Lehigh’s Gender, Leadership and Empowerment Center and Office of Sustainability have partnered to create Spot Me, an expanded initiative which provides free, sustainable menstrual products to students.
The campaign has been operating at Lehigh for four years, though it was previously called “CampusCup” and initially only offered menstrual cups.
Spot Me now provides a wider variety of products, including cups, discs and period underwear in a range of sizes and styles. The initiative aims to combat many issues surrounding menstruation, including environmental impacts of waste, the high cost of period products, and people feeling comfortable with their bodies.
Rita Jones, director of the center, said the offices developed this effort because the staff understands each human is different and has a special relationship with menstruation.
While some people prefer discs over cups for various reasons, others might choose not to use either and instead opt for period underwear, she said.
“We just want to make sure everyone can get the sustainable menstrual product that they feel most comfortable using,” Jones said.
She said many students have limited opportunities to explore product options before college, so she wanted to create a way for them to experience a sustainable approach to menstruation.
Carly Dickerson, associate director of the center, said the staff also decided to offer period underwear in a range of styles and sizes to cater to all genders.
“We added boxer style period underwear to our mix of bikini styles so that if transgender students are getting their periods and want period underwear, they can find something that is more gender-affirming,” Dickerson said.
The period underwear come in sizes ranging from extra small to 6X, covering United States pant sizes from 00-34, according to the Spot Me product sizing guide. The discs and cups also come in a variety of sizes.
Dylan Young, ‘24G, said she appreciates the variety of styles offered through the initiative.
“I think everyone likes things a little differently, and when products are offered, it may not always be people’s preference,” Young said. “So, having these options available is really helpful.”
Dickerson said the high cost of sustainable menstrual products can make them inaccessible for students.
However, she said in the long run, sustainable products are more cost-effective since they’re reusable, unlike disposable options like tampons and pads.
“It’s expensive to get your period, especially if you’re getting them every month,” Dickerson said. “This campaign could be especially helpful for students coming from low-income backgrounds who are fully supporting themselves in college.”
Young said a lack of access to menstrual products was a large issue at her undergraduate institution.
“We didn’t even have pads and tampons in the bathrooms, let alone sustainable menstrual products, which is why I think it is awesome to have the option of trying sustainable menstrual products,” Young said.
Ruby Doolan, ‘27, has also tried products through the initiative and has found it to be beneficial to her.
“I get to find out which type of product I like better, which is nice,” Doolan said.
Jones said she hopes the initiative also encourages students to consider the environmental benefits of choosing sustainable menstrual products and the positive impact they can have on waste reduction.
According to AllMatters, an organization dedicated to reusable period care, period products such as tampons, pads and panty liners generate over 200,000 tons of waste annually, and can take up to 500 years to decompose.
The organization’s website highlights that menstrual cups, which are reusable for years, have a significantly lower environmental impact than conventional period products.
Amelia Le, ‘27, an equity representative for the center, said Spot Me also aims to make people feel more comfortable with using non-disposable menstrual products, as many students may not be informed on how to use them.
She said sustainable menstrual products are less popular because they aren’t commonly sold in supermarkets, and this lack of familiarity can present challenges.
“People don’t know how to use them, how to clean them and might not feel comfortable watching others wash their sustainable products in the bathroom,” Le said.
In an effort to address these concerns, she said the center is working to make sustainable products more common and ensure students know resources are available on campus.
Azalea Chacón, coordinator at the center, said the initiative also involves raising awareness about menstruation, as trying out sustainable products can be a learning curve for students.
“I didn’t know that you could clean period underwear and were supposed to squeeze the blood out before throwing it in the washer,” Chacón said. “You can also boil or microwave your discs or cups to sanitize them.”
Dickerson said this initiative has shown her many students aren’t as familiar with their bodies as they may think.
She also emphasized how periods are often trivialized, but she said openly discussing menstruation and its challenges can help reduce the stigma surrounding it — especially since nearly half of Lehigh’s campus experiences menstruation.
“What we do sort of destigmatizes menstruation, not in an intentionally confrontational way, but we’re also not shying away from talking about it,” Dickerson said.
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