KANSAS CITY, MO— The Center for Biological Diversity and Midwest Access Coalition will give away sexual and reproductive health emergency preparedness kits at Kansas City’s Really, Really Free Market on Sunday, Aug. 2.
The free kits are being distributed to highlight the importance of preparing for sexual and reproductive health disruptions during flash floods, tornadoes and other extreme weather events. Each kit includes condoms, emergency contraception, period products, pregnancy tests and lubricant.
“It’s so important for people to be prepared when extreme weather hits, but reproductive health items are usually left out of household emergency preparedness plans,” said Kelley Dennings, a campaigner at the Center for Biological Diversity. “Climate change is making extreme weather more frequent and more destructive. Handing out reproductive health supplies helps ensure reproductive justice during climate emergencies.”
What: Sexual health emergency preparedness kit giveaway.
Who: The Center for Biological Diversity and Midwest Access Coalition.
When: Sunday, Aug. 2, 9 a.m. to noon. In the event of inclement weather, the kits will not be distributed.
Where: Kansas City’s Really, Really Free Market. Brookside Park, 5600 Brookside Blvd., Kansas City, MO 64113 (near the intersection of 57th St. and Brookside Blvd).
Background
Extreme weather events can disrupt services and limit access to abortions, contraception and menstrual hygiene products. This increases the risk of unintended pregnancy and can make it harder for vulnerable people to recover from the event.
The climate crisis harms everyone but has a disproportionate effect on women and gender-diverse people. Their voices are often left out of climate and emergency preparedness plans, even as climate-fueled severe weather events become more frequent because of human-caused climate change. Sexual health emergency preparedness kits are designed to fill this gap, as well as highlight the need for people and communities to consider these kinds of items in their own emergency preparations.
