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Emily Bell McCormick: What I learned when I went to advocate for period products in Idaho

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Emily Bell McCormick: What I learned when I went to advocate for period products in Idaho


Sometimes 35 people say yes to you. And sometimes 35 people say no to you. And there is still work to do.

(Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) Heidi maxfield and her daughter Ivy, 10, show their support during a rally sponsored by The Period Project to urge Utah legislators to provide free menstrual products in the bathrooms of every public school in Utah, Nov. 17, 2021 at the Capitol.

On Friday, I conned my 8-year-old daughter and my aunt into a 12-hour round-trip road-trip to Iona, Idaho — just outside of Idaho Falls — to speak to a room full of pink: organizers, legislators, community champions and supporters.

Idaho House Bill 313, similar to Utah’s 2022 unanimously-supported House Bill 162, would put period products in all Idaho schools. It did not pass this year.

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The vote — 34 yes. 34 no.

One vote from done.

I spent the last year exchanging voice messages with Idaho’s leader as she navigated the Legislature. She’d ask, “What do you say when they say it’s inappropriate?” or, “How do you respond when they say it’s not a problem?”

We worked through them.

And incredible progress was made. But watching the legislative debate on HB313, was tough.

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The man sponsoring the bill, Rep. Rod Furniss (R), wisely explained that there are three “bathroom Ps — pee, poo, and periods.” We provide for the first two, but not the third.

Afterwards, several female legislators commented. One said the fourth “P” would be “patronizing” because girls can take care of themselves. Another added that putting period products in bathrooms would contribute to the destruction of families (I’m still trying to figure that one out).

The misinterpretation of the initiative made me all the more thrilled to pull into the Iona Community Center — a converted LDS chapel that is half event center, half public library.

A stream of pink was already pouring from the doors.

The personal effort encapsulated in the event was palpable — a pan of the most gorgeous homemade cinnamon rolls for auction alongside trips to Island Park. Women carrying hot dishes of chicken Parmesan from the basement kitchen up to the tables, to set alongside doughy, still-warm rolls and golden pre-wrapped butter slabs.

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We played heads and tails, listened to speeches and acoustic music, took pictures in front of well-crafted backgrounds, and settled into a no-rush evening in a room with people gathered for a common cause.

When my turn to speak came, I climbed the stairs and parted the heavy velvet curtains.

I told the story of a girl, Rosemary, in Kenya who bled on her seat at school and was punished for her “disobedience.” Her punishment was to dig out a possibly centuries-old tree stump with her bare hands.

Rosemary worked for two days, making very little progress. On the third day, when she decided she would quit school, because she was so embarrassed, the teacher allowed her to come back after hitting her with a cane because of her disobedience.

I told the story of two sisters in my own children’s school district who spent every day of their periods inside their mobile home, on towels or rags, watching television and waiting for their periods to end so they could return to school.

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And that of a high school basketball player in Ogden who refused her coach’s request to play in the game after realizing she had started her period while sitting on the sidelines and did not have the products to care for it. Her coach yelled at her, but she was too embarrassed to tell him why she wouldn’t play.

And finally, I told the story of working to remove Utah’s tax on period products (a tax that similar items do not incur). We passed that in a special session 2019 as part of a larger tax reform bill. It was overturned two months later. And we failed to pass it in the 2020 legislative session.

And so we pivoted to something much more meaningful in the individual lives of students — something that could impact their ability to graduate— placing free period products in schools.

They gave me a standing ovation. I cried.

As it turns out, sometimes 35 people say yes to you. And sometimes 35 people say no to you.

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And sometimes you realize that there is still much work to do.

The 35 legislators who blocked Idaho House Bill 313, were wrong.

But we’ve all been wrong before. And we need room to change. And we need a reason to change.

I can’t think of a better reason than our students. And I can’t think of a better person to allow room for change, than each of us.

This movement has never been about politics. It’s about policy — a course of action put in place to help humans thrive. To help us become the best version of ourselves, so that we in turn can help others.

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I hope 2022′s unanimous passage of Utah’s HB162 — “Period Products in Schools,” is aspirational for all states. But I really hope that the journey — the failures and successes — is what inspires.

