While exploring the school’s resources, senior Mira Stalheber was struck by the empty bathroom shelves where period products should have been. The absence was glaring, contrasting with the well-stocked supplies of notebooks and pens. To combat this, she started The Feminine Collective. The club will collect feminine care products for local women’s shelters and the school’s bathrooms.
“I’ve always been passionate about women’s health. It’s something I genuinely care about, like abortion rights,” Stahlheber said. “[My passion] sparked a more political interest in women’s health and wanting to help those who can’t get access to [reproductive and feminine] care.”
To achieve these goals, The Feminine Collective plans to host two drives annually for feminine care items. With 30 members, Stahlheber feels the support of the student body.
“I think asking your members what they want to do and what they think is important [will] keep them engaged,” Stahlheber said. “People with a passion [for] it and who want to make a change [will] participate.”
Despite having a high membership, Stalheber has faced challenges encouraging more boys to join the club. While the club offers valuable resources and support, its predominantly female membership highlights a need for greater gender diversity.
“It’s very hard to have genders other than females. It’s not that [boys] don’t care, it’s just gross to them,” Stahlheber said.
Stahlheber focuses on women’s wellness issues like menstrual health and mental well-being. With the club’s creation, she has found a platform to advocate for these causes, organize educational events and provide essential resources to peers, further solidifying her commitment to this field.
“I think for my major, I have always wanted to go into healthcare, [specifically] women’s health. [The club] added on an aspect of education and public health with educating more women on women’s health,” Stahlheber said.
The Feminine Collective hopes to team up with the Free Period Project STL, a St. Louis-based organization working to reduce period poverty.
Senior Parker Anderson is excited about the addition of a club focused on women’s wellness and equal access to basic needs.
“I think it’s crucial to support and lift up the women around us,” Anderson said.
