ASFA hosted a tabling event where they provided free pads, tampons and DivaCups for students
Jan. 30 marked day one of ASFA’s commitment to offer free menstrual products to all Concordia students and community members.
ASFA set up a table with a variety of feminine hygiene products, such as tampons, pads and DivaCups—a reusable and more sustainable menstrual product.
“It’s only been going on for an hour and half, and [almost] everything is gone,” said ASFA vice-president of internal affairs Julia Sutera Sardo.
According to Sutera Sardo, at around 1 p.m., the stock had nearly run out, including stock she had kept in a nearby closet.
The event was held after a motion was passed by ASFA on Jan. 12 to acknowledge and aid those who experience menstruation.
“I think it’s going extremely well. I was surprised with the amount of people who came,” said Sutera Sardo.
An initial budget of $2,000 was allocated to the event by ASFA’s advocacy committee, said Sutera Sardo. She said she wanted to provide more DivaCups, as they are more sustainable, so an extra $300 was provided by the advocacy committee—resulting in a total of $2,300 being spent on pads, tampons and DivaCups. She said she was able to purchase a portion of the pads and tampons on sale for about $2 each. “There were not any taxes, so that was helpful,” she said.
“I had 16 DivaCups here. Those were really expensive because they’re about $50 a cup, so we couldn’t buy too many right away because I didn’t get funding from council,” she said.
She said many people were interested in picking up DivaCups at the event, so she wants to get more funding from The Concordia Council on Student Life (CCSL) and ASFA to purchase more.
Given that she is a CSU councillor, Sutera Sardo said she would like to start including menstrual products in both gendered and non-gendered CSU bathrooms.
“I thought that having them in specifically male bathrooms was something that is important because some people are trans,” said Sutera Sardo, adding that this would provide more access to all who are in need of menstrual products.
Sutera Sardo said she is planning on presenting a motion to put menstrual product stands in all ASFA member association offices and bathrooms, much like the type of stands used by the school newspapers on campus.
Sutera Sardo wants to host a tabling event at the Loyola campus soon, but the date has yet to be determined.
To request that a certain type of product be made available at future distribution tables or for more information, contact Julia Sutera Sardo at [email protected]