Idaho looks good in pink.

Emily Bell McCormick is the founder of The Policy Project, a U.S. nonprofit that creates movements to forward healthy, long-term policy at a state and national level.



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Idaho

Idaho Democrat introduces 'personal bill' to add legal protections for LGBTQ+ Idahoans – East Idaho News

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Idaho Democrat introduces 'personal bill' to add legal protections for LGBTQ+ Idahoans – East Idaho News


BOISE (Idaho Capital Sun) Idaho Senate Minority Leader Melissa Wintrow introduced a new personal bill Thursday in the Idaho Senate that seeks to add workforce and housing protections for LGBTQ+ Idahoans.

Wintrow’s new bill, Senate Bill 1004, would amend the Idaho Human Rights Act by adding the words “sexual orientation” and “gender identity.”

The bill’s introduction was intended to send a message and get the proposal in front of the public. Because the bill was introduced by Wintrow as a personal bill – as opposed to following the traditional path of being introduced by a legislative committee – the bill has no chance of advancing.

“For the past 10 years, we have tried to introduce this bill in committee, and every year, the Republican leadership refuses to have a hearing to add the words ‘sexual orientation’ and ‘gender identity‘ to the State of Idaho’s Human Rights Act,” Wintrow, D-Boise, said in a written statement.

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RELATED | ‘Add the Words’ bill to protect LGBTQ residents from discrimination in Idaho returns (2022)

Republicans control a 90-15 supermajority in the Idaho Legislature and have blocked similar bills seeking to amend the Idaho Human Rights Act to add the words for 20 years.

“We come back every year, trying to formally introduce the bill to add the words because of our love and respect for our LGBTQ+ constituents and all LGBTQ+ Idahoans,” Wintrow added. “I have deep appreciation for these Idahoans, many of whom have lived here all their lives, whose families and jobs are here, and who continue to stay here despite how hard the Legislature tries to make their lives. They love Idaho enough to stay and fight to live free from government interference in their personal lives. It breaks my heart that we are still fighting for basic dignity under the law in 2025.”

Republicans call on U.S. Supreme Court to define marriage between one man, one woman

Meanwhile, Republicans in power are pushing in the opposite direction as Wintrow.

During the first day of committee meetings in the 2025 legislative session, the House State Affairs Committee introduced House Joint Memorial 1, which calls on the U.S. Supreme Court to “restore” the definition of marriage as a union between one man and one woman and allow states to enforce laws pertaining to marriage.

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RELATED | Idaho House begins session with legislation on same-sex marriage, Boise State volleyball

The memorial does not carry the force and effect of law, but it does send a message and makes the Idaho Legislature‘s intentions clear.

In the absence of state protection for LGBTQ+ Idahoans, local cities and towns have passed anti discrimination ordinances, beginning with Sandpoint in 2011.

According to the Idaho Democratic Party, 13 Idaho cities and towns have passed nondiscrimination ordinances since 2011, including Sandpoint, Boise, Idaho Falls, Moscow, Lewiston, Meridian, Ketchum, Hailey, Bellevue, Driggs, Victor, Pocatello and Coeur d’Alene.

However, Nikson Mathews, chair of the queer caucus of the Idaho Democratic Party and a former Democratic legislative candidate, said action by local communities is not enough. Mathews called on the state to take action.

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“Idaho’s queer community deserves to be safe and to be seen, no matter where in the state they live,” Mathews said in a written statement.

Rally and protest planned for Jan. 28 at Idaho State Capitol

The organization Add the Words, Idaho is planning a rally and protest to mark the 10th anniversary of the only hearing the Idaho Legislature has held regarding the proposal to add LGBTQ+ protections to the Idaho Human Rights Act, Mathews said.

“Rally and Radiance” events are taking place at noon Jan. 28 at Idaho State Capitol in Boise and 6 p.m. Jan. 28 at the Linden Building, 1402 W. Grove St., in Boise.

Mathews encouraged Idahoans to attend either rally and voice their support for enacting protections for the LGBTQ+ community.

“We want people to come here to this rally and make it very clear that this is not what we want in this state, and we need people to show up so that our community sees this support,” Mathews said in an interview Thursday.

