Anushay Hossain is a writer and political commentator based in Washington. For more, visit AnushaysPoint.com. The views expressed are her own.

(CNN) Women pressuring T.J. Shope, a Republican Arizona state representative, to push forward a bill that would provide free and unlimited feminine hygiene products to female inmates in Arizona's state prison are sending him -- what else? -- tampons and pads.

The bill, introduced by Rep. Athena Salman, was stalled over the weekend by Shope, because the Department of Corrections is currently revising its policy

Anushay Hossain

While it seems that almost any aspect of women's health, especially reproductive health, is always up for national debate, one would think that when it comes to such basic health care for women, aka half of the world's population, people would be in agreement: Women should have access to tampons and sanitary napkins when they have their periods.

But in 2018 America, too many women are still being denied their dignity -- often for economic reasons -- during a monthly, natural bodily function, and it's an issue that affects women in and outside the nation's prison system.

In Arizona, female prisoners in state and local institutions are allowed 12 free pads each month, and must either ask an officer or pay for any additional supplies. To make matters worse, female prisoners can only possess 24 pads at a time, and there are no free tampons. According to Mother Jones, women in Arizona state prisons would have to work 27 hours to earn the money for a box of tampons. And as any woman who has ever menstruated can tell you, hygiene products are not created equal. Not only is 12 a completely inadequate number of free pads, but having to pay for tampons -- which allow for greater freedom of movement and comfort for many women -- is appalling.

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