Media Coverage

News coverage, advocacy reports, and policy papers

By location: National, Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Missouri, Nebraska, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia

Advocacy and Policy Reports

National

• The Guardian, “Prisons that withhold menstrual pads humiliate women and violate basic rights” by Chandra Bozelko
• Newsweek, “I was a Prisoner. Access to Menstrual Products isn’t a Luxury. It’s a Basic Human Right” by CHANDRA BOZELKO
• The Cut, “Menstruation Can Become Humiliation in Prisons” by Alex Ronan
• ACLU and Period Equity, “THE UNEQUAL PRICE OF PERIODS“
• Prison Policy Initiative, “States of Women’s Incarceration: The Global Context 2018” by Aleks Kajstura
• Prison Policy Initiative, “Women’s Mass Incarceration: The Whole Pie 2019” by Aleks Kajstura
• Prison Policy Initiative, “Who’s helping the 1.9 million women released from prisons and jails each year?” by Wendy Sawyer
• VERA Institute of Justice, “Overlooked: Women and Jails in an Era of Reform” by Elizabeth Swavola, Kristine Riley, and Ram Subramanian
• Huffington Post, “Federal Prisons Made Menstrual Products Free. Now Some States May Follow Suit.” by Lydia O’Connor
• Bustle, “Pads & Tampons Will Now Be Free For Female Inmates In Federal Prisons —Finally” by Kyli Rodriguez-Cayro
• Mic, “What It’s Like to Have Your Period in a Women’s Prison” by Leigh Cuen
• Women’s Health Magazine, “The Sickening Truth About What It’s Like to Get Your Period in Prison” by KRISTINA MARUSIC
• New York Times, “Many Lack Access to Pads and Tampons. What Are Lawmakers Doing About It?” by Emma Goldberg
• Harper’s Bazaar, “Getting Your Period Is Still Oppressive in the United States” by JULIE KOSIN
• Mother Jones, “Getting Your Period in Prison Is Hell. These Numbers Prove It.” by Samantha Michaels

Alabama

• Cosmopolitan, “This Prison in Alabama Is Hell on Earth for Women” by HEATHER WOOD RUDULPH
• WBRC, “Federal report has new details of abuse at Tutwiler Prison for women“
• Associated Press, “Bill requires jails to provide menstrual products to inmates” by KIM CHANDLER

Arizona

• Metro, “Female prisoners get just 12 sanitary pads a month while on their periods” by Zoe Drewett
• Huffington Post, “Let Women In Prison Have Their Periods In Peace” by Adrienne Kitcheyan and Tuesday Brauer

Arkansas

• Buzzfeed, “A Former Inmate Has Gone Viral For Her TikToks About Prison Life, And Here Are Her 14 Most Eye-Opening Stories” by Daniella Emanuel

California

• Mother Jones, “Jail Is a Terrible Place to Have a Period. One Woman Is on a Crusade to Make It Better.” by Samantha Michaels
• ACLU of Northern California, “Reproductive Health Behind Bars in California“

Colorado

• The Denver Post, “Viral speech details how women have to barter for tampons in Colorado jails because period products are too expensive” by JUSTIN WINGERTER
• The Colorado Sun, “Colorado’s prisons offer free tampons to female inmates. The state’s jails might soon be required to as well.” by Jesse Paul
• The Denver Post, “Women in Colorado prisons will get free tampons under amendment that offers “a small piece of dignity” by Jesse Paul

Connecticut

• TeenVogue, “Getting Your Period in Prison Is More Miserable Than You’d Ever Imagine” by BRITTNEY MCNAMARA

Delaware

• The News Journal, “Senator wants state to provide free tampons to women in prison” by MEREDITH NEWMAN

Florida

• Tampa Bay Times, “Florida prisons struggle to provide feminine products” by News Service of Florida
• WNDB, “Feminine Products In Florida Prisons Get Attention“

Indiana

• News and Tribune, “Woman sues Clark County Jail over denial of feminine hygiene products” by ELIZABETH BEILMAN

Louisiana

• The Times-Picayune, “Louisiana prisoners will no longer have to pay for tampons” by Julia O’Donoghue
• Lift Louisiana, “Dignity for Incarcerated Women Act“

Maine

• Huffington Post, “Maine Lawmaker Says Free Menstrual Products Would Make Prison Like ‘A Country Club‘” by Alanna Vagianos
• Glamour, “Politician Votes Against Access to Pads and Tampons in Prison Because It’s Not ‘a Country Club’” by Julyssa Lopez

Missouri

• St. Louis Public Radio, “Legislation To Provide Free Tampons To Missouri Inmates Moves Forward” by Jaclyn Driscoll
• Kansas City Star, “Missouri should give women in its prisons free, quality tampons and pads. It’s a right“
• Missouri Appleseed, “Access to Feminine Hygiene Products in Missouri Prisons“

Nebraska

• AP News, “Nebraska’s ACLU: Prisons charge inmates too much for tampons” by GRANT SCHULTE
• Governing, “New Tampon Policy Provides Them Free to Nebraska Prisoners” by Caroline Cournoyer

Tennessee

• AP News, “Private prisons reach deal with women forced to show tampons” by JONATHAN MATTISE

Texas

• The Texas Observer, “Having My Period in Prison Was Awful. In Texas, That May Finally Change.” by Jennifer Toon
• The Texas Criminal Justice Coalition, “AN UNSUPPORTED POPULATION: THE TREATMENT OF WOMEN IN TEXAS’ CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM“
• The Texas Tribune, “Texas Senate passes bill to end the shackling of pregnant women in prison” by CATHERINE MARFIN

Virginia

• Washington Post, “Virginia prison guards accused a staffer of smuggling contraband, so she was fired. It was a tampon, she says.” by Jaclyn Peiser
• NPR, “Virginia Prisons Ban Visitors From Wearing Tampons, Citing Contraband Concerns” by LAUREL WAMSLEY
• Yahoo News, “New Tampon Ban For Virginia Prison Visitors Already Suspended“
• Bustle, “Virginia “Immediately Suspended” Its Tampons Rule For Prison Visitors After Criticism” by Joseph D. Lyons

Advocacy and Policy Reports

• ACLU and Period Equity, “THE UNEQUAL PRICE OF PERIODS“
• Prison Policy Initiative, “States of Women’s Incarceration: The Global Context 2018” by Aleks Kajstura
• Prison Policy Initiative, “Women’s Mass Incarceration: The Whole Pie 2019” by Aleks Kajstura
• Prison Policy Initiative, “Who’s helping the 1.9 million women released from prisons and jails each year?” by Wendy Sawyer
• VERA Institute of Justice, “Overlooked: Women and Jails in an Era of Reform” by Elizabeth Swavola, Kristine Riley, and Ram Subramanian
• ACLU of Northern California, “Reproductive Health Behind Bars in California“
• Lift Louisiana, “Dignity for Incarcerated Women Act“
• Missouri Appleseed, “Access to Feminine Hygiene Products in Missouri Prisons“
• The Texas Criminal Justice Coalition, “AN UNSUPPORTED POPULATION: THE TREATMENT OF WOMEN IN TEXAS’ CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM“

---

Page last updated July 30, 2021