Reproductive Justice 956 launches Flow956 menstrual equity campaign

Laredo-based grassroots organization Reproductive Justice 956 is seeking petition signatures to raise awareness about gaps in menstrual education and the stigma surrounding periods in the community through its new campaign, Flow956.

Supported in part by the Brownsville-based Texas Youth Activist Alliance, the campaign aims to assist those who struggle with access to period care, including students, workers and families across the border region.

“Our goal is to build a culture where menstruation is understood, supported and treated with dignity,” the organization said on its petition page. “Menstrual equity is about dignity, health and basic human needs.”

Organizers said support for the petition reflects a broader push to normalize conversations around menstruation, improve access to hygiene products and expand data-driven menstrual health education.

“Together, we can build a frontera where everyone has the dignity, knowledge and resources they deserve,” the group said.

Reproductive Justice 956 has also begun distributing menstrual and hygiene products at community events it attends and hosts, including its most recent effort during an International Women’s Empowerment and Community gathering on March 16.

According to a 2024 study by the University of Texas Health Houston School of Public Health, about 59% of women experienced period product insecurity in 2021. More than a third of adults reported struggling to afford menstrual hygiene products in 2023, while three in four teens said they needed greater access to products.

Period poverty refers to the lack of access to menstrual hygiene products, sanitation facilities and menstrual health education.

Additional research from Texas A&M International University highlights barriers in the region, including that about 42% of women ages 15 to 44 lack insurance and that the area has fewer OB-GYNs per capita compared with national averages.

As of March 20, the petition had gathered more than 100 signatures, with a goal of reaching 200.

For more information on the campaign, visit repro.justice956 on social media.