A pair of Minnesota state colleges have stocked their men’s rooms with menstrual products. Shockingly, those products are required by law to be placed in state college men’s rooms.
Two years ago, the Minnesota Legislature passed a law that requires the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system to “provide students with access to menstrual products at no charge. The products must be available in restrooms used by students.”
Last week, Republican State Rep. Mary Franson posted a video on social media that shows a tampon dispenser in a men’s room on the campus of Mankato State University, Mankato. The video was captioned, “Why do Minnesotans call [Gov. Tim Walz] #TamponTim?”
Why do Minnesotans call @GovTimWalz @Tim_Walz #TamponTim?
Minnesota State University – Mankato pic.twitter.com/5nz2xq6Y2x
— 🇺🇸Mary🇺🇸 (@RepMaryFranson) October 24, 2025
Additionally, GOP state Senate candidate Michael Holmstrom posted a photo of a menstrual products dispenser purportedly in a men’s room at St. Cloud State University. The photo of the dispenser was taken by GOP gubernatorial candidate Jeff Johnson.
A spokesperson for St. Cloud State University said the school “has hygiene products in all bathrooms accessible to students, in compliance with Minnesota Statute 135A.1365. This statute was passed during the 2023 legislative session and was a student-led initiative.”
Similarly, a spokesperson for Minnesota State University, Mankato referenced the same statute and said the school is required to “provide menstrual products in restrooms used by students.”
The law mandating menstrual products in state college restrooms closely mirrors another law signed by Gov. Tim Walz that requires public schools to stock menstrual products in bathrooms that serve students from 4th through 12th grade.
Campaigning with Vice President Kamala Harris last year, then-vice presidential candidate Walz was dubbed “Tampon Tim” by conservatives who said the law in question required tampons and other menstrual products be put in boys’ restrooms.
While no specific references to boys’ restrooms are made in the law, it does say menstrual products “must be available to all menstruating students in restrooms regularly used by students in grades 4 to 12 according to a plan developed by the school district.”
When the law was initially being debated by the legislature in 2023, Democrats rejected a Republican amendment that would have required menstrual products to only be stocked in female bathrooms.
The lead Democrat pushing the mandate urged lawmakers to reject the GOP amendment because “not all students who menstruate are female.”
Luke Sprinkel
Luke Sprinkel previously worked as a Legislative Assistant at the Minnesota House of Representatives. He grew up as a Missionary Kid (MK) living in England, Thailand, Tanzania, and the Middle East. Luke graduated from Regent University in 2018.
