“Who knew a film about girls menstruating could win an Academy Award?!” to quote Rayka Zehtabchi as she accepted the award for best Short Documentary at this year’s Oscars. The film begins with interviews with boys and girls in India, discussing a topic that is rarely talked about in their country. As they giggle through their answers, the real issue of the large number of girls who quit school in India around middle school, because there are no sanitary products, is not addressed. With the inspired project of a group of girls in an American high school, a simple machine to manufacture sanitary pads is brought to a group of women, empowering them to begin a business, earn money, and provide a life-changing product for young girls.
Joining us at the Q&A will be Ruby Schiff and Avery Siegel, two of the high school students who were co-founders of “The Pad Project” when they were 9th graders. This non-profit organization started as a way to encourage people to talk publicly about lack of access to affordable and hygienic menstrual products around the world and has grown to become a global movement! A period should end a sentence, not a girl’s education.