By: Ryan Kaspar
According to Assembly Bill No. 367, which details rights involving menstrual products, California schools must provide free menstrual products in all female and gender-neutral bathrooms and at least one male bathroom.
Redwood High School has begun the installation of menstrual product dispensers that do not require money. Currently, the nurse’s office is the only bathroom with a fully functioning and free machine.
While the decision of which male bathroom hasn’t been made, it will most likely be near the quad. There is no set date for when they will be finished.
Max Martinez, ’24, says “I think it’s going to help a lot with trans masc [people]” and “it feels more gender [inclusive].”
He says “I know [there will] be a lot of negativity towards it from cisgender people.”
Martinez says “It feels like there’s going to be a lot more change with the bathroom situation because that’s where a lot of what I struggle with in high school [comes from].”
Regarding adding products to more restrooms, Martinez says, “I think it would be beneficial to make it a norm to have menstrual stuff accessible to trans[gender] [masculine people].”
Eric Barrios, ’23, says “If someone does need it, it’s there and available for them. I think it’s actually very supportive.”
He says, “It doesn’t affect [cisgender] people to have a pad in the men’s bathroom, and I think it really helps to show support for trans people. If California can do it, other states can do it.”
Regarding other trans issues on campus, Barrios says, “There should be more bathrooms and a better space to change because I know Freshman year I had to walk from the PE locker room all the way to the front office just so I could change and go out to PE so I could get credit.”
Ryan Kaspar
Ryan Kaspar ('24) is a four-year member of the Redwood Gigantea. They work as managing editor along with being a writer and editor for the News section.
You can reach them at ryan.kaspar05@gmail.com
Tags: central valley, lgbt, LGBTQ+, news, redwood gigantea, redwood high school, redwood journalism, redwood rangers, rhs, Ryan Kaspar, trans, Transgender, visalia ca