Few among us would think that access to sanitary napkins is a problem. Yet to the less fortunate among us, it is. Now, New York City made history recently by enacting legislation enabling women in schools, correctional facilities and shelters to have access to tampons and pads during their periods. The lack of access has had sad and objectionable effects that usually went unmentioned because the whole idea of menstruation and menstrual products have been taboo. NYC is in the lead as far as the US is concerned. Canada abolished its goods and services tax on menstrual products last summer. The European Union allows the Value Added Tax to be 0 and even Kenya (more…)
Danielle Levy
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A New Kind of Debtor Prison
Nicholas Kristoff, the thoughtful and socially conscious NYT columnist wrote eloquently about what could be called debtors’ prison not long ago drawing attention to the fact that people who can’t afford to pay fines are jailed instead, a system that ensures they won’t be able to pay. Serving time puts one’s job in jeopardy, should one have a job because many of those who are fined are homeless, for example being fined for sleeping on a park bench. The system also places the children of single parents at risk, and can mean eviction for some. Still nation- wide the practice continues and is often (more…)
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Professional Licenses For Undocumented
It takes courage to be an illegal immigrant, not only to brave the journey but then to live with whatever one has to do to avoid discovery, not to speak of the accompanying fear. When I read that those in the US illegally could apply for a driver’s license in California, I wondered if I’d have the courage if I were an undocumented immigrant. It’s hard enough to be an immigrant, being undocumented would make it daunting. According to a recent L A Times feature some 300 people (more…)