As of late, I’m sure many of you have noticed a lack of menstrual products offered on campus. I found them, but it wasn’t easy. Or advertised. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg, so come along with me as we look at the apparent disappearance of hygiene products on campus.
It started when I heard that there were no longer any menstrual products being sold in Devil’s Den, and I’m sure we’ve all noticed that throughout campus, women’s restrooms are unfortunately lacking in menstrual products. If they are not in the bathrooms, then surely they are sold at the campus convenience store. But if Devil’s Den is now a groceries-only operation, then where have all the toiletries gone? Not just menstrual products, of course, but toothbrushes and toothpaste, floss, mouthwash and Band-Aids — necessities you need in everyday life, and, sometimes, on short notice.
The answer is in the bookstore which, let me tell you, is not the first place I would think to look. There the toiletries are, all tucked away around the corner of the Gift section, out of the direct line of sight, across from a whole lot of mugs. I’m happy to report that there is a selection of menstrual products available, as well as a strange assortment of toiletry and toiletry-adjacent items.
The problem is not that I, specifically, did not know about where all of these items were moved to, but that nearly everyone else I have spoken to about this didn’t know either, making this a collective issue. First order of business the school needs to address: creating any form of signage informing the general campus populace that there are toiletries in the bookstore. That there are actually menstrual products being sold is not the victory I wish it was, because now the issue is accessibility.
Appropriate advertising is, as mentioned, only the tip of the iceberg. The rest of this iceberg is the limited knowledge about and accessibility to the entirety of the underground HUB area. What if you are — reasonably — unaware of the location of Dickinson toiletries, and you need access to them as soon as possible? What if you don’t have a car to drive to Walmart, CVS, or Target? What if you aren’t able to walk and get those items? What if the safety shuttle–as it often is these days–isn’t running? Once I had figured out where the toiletries had gone, I noticed that there are very slim offerings; it doesn’t look like there’s a whole lot there. What if the item you need is out of stock?
The HUB is being renovated in part to improve accessibility. Perhaps access to these essential items can be improved too. I’m of the opinion that if the Devil’s Den is no longer the campus convenience store, and the bookstore is only a little stocked with essential items, perhaps an actual convenience store – or pop-up location, or vending machine – should be seriously considered.
