to assemble individual kits of period supplies to be distributed statewide by Georgia STOMP member organizations throughout the state. These include Helping Mamas and Atlanta GLOW in the Atlanta area, Period Project at UGA in Athens,and Macon Periods Easier serving middle Georgia. Items for these kits have been donated by Georgia STOMP members, the business community (including OI Organic Initiative), and the Women’s Caucus of the Georgia Legislature.
Georgia STOMP, initially a grassroots movement with its genesis in 2017, is now a robust statewide coalition of 37 organizations. Claire Cox, the Chair of Georgia STOMP says, “the work of Georgia STOMP stems from the knowledge that a general lack of understanding about menstrual needs has led to inequity not just in Georgia’s tax base, but also in institutions and public spaces across the state.” For more than six years, Georgia STOMP has led the effort in Georgia to eliminate the discriminatory sales tax on menstrual products and has ensured active bills were before the state legislature every session beginning in 2018. Cox says, “during the time we have been actively working in Georgia, the number of states in the US with no sales tax on period products has more than doubled, with 29 states now having no state tax on menstrual products. Texas and Virginia are among those most recently joining the list.”
To address period poverty, Georgia STOMP was instrumental in funding being added to the state budget for the purpose of providing period products in schools and local county health departments, partnering with the Georgia Department of Education to provide best practices and follow-up research on the sufficiency of the monies and documenting need in Georgia’s public schools. Georgia was the first state in the nation to allocate money in the state budget for the purpose of addressing period poverty. “Having products has been incredibly helpful and addresses a critical need. Students do not have to worry about or be embarrassed to ask for products, and school nurses do not have to struggle to find funding to purchase products,” said Lynne Meadows, Director of District Health Services for Fulton County Schools. In 2019, progress in Georgia was made when period products were added to the list Georgia Emergency Management Agency and Homeland Security uses to determine how emergency funds may be spent. In the same year, the Georgia Department of Corrections changed its policy to make period products readily available in cabinets in the dorms of women’s correctional facilities.
This celebration will not only mark these accomplishments but will also serve as a platform to address the work still needed. The event invites the general public to join coalition members, legislators, and supporters for a day filled with educational and advocacy opportunities. Attendees are encouraged to participate in a tax protest action facilitated by Georgia STOMP partner Period Law. Bring your receipts for recent period product purchases, and let your voice be heard.
Media outlets and journalists are welcomed to cover this Period Action Day event. Join us at Urban Pie from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. and be part of this historic movement. For event details, sponsorship opportunities, interview requests, and further information, please contact: Claire Cox (chair@georgiastomp.org) or visit our website at GeorgiaSTOMP.org.
