This petition stems from my own personal experiences and those of my daughter, both of us subjected to humiliation and embarrassment due to outdated school restroom policies. As a forty-year-old, I still carry the scars of being denied access to the restroom during my menstrual cycle at school, leading to multiple situations where I, along with countless friends, experienced leaks through our clothes. Now, my high school daughter faces the same issue, with fear preventing her from seeking permission to use the toilet, followed by the same humiliation I once endured. Such instances of violation of basic rights are not isolated, many female students across the nation and the globe suffer the same indignity.

The existing policy that necessitates a medical note for girls to use the restroom during their menses is discriminatory, inconvenient and reinforces negative and harmful stereotypes.

Menses is not a medical condition and should not require a medical note to be allowed to use the restroom.

Here, we demand that the school systems change their policy permitting uninterrupted access to restrooms for all students, especially during their monthly cycle without any need for a medical note. The World Health Organization (WHO) states that managing menstruation in a healthy, safe, and dignified manner is the basic right of every woman and girl (WHO, 2014).

Let's work to create school environments that uphold the dignity and respect of every student, remove unnecessary barriers, and put an end to these outdated and harmful practices. Act now: sign this petition, share your stories, and demand change in our schools.