The Chilliwack school district will be placing menstrual product dispensers in male washrooms in addition to girls and gender-neutral washrooms.
The Chilliwack school board re-affirmed policy 433 (provision of menstrual products) at its June 27 meeting, including an amendment that was suggested by trustee Teri Westerby at the June 13 meeting. Where the previous policy read, in part, “provide for consistent availability and supply of menstrual products in school washrooms,” the amended policy adds the words “specifically in all variations of washrooms (Male, Female, Gender-Neutral).”
Concerns have been raised that dispensers might be more vulnerable to vandalism in male washrooms, but trustee Margaret Reid disagreed as she spoke in favour of the amendment.
“I’ve never been a fan of that argument for rainbow crosswalks, for public art murals, for anything,” Reid said. “I don’t think vandalism is ever a good reason to not do the right thing, or to make a place more beautiful or more accessible.”
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Reid added that reducing stigma around menstrual products is an important consideration.
SD33 director of transportation and facilities, Al Van Tasel, estimated the cost of adding dispensers to male washrooms at around $15 to 17 thousand. He said the district would investigate using smaller dispensers, which might save a modest amount of money.
Trustee Richard Procee spoke against the amendment.
“I think the cost is high and we already have menstrual products available in other neutral washrooms,” he said. “The addition to male washrooms in particular is not necessary.”
The district did solicit feedback from students at five local middle-secondary schools, and superintendent Rohan Arul-pragasam said 75 of 80 respondents expressed support in an informal survey.
“Last time I was a little hesitant because I wasn’t sure what students would think, and I wasn’t sure if students would want to be accessing these products in male washrooms,” said board chair Willow Reichelt. “But given the fact we’ve done an informal survey that overwhelmingly says they do want this, I will speak in favour of the amendment.”
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