With a pounding headache and painful cramps, a student digs through their backpack in a bathroom stall looking for the pouch in which they keep their menstrual products. Once they find it, they quickly unzip the pouch only to remember that they could not afford more products this month, leaving them with nothing to use. Too embarrassed to leave the bathroom and ask for help, they are forced to use toilet paper, the only sanitary thing available. Walking out of the bathroom, they hope the thin material will prevent the humiliation of their pants being stained. 

The That’s on Period Club is an organization determined to prevent mesnturators from having these experiences, normalize period stigma, and educate them on their periods. Elizabeth Gregg, the Vice President of the outreach committee says, “I would love to personally contribute by educating people that periods are not awkward subjects and that they should be talked about.”

The That’s on Period Club extends throughout PUSD. Mackenzie Juza, the President of the That’s on Period was inspired by Rancho Bernardo’s success in the club, so they reached out and brought the ideas to Poway. 

 “I love the bigger picture of it, being able to go beyond myself and working with other schools,” Juza said.       

Juza and her team have put together a drive to collect period products on Oct. 18-29 where you can drop off products in room B2.  

The club is happy that a new law has been signed by the Governor on Oct. 8th where California will now require menstruation products to be available at schools, starting in sixth grade, including high schools and community colleges. 

However, the implementation of this law will not go in effect until the 2022-2023 school year. 

“I am just looking forward to getting period products in the school bathrooms accessible to anyone who needs them,” Katherine Gavigan, vice president of the graphic design committee said. With success on the way, the That’s on Period club is dedicated to reaching their goals, helping mensturators, and ending period poverty.