Don't let Perkins cramp your style
Menstruation is a natural bodily process that affects about half of the Duke undergraduate population, yet it is one of the least discussed, most misunderstood and stigmatized topics. It is not uncommon for menstruating students to find themselves in need of a pad or tampon while studying in the library. Often, they are forced to interrupt their studying to go to the Lobby Shop or their room, or desperately ask someone they are comfortable with for a pad or tampon. Other universities, such as Brown and Cornell, have implemented programs to provide free menstrual hygiene products on campus for students. Following the strong examples of these institutions, Code Red, a group of students with the mission of menstrual equity, began to work towards the goal of having Duke Facilities Management provide menstrual hygiene products in the bathrooms of Perkins Library.