The Cycle Alliance Is a Gender-Inclusive Period Advocacy Group
The Cycle Alliance is a hybrid teen volunteer program that combines virtual workshops, independent work, and in-person service to destigmatize and de-gender conversations about menstruation; combat period poverty; and empower teens to advocate for social causes. Volunteers will accomplish their goals of education, advocacy, and community engagement by attending virtual workshops scheduled throughout the year. Teens will learn how to identify and contact their local political leaders; how to access trustworthy information to combat period shaming; and bystander training. Finally, teens will be able to express their creativity through writing, drawing, or developing pieces for the library’s teen blog and social media.
As an Ally:
- Earn volunteer hours or community service credits
- Help people in need in your neighborhood and throughout Brooklyn
- Gain accurate information to fight the myths surrounding menstruation
- Meet new people and make new friends
- Find out who your local politicians are and how to contact them
Cycle Alliance Values:
- Menstrual equity for all who menstruate, which includes cis women, trans men and gender non-binary people.
- Periods are a natural and biological event and are not shameful. #NoPeriodShaming
- Every menstruator should have access to free or low cost menstrual hygiene products.
- Continued funding for free menstrual products in New York prisons, homeless shelters, public middle and high schools.
- A mandatory, accurate, and up-to-date sex ed curriculum in schools that destigmatizes menstruation.
- The continued repeal of the “tampon tax” in New York.
- Avoiding superstitious, hurtful, sexist, anti-woman, homophobic and transphobic language when talking about periods.
- To teach, not cancel people who “just don’t get it" by using facts.
Resources:
- "All About Periods." Source: Nemours KidsHealth
- "Doctors Answer Commonly Googled Period Questions." Source: YouTube
- "People with Disabilities Have Periods Too, & We Need to Talk About That." Source: SheKnows
- "Understanding Your Menstrual Cycle." Source: Womenshealth.gov
"The Launch Pad: Your go-to for Resources for Menstrual Equity Activism." Source: Period, the Menstrual Movement
"Guidance for Providing Respectful Menstruation Related Care To TGNB Patient Populations." Source: Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health
"The Menstrual Movement." Source: YouTube, Tedx Talks
The Pad Project, The Pad Project’s mission is to create and cultivate local and global partnerships to end period stigma and to empower women worldwide
League of Women Voters of the City of New York. Who Represents Me
BKLYN Incubator is supported by generous funding provided by The Charles H. Revson Foundation and Robin K. and Jay L. Lewis.
Upcoming Events
Check back soon for upcoming events.
Staff Picks
- Ready, Steady, Flow
- Changing Bodies and Puberty
- Relationships and Sex Primer for Teens
The hormone myth : how junk science, gender politics, and lies about PMS keep women downRobyn Stein DeLuca
50 things you need to know about periods : know your flow and live in sync with your cycleClaire Baker
Hang-ups, hook-ups, and holding out : stuff you need to know about your body, sex, and datingMelisa Holmes