See the Noble Reason These High School Boys Are Collecting Tampons
A viral video from NowThis Her shows a group of New Haven, Connecticut, high school boys collecting pads and tampons for their female classmates. They decided to undertake the project after learning that 86 percent of women are surprised by their periods in public. It’s incredibly heartening to see teen boys fighting sexism in this way, pushing past something they might be uncomfortable with in order to serve the greater good. (And guys, reminder, chill out about periods. They’re not that scary!)
High school senior Terrance Mallory said it wasn’t easy in the beginning. “At first, we were getting clowned a little bit,” he said. “A couple name callings and stuff like that. But it didn’t bother us at all. We knew what our purpose was.” Good for you guys. If all teenage boys were this thoughtful, we would have had a much better time in high school.
The boys are all part of the Kiyama Movement, which “encourages African-American men to create better communities through self-improvement of the individual.” One of the group’s five core principles is “Respect for Women.”
Michael Jefferson, Kiyama’s founder, is also featured in the video. “Men have to challenge sexism,” he said. “It’s not the job of women to challenge sexism. It’s the job of men who perpetuate sexism.” If only all men were on his level.