UT Tyler Hosts Donation Drive for Accessible Hygiene
People Bleed: Menstrual Hygiene and First Aid Donation Drive. Flyer by Sidney Wilson.
By ELAINA GONZALEZ/Opinion Editor
The blood running through our veins is a part of life shared by all humans. At some point, everyone will bleed for one reason or another. Sidney Wilson, the Academic Success coordinator at UT Tyler, seeks to make blood-related hygiene accessible for students.
People bleed is a menstrual hygiene and first-aid donation drive March 6 to March 10. Presented by the offices of Academic Success and Title IX, this event aims to collect hygiene goods for the Patriot Pantry.
“Everybody bleeds,” Wilson said, “and these types of goods are necessary, they’re human rights, but they’re also very expensive.”
By making these items abundantly available in the Pantry, Wilson hopes it will meet students’ needs.
Sidney Wilson talks about the statistics behind period poverty and the reason why accessible hygiene is so important.
Anyone can donate.
Regarding what products are needed, Wilson asks for “anything you might consider necessary to stop or handle bleeding in a clean way.”
Hygiene products are often an “invisible cost” that many fail to consider within the cost of living. Photo by Natalia Fedulova on 123RF.com.
This includes maxi pads, tampons, cups, disposable menstrual underwear, feminine wash, wipes, band-aids, ace bandages, hydrogen peroxide, Neosporin, wraps, gauze, quick clot or any similar types of items.
Wilson added, “in particular, if people are so inclined, things like Band-Aids in all skin colors … as well as menstrual hygiene products that are okay for people with skin sensitivity and different sorts of flows, to make sure we are being as accessible as possible.”
While products do not have to be in their original packaging, the product itself must be closed (never been opened) and unused.
Sidney Wilson discusses her inspiration for People Bleed.
Donation areas will be on campus every day during the week. Photo by Elaina Gonzalez.
Donations will be accepted daily from March 6 to March 10 as follows:
- Monday, March 6: UC Info Table 6, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
- Tuesday, March 7: UC Info Table 6, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
- Wednesday, March 8: LIB 425, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Thursday, March 9: UC Info Table 6, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
- Friday, March 10: UC Info Table 6, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Students can view details about this event on Patriots Engage or the UT Tyler Academic Success Instagram page.
Editor’s correction: the statistic is 500 million women globally, not 500 million in the U.S.
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