Punished for menstruating: How periods in prison become a trap

In the Patrick ODaniel Unit, a womens prison in Central Texas, inmates created makeshift bundles of tampons tied with rubber bands, nicknaming them dynamite sticks. While ordinary in the outside world, these items became a potential liability in prison. Possessing more than the previously allowed 12 tampons per month could lead to punishments ranging from fines and loss of privileges to solitary confinement.

Jennifer Toon, who was incarcerated twice over two decades and last released in 2018, described hiding her tampons behind bookshelves in the prison library where she worked. She explained that the prison commissary often ran out of tampons, and not everyone could afford them, forcing inmates to stockpile supplies secretly to avoid penalties.

Who wants to get a major case over having extra tampons? It sounds absurd to outsiders, but it really happened, Toon said. She now serves as the executive director of Lioness Justice Impacted Womens Alliance in Austin, Texas.

Nationally, menstruating incarcerated women, trans, and nonbinary individuals face penalties due to outdated or rigid prison policies, according to a report by the Prison Policy Initiative and researcher Miriam Vishniac. While no regulations target menstruation directly, at least six types of rules are used to punish those on their periods, including contraband limits, personal hygiene standards, and penalties for absenteeism.

In Texas, exceeding authorized quantities of personal items is classified as a level 2 offense, potentially affecting parole eligibility, work, and educational opportunities. This reflects a broader system that often neglects the health needs of women and trans people, since prisons are primarily designed for cisgender men, who comprise roughly 90% of the incarcerated population.

Former inmates reported that male correctional staff frequently misunderstood menstruation, including the need for more toilet paper or the differences in product quality. The pads issued were terrible, Toon recalled. Theyd fall apart in your underwear.

Stacy Burnett, previously incarcerated in New York, said she received two packs of 12 pads and about 8 tampons per month, which were insufficient even for lighter flow days. Vishniac noted that poor-quality products often force inmates to use multiple pads simultaneously, risking penalties for having excess items.

Due to restricted access and substandard supplies, menstruating individuals often had limited choices: risk bleeding through uniforms, hide or hoard tampons, trade products with others, make improvised tampons, reuse items unsafely, or beg for supplies. Each option carried potential disciplinary consequences or health risks like infection.

Trans and nonbinary inmates faced additional stigma. Nathan Osborne, a 65-year-old transgender man recently released from California prisons, described being mocked when requesting tampons and resorting to makeshift solutions. One incident led to a humiliating strip search when staff suspected contraband.

For Toon, mandatory strip searches could be humiliating. She recounted an incident when a staff member demanded she reveal an extra tampon in front of other inmates, causing emotional distress.

Some states are attempting reform. Texas now provides unlimited menstrual products and has implemented educational programs. New York, Maryland, Alabama, and Colorado have laws ensuring free access to period products, though enforcement varies. At least 14 states have passed legislation improving incarcerated womens access to necessary hygiene items.

Vishniac emphasized that legal reforms alone cannot change prison culture. Meaningful improvements require oversight, transparency, and a reevaluation of mass incarceration itself. To ensure no one is punished for bleeding, we must confront the stigma and systemic issues within the criminal justice system, she said.

Analysis: The Hidden Struggles of Menstruating Inmates

The report from the Patrick O’Daniel Unit highlights a persistent gap between prison regulations and the basic health needs of incarcerated women, trans, and nonbinary individuals. What may seem mundane outside—tampons and pads—can become grounds for punishment inside, reflecting outdated policies and systemic oversight failures.

Former inmates’ accounts reveal that restricted access to menstrual products forces individuals into risky behaviors, including hiding, hoarding, or improvising items, with potential disciplinary consequences. The substandard quality of products compounds these issues, often leading to multiple layers of pads and further risk of penalties.

While states like Texas, New York, and Maryland have implemented reforms to provide free or unlimited menstrual products, experts stress that legal changes alone cannot address entrenched cultural and operational challenges within prisons. Oversight, education, and structural reevaluation of mass incarceration are essential to prevent continued stigma and harm.

This situation underscores a broader reality: correctional facilities, primarily designed for cisgender men, often fail to meet the essential health needs of menstruating individuals, creating inequities and unnecessary hardships that go beyond the criminal acts that led to incarceration.

Sources:

• Punished for bleeding: How periods in prison become a trap