Governor Gavin Newsom has once again made headlines for a progressive policy that’s leaving many parents shaking their heads. Thanks to a statewide initiative now in effect, California public schools serving third grade and up must provide free menstrual products not only in girls’ and all-gender restrooms—but also in at least one boys’ restroom per school.

This follows the latest expansion of California’s Menstrual Equity for All Act, which originally passed in 2021 to ensure free period products were available in middle and high schools. But in a 2023 amendment—championed by Majority Leader Eloise Gómez Reyes after lobbying by a local Girl Scouts troop—the mandate was extended to include students as young as eight.

The language of the law is clear: “Menstrual products, available and accessible, free of cost, in all women’s restrooms and all-gender restrooms, and in at least one men’s restroom.” That includes third grade boys’ bathrooms.

The rationale, according to lawmakers and supporters, is to reduce stigma for so-called “menstruating students,” a group they define to include girls, “transgender boys,” and “nonbinary students.” The Long Beach Unified School District issued a letter to parents praising the policy, stating, “By implementing this policy, we aim to ensure that any student who menstruates – including transgender boys and nonbinary students – can access these necessary products with dignity and discretion.”

The response has been predictably divided.

Supporters, including progressive lawmakers and activist groups, argue it’s a step toward inclusion and respect. They point to the Girl Scout troop that advocated for the change, emphasizing young students’ needs and praising the courage of girls who tackled “menstrual equity” for their Silver Award project.

Critics, however, are slamming the policy as not just unnecessary but absurd. Many question why boys’ restrooms need tampons at all—particularly in elementary schools. Others say the move reflects a broader ideological push to impose gender identity activism on children too young to understand the debate.

California is hardly alone in this. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz—now Vice President—earned the nickname “Tampon Tim” after enacting similar legislation. States like Oregon have also followed suit. College campuses nationwide have embraced the trend as well, with some hosting “Menstruation Equity Summits” and restoring tampon dispensers in men’s bathrooms after backlash from trans activists.

Still, California’s third-grade inclusion is pushing the envelope further than ever before. Critics say this isn’t about access to hygiene—it’s about pushing ideology into classrooms and bathrooms alike.

As schools spend public dollars installing dispensers and stocking products that, in most boys’ restrooms, won’t ever be used for their intended purpose, many wonder if this really helps learning—or simply distracts from it.

For Gavin Newsom, though, it’s one more step in California’s ongoing crusade to be the nation’s leader in progressive politics, no matter how far it goes. Period.