Menstrual product dispenser. Image courtesy of @sulibraries.
FLARE and Salisbury recently have administered 32 new stainless-steel menstrual product dispensers in bathrooms across campus, allowing access to free period products for students.
This mission to fight against “period poverty” was conducted by SU senior Maggie Atherton, the founder of Freedom Learning and Advocacy for Reproductive Equality (FLARE).
“Period poverty is essentially when an individual can’t afford menstrual products, usually due to their socioeconomic status,” Atherton said.
The university partnered with the brand “Aunt Flow,” a women owned menstrual distribution company.
“Aunt Flow is a women owned business that helps business, organizations, and schools provide free menstrual products to students, and their products themselves are 100% cotton and the packaging is biodegradable," Atherton said. "Both things relate to Salisbury University’s goals, the Salisbury seven.”
Atherton’s efforts have touched major period product brands like U by Kotex. Boxes of U by Kotex pads are available in multiple locations on campus including the health center, Sammy’s stash and Food for the Flock.
When news of this partnership got out, producers from Condé Nast, owner of the Teen Vogue brand, visited Salisbury University and Atherton.
“When I got the email, I was like absolutely, but it was funny because I had no idea what Condé Nast was. When we got it all figured out, we were like, ‘oh my god this is going to be huge.’”
The Condé Nast team gladly gave a helping hand to distribute period products to students.
“It was honestly a great time, and it was super fun to have them on campus. It meant a lot to us because we’re a small campus on the eastern shore. Nobody really knows about Salisbury, so to have Condé Nast, teen vogue, and U by Kotex know me and what I’m doing, it meant a lot.”
However, this is just the start. According to the senior, she has many more plans in the works to help make Salisbury University a period inclusive school.
“Right now, this is just the pilot program,” Atherton said. "Immediately the next step is expansion from the pilot program and roll it out to the entire university.”
Expansion of the pilot program means more partnerships from outside organizations are needed.
“If we roll it out to the rest of the university, we’ll have to go through a percurment. Basically, with a percurment what happens is we put out a list of essentials that we need from a distributor, and then different distributors get to bid on the project…” Atherton said. “Once that happens, the person... who can do it at the lowest price wins.”
Although outside help is needed, whether the pilot program expands comes down to the advocacy of students.
“It’s really going to come down to a lot of student advocacy and student support, especially when we get to that time [to] look at if the pilot program is going to be expanded or not.”
Atherton’s advocacy efforts are just getting started. According to the FLARE president, she has many goals before her graduation in spring 2026.
“I really want menstrual products to be as accessible as possible for every menstruation regardless of gender identity.”
Advocating against period poverty is something Atherton has always been passionate about.
“Because my mom was so open and honest about sex wellness and education, when I was in high school, I realized that a lot of my peers didn’t have that same experience, and I became the person they came to about all of those topics” Atherton said.
Atherton’s contribution to the fight against period poverty is far from over, but her mark at Salisbury University has already been made.
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By TESSAH GOOD
Staff Writer
Featured image courtesy of @sulibraries
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