Meet the Author: Allison Yarrow

On Monday, November 5th, a crowd gathered at Congregation Sha’arey Israel in central Georgia to hear Macon native, now award winning journalist, Allison Yarrow, discuss the research compiled in her book 90’s Bitch: Media Culture and the Failed Promise of Gender Equality. Yarrow is an award-winning journalist and National Magazine Award finalist who has written for the New York Times, the Washington Post, Vox, and many other publications. She was a TED resident and is a grantee of the International Women’s Media Foundation. She produced the VICE documentary Misconception and has appeared on the Today show, MSNBC, NPR, and more. The engaging conversation was timely in light of the current political climate, the #metoo movement, and the controversial Kavanaugh hearing.

Attendees were requested to bring period supply products for local students as Claire Cox, President of Georgia Women spoke to the audience about Period Poverty and Period Equity issues in the state of Georgia. Those gathered were among the first to know that, although Georgia STOMP’s work began as an effort to eliminate sales tax from menstrual products in Georgia, the focus has grown, and while it still includes, tax elimination, we now seek to advocate on behalf of students missing school because of period poverty, inmates not being given the supplies they need, and for the needs of ALL of our citizens to be supplied in public facilities. Claire asked the audience, “have you thought about the fact that we provide soap and water and TP, but not what women need? Or did you know that period poverty is real here in the US, not just overseas?”

The Georgia STOMP logo was first unveiled and dozens of packages of pads and tampons were collected to distribute to students in Bibb County public schools, a school system with such a high rate of poverty among its students that the system maintains a 100% qualification level for the Free & Reduced Lunch program. As Claire reminded the audience, “If a young woman can’t afford food, she almost certainly cannot afford menstrual products.”