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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2023 - 2024
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | December 7, 2022 10:09 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative MaryLouise Isaacson |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Menstrual Education in Schools |
| Thousands of Pennsylvanians get their period every month. Yet, many people, including young students, do not know basic information about menstruation. According to reports, 79 percent of teenage students felt that they needed more education on menstruation. This lack of knowledge on this subject is extremely harmful as it perpetuates a stigma around menstruation. For instance, many young students reported in a recent survey that their first period was “embarrassing, traumatic, scary, and confusing,” and they further confessed that they felt dirty and disgusting during their period. Although some schools provide instruction on this topic, many have reported that the curriculum failed to engage students and destigmatize menstruation. These negative connotations to a natural bodily function are extremely problematic, and we must take the steps to break this cycle. It is unconscionable to allow this stigma around periods to continue, and it is time that we do something to fix it. That is why I am introducing legislation that would require the Pennsylvania Department of Education to develop a curriculum for menstrual education that school districts can implement into their instruction for students. This curriculum would include topics related to the menstrual cycle, menstrual hygiene management, menstrual disorders, and more. This legislation will expand access to menstrual education for all students in Pennsylvania, regardless of gender, and ensure that students who menstruate are better equipped to manage their periods. It is essential that we take the steps now to destigmatize menstruation by providing comprehensive and accurate information to all. I hope you will join me in supporting this important legislation that will ensure that all students who menstruate in Pennsylvania have the knowledge, resources, and environment they need to be successful in and out of school. |
Introduced as HB354