SUPERPOWER: Strength in softness
Founder, Wood County Women’s Rights Alliance
The idea for the Wood County Women’s Rights Alliance (WCWRA) came at a moment when founder Isabelle Moore was feeling isolated and in need of community. “I just felt really alone after the election, and I knew other people were feeling alone, so I thought, ‘Let’s get everybody together and do something positive.’” She wasn’t sure what exactly that would look like at first, but she wanted to see what the group could come up with on a smaller scale to have a tangible, positive impact on their immediate area.
One answer to the question came from an anonymous post on the group’s Facebook page from someone in need of period products, which led to the launching of the group’s Pink Period Pantries. True to the name, the small pantries are painted bright pink and offer a range of products, from menstrual pads and tampons to hand sanitizer and wipes. Like similar freestanding setups offering food or books, they are accessible to anyone in need and require no payment.
In addition to the community pantries, the WCWRA has been working to provide free menstrual products in school bathrooms. Historically, it has been nurses and teachers who provide students in need with products, which can add an unnecessary barrier to access if students are afraid to speak up and ask or can’t physically get to the place where they are held. By providing the items in the bathrooms themselves, students can take what they need when they need it without having to endure any negative stigma related to obtaining it.
Moore hopes the WCWRA’s work can expand and that more people will become aware of issues that can be addressed through community action. “It gives people hope, and hope is such a powerful tool for resistance and change. I really want our pantries to start conversations here around equity.”
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