LOS ANGELES—The Los Angeles City Council moved forward on March 22 with a pilot program to provide free menstrual products in restrooms at five public libraries. The program was initiated in a motion introduced in 2019 by Councilman Bob Blumenfield, who called the program “long overdue” on March 22, saying the COVID-19 pandemic had delayed the effort. “The city should provide menstrual products in its restroom in the way that it provides other basic hygiene products, like toilet paper, soap and paper towels,” Blumenfield said. “Equity isn’t treating everybody exactly the same, it’s recognizing that some groups of people, in this case women and some transgender men, have different needs that must be met in order for them to fully participate in the services that the city offers.” The total cost of the program over two years is $53,205, which includes the monthly supply costs and the one-time cost of …