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“It is so important for folks to be vocal in this moment,” Mathews added. “We are facing an incoming president who has made very clear what his plans are on Day 1 in response to the LGBTQ community. We have a Legislature who’s actively working to take away our rights and attack our humanity. We need every Idahoan who stands with us to be vocal that this is not what we want.”

RELATED | Gov. Little makes a stop in eastern Idaho to highlight 2025 priorities

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This Idaho Falls 2-year-old was diagnosed with cancer days before Christmas. Here's how you can help – East Idaho News

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This Idaho Falls 2-year-old was diagnosed with cancer days before Christmas. Here's how you can help – East Idaho News


IDAHO FALLS — Amanda Cook knew something was wrong when her daughter Lily fell one day and wasn’t acting like her normal self. She said it wouldn’t usually be a big deal except for the fact that there were “lacerations” on Lily’s backside. 

She and her husband, Steven, live in Idaho Falls with Lily, 2, and Jack, 6. During Thanksgiving, Lily was dancing around.

“She fell. The very next day, after she fell from just standing, she had this large bruise. We got X-rays, but nothing could tell us what was going on,” Amanda explained. “She was tired. She complained that her butt hurt. She couldn’t sit down.”

On Dec. 18, Lily’s pediatrician decided to order a CT scan. It turns out, she had a tumor behind her tailbone and was diagnosed with stage 4 sacrococcygeal cancer, which has metastasized to her lungs. According to the Nationwide Children’s Hospital online, sacrococcygeal teratoma (SCT), is a tumor that forms on a fetus’s tailbone.

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Amanda said she did prenatal ultrasounds, but the tumor was hidden. There isn’t a history of this in her family. 

Lily started chemotherapy on Dec. 22 at Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City and has been a trooper. Doctors and medical staff have given Lily a good prognosis. 

Steven, left, Jack, Amanda, and Lily. | Courtesy Steven and Amanda Cook

“She is pretty brave,” Amanda said of her daughter. “Now that she is responding well to chemo, we think, because she can sit on her bum now, and she’s not complaining, and she has a ton more energy. Believe it or not … she’s flourishing.”

It’s estimated that Lily could be on chemo for at least six to nine months. Every three weeks, she needs a round of five days of chemo. The Cook family will come home to Idaho for a short time, and then they’ll go back to Utah again. 

Through all of this, the community has shown an outpouring of love. Many people know the family. 

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“Everybody loves little Lily. She meets a lot of people. We are very social butterflies, and she has just lit up a lot of people’s world, so it’s pretty cool to see how she has impacted so many other families and kids,” Amanda said. 

Amanda’s sister created an online GoFundMe with an $8,000 goal. As of Thursday afternoon, it had raised over $6,000. 

“We have meals from our neighbors every day. The support has been amazing,” Amanda said. “The way the community has helped us has been so incredible, including our jobs. The lives that we have touched have definitely given back in some way or another.”

Lily with food
Courtesy Steven and Amanda Cook

Jodi Price is a close friend of Amanda and Steven. She has helped organize a “Love for Lily” benefit dinner and auction on Jan. 24 at the Westbank in Idaho Falls. She wanted to help them during this challenging time. 

“Amanda is a nurse, and she is going to have to take time off work along with Steven, who works out of the INL. So they are going to be looking for a little bit of extra help financially. Just any support that anybody can give … prayers or good thoughts,” Price told EastIdahoNews.com. 

The event will include a pasta dinner, a raffle auction and live auction. All proceeds will benefit Lily’s care. You can buy tickets here.

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“They are the sweetest family you will ever meet. They are just the kindest souls. Anybody that knows Steven and Amanda knows little Lily and Jack. They would just do anything for anybody,” Price said. “It’s a terrible thing that happened to good people.”

info on fundraiser
info on fundraiser

Our attorneys tell us we need to put this disclaimer in stories involving fundraisers: EastIdahoNews.com does not assure that the money deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries.

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Prevalon secures 200MW/800MWh second Idaho BESS project

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Prevalon secures 200MW/800MWh second Idaho BESS project





Prevalon secures 200MW/800MWh second Idaho BESS project – Energy-Storage.News





















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