These Girl Scouts used their cookie sale money to install “period lockers” in their school, and it’s #feministgoals
When you buy a box of Girl Scout cookies, your money is always going toward a great cause. But this Ohio-based troop just upped the game—by using their cookie sale money to install “hygiene lockers” in school bathrooms in hopes of helping girls worry less about their periods. The troop’s school doesn’t allow bags…meaning many girls are faced with an awkward dilemma every time they head to the bathroom holding menstrual products (hide them up their sleeves? hold them for all the world to see?). So the group of fifth grade Girl Scouts financed bathroom lockers where students can store their menstrual products.
"I wanted to pursue the project with my Girl Scout troop because I felt girls needed a way to be confident and have support during their periods," Jordan told Teen Vogue. "The [hygiene lockers] help girls be confident because instead of having to go down to the nurse and catch up with the work later, they can know the supplies are waiting for them."
“Our choices were to stress, or worry about hiding something. Miss class time, or risk being found out,” Girl Scout Reagan added. “We didn’t like any of the choices. You want to feel confident and empowered at school, not stressed and distracted. It made the most sense to have products in bathrooms, where you need them.”
Ohio girl scouts lobbied their school and installed "hygiene lockers." https://t.co/S3xT7thsVP
— Teen Vogue (@TeenVogue) March 9, 2019
At first, the Scouts’ locker idea was rejected by school administrators. However, after some brainstorming, the troop pitched another idea—a cabinet with bins for menstrual products — and it (thankfully) got approved.
"I felt frustrated at first [when they first said no]," Reagan told Teen Vogue. "I didn't understand why our school was saying no when our troop only saw the good things. The world would never change if we accepted every no." Amen.
That's what it's all about! Our future entrepreneurs of tomorrow being innovative and using their cookie boss skills to set goals and achieve them. Thank you for sharing! #ThinkOutsideTheCookieBox pic.twitter.com/DuSj8Kki6Q
— Girl Scouts (@girlscouts) March 9, 2019
The new hygiene cabinethas been a hit among the female students. “It felt good to help other girls and get the opportunity to do this,” one of the Girl Scouts said. And while—in an ideal world—girls and women wouldn’t feel as though they need to hide their menstrual products (since it’s 100% natural and nothing to be embarrassed about), we think this is a pretty genius solution for now. We hope the Scouts inspire others to help menstruating girls at home and abroad.
