Period Pride Day party celebrates normalized menstruation

On Feb. 17, a Period Pride Day party will be held at After Gallery located at 2225 N. Humboldt Ave. in Riverwest. The celebration will encourage dancing and letter writing to the assembly committee that will oversee two Assembly Bills that are being re-introduced by Wisc. State Rep. Melissa Sargent.

Rep. Sargent has recently reintroduced two bills that would have an effect on menstrual products. Assembly Bill 682 would require restrooms in facilities owned by the state or political subdivision to have free available tampons and sanitary napkins. Assembly Bill 856 would create a sales and use tax exemption for diapers and tampons.

Period Pride Day is a celebration of organizations that give free menstrual care to their employees or students as well as retail outlets who have removed taxes on period related products. The celebration also serves as a way to encourage organizations who have not yet taken these steps to do the same in hopes to gradually destigmatize and normalize periods.

The Newcastle University Feminist Society declared Feb. 18 Period Pride Day in 2015. That first year, the NUFS campaigned for free and available menstrual care on campus as well as tax-free menstrual products in the Union shop. A month later, they achieved their goal.

The Pride Day Party at After Gallery will kick off at 10 p.m. Outfits that make use of the “color of blood” are encouraged. A DJ set by the ILLUSTRIOUS DJ DRiPSweat will provide music.