Kamala Harris’ working mate within the 2024 presidential election, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, signed a legislation requiring colleges to inventory tampons in boys’ loos.
Tim Walz signed a legislation in 2023 that required Minnesota colleges to inventory free menstrual for college students in grades 4 via 12. The language of the statute was gender impartial and subsequently compelled colleges to make menstrual merchandise accessible to all “menstruating college students,” together with transmasculine (trans boys and male-presenting) college students, though they are able to receive them in locations aside from boys’ loos.
After Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz spoke on the Democratic Nationwide Conference that nominated him as presidential candidate Kamala Harris’ working mate in August 2024, a rumor that Walz had signed a legislation requiring Minnesotan colleges to inventory tampons in boys’ loos took on new life (archived):
The declare has appeared multiple times on X, Reddit, and Facebook since Harris picked him as her would-be vice chairman. The posts had collected tens of 1000’s of views as of this writing and earned Walz the sarcastic moniker “Tampon Tim” (archived):
Menstrual Merchandise for ‘Menstruating College students’
In 2023, Walz signed a faculty funding invoice into legislation containing a provision that assured entry to free menstrual safety to Minnesota college students from the fourth via the twelfth grade. This laws required all college districts and constitution colleges to inventory menstrual merchandise, and the language of the law was gender impartial. It learn (emphasis ours):
A faculty district or constitution college should present college students with entry to menstrual merchandise at no cost. The merchandise have to be accessible to all menstruating college students in restrooms commonly utilized by college students in grades 4 to 12 in keeping with a plan developed by the college district. For functions of this part, “menstrual merchandise” means pads, tampons, or different comparable merchandise utilized in reference to the menstrual cycle.
Whereas the legislation didn’t particularly point out boys’ loos, it additionally didn’t prohibit the rule to feminine or ladies’ loos. Paired with the laws protecting children’s access to gender-affirming care, this may require colleges that don’t present gender-neutral restrooms to make sure such merchandise to can be found transmasculine college students — that’s, college students who’re both trans boys or college students born feminine whose gender expression is masculine — to entry them. In concept, this might require the stocking of menstrual merchandise in boys’ loos in some instances, although the editorial board of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune argued that isn’t the case:
Critics contend, wrongly, that it mandates menstrual merchandise in boys’ loos. This has sadly been used to stoke ongoing tradition wars over transgender people.
However the legislation’s precise language offers appreciable flexibility for varsity districts to implement it, in keeping with Deb Henton, the chief director of the Minnesota Affiliation of College Directors.
That may imply making these merchandise accessible without spending a dime in varied areas for all who want them, akin to unisex loos, ladies’ loos, the college nurse or the entrance workplace, however not essentially in boys’ loos. Henton, in an interview, lauded the “native management” the legislation offers for implementation, and mentioned she’s fielded no issues about its rollout.
At Anoka-Hennepin, the state’s largest college district, the free merchandise should not present in conventional male-only loos, a spokesman mentioned. However they’re supplied without spending a dime to all in “nongendered loos,” ladies’ loos or from well being staffers.
‘Tampon Tim’ Goes Viral
Megyn Kelly, the conservative tv present and podcast host whom former U.S. President Donald Trump once attacked for having “blood popping out of her wherever,” embraced the monicker “Tampon Tim” as criticism of this and different of Walz’s insurance policies (archived):
However in 2024, discuss of menstruation was now not taboo within the public and political sphere. Removed from placing folks off, the truth that Walz supported such a legislation was, to many, an indication of empathy and logic, together with from former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton (archived):
How good of the Trump camp to assist publicize Gov. Tim Walz’s compassionate and commonsense coverage of offering free menstrual merchandise to college students in Minnesota public colleges! Let’s do that in all places. pic.twitter.com/hk6v8cs8p4
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) August 7, 2024
