Tampons and pads are no longer banned at Texas bar exams

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Tampons and pads are no longer banned at Texas bar exams

Test takers will be allowed to bring their own tampons and pads with them during the upcoming bar exam in Texas. Test takers will be allowed to bring their own tampons and pads with them during the upcoming bar exam in Texas. Photo: ALASTAIR PIKE/AFP Via Getty Images Photo: ALASTAIR PIKE/AFP Via Getty Images Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Tampons and pads are no longer banned at Texas bar exams 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

Aspiring lawyers can (for now) say goodbye to the days of having to use uncomfortable cardboard applicators, because tampons and pads are allowed to be brought in during the upcoming bar exam in Texas.

Pearland attorney Sarah Riffel said she remembers feeling like an outlaw because she needed menstrual products at the exam last summer, according to the Texas Tribune, and she used her lunch break to smuggle in her own products before returning back to her testing room.

"Our only intent is to operate the examination fairly and securely, not to discriminate unfairly against any person or group," Texas Board of Law Examiners executive director Susan Henricks said in a statement to the Tribune.

Henricks added that until this month, they found that applicants were fine using the products that were being provided.

That doesn't seem to be entirely true though, because on July 20, hundreds of lawyers, law professors and students penned a letter to the National Conference of Bar Examiners with the subject Examinees’ Right to Bring Menstrual Products into Bar Exams.

"Without doubt, many people taking bar exams in the coming months—women, transgender men, and nonbinary persons—will be menstruating," the letter said, citing that menstrual products are not 'one size fits all'. "It is critical that they have access to their own menstrual products during the exam as opposed to only unknown and likely uniform products that are provided by a state board in a restroom."

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Many people criticized the ban, and even generated a hashtag on Twitter to share their thoughts and keep others updated on what was happening with the request to lift it.

In the past few weeks, it has become very apparent that persons in power show a complete lack of empathy with regard to their menstruating colleagues as the wider community learned just how common it was to outlaw menstrual products during the bar exam. #bloodybarpocalypse — a name (@elizariff) July 31, 2020

Do bar examiners want menstrual products in plastic bags to scrutinize and harass test takers as they enter to sit for a two-day grueling exam? Not acceptable! Opaque bags are just fine as there’s no security risk and yes menstruating people really need them! #bloodybarpocalypse — ProfMEJohnson (@ProfMEJohnson1) August 2, 2020

Because of the spike in COVID-19 cases, the Texas Supreme Court canceled the two-day in person exam for the month of July and added an alternative exam online for the month of October.

There's no word at this time on whether or not the rule will remain in place for the in-person February exam, but September test takers can breathe a slight sigh of relief knowing they can bring menstrual products of their choice -- as long as they are inside a clear, plastic bag.

leadfootbessie on August 3rd, 2020 at 20:43 UTC »

Am I the only person who has never seen a functional tampon/pad dispenser that actually had products in it (schools, college/university campus/workplace)? The idea that I could not bring my own to a testing site is pretty horrifying.

kidkhaotix on August 3rd, 2020 at 19:46 UTC »

I was about to say "ah! pretty good way to cheat! You can just write info on your pad and go to the bathroom!" and then realized that as a man I could just write info on a piece of paper and stick it in my pocket and do the same shit anyway. Or if they check pockets I guess just put it in my boxers. Or write it on my boxers, or any number of things if that would be such a help.

cock-bIock on August 3rd, 2020 at 18:00 UTC »

They were banned???