Menstrual products. Necessities or luxuries? I don’t know about you but I sure as hell would rather not have to bleed out of my vagina once a month for a week. Maybe not everyone shares the same sentiment, however it seems that those that don’t, aren’t actually the ones that are bleeding. The lawmakers in certain parts of the United States have deemed it a luxury for us to not bleed out into our clothes, because apparently we’re living in the 18th century again. It’s a luxury when it comes to us having to fork out the money, but heaven forbid if a person was to bleed out in public, then it’s a necessity, and we’re all disgusting heathens for considering otherwise. Where do the double-standards end?
For real change to be made we need to stand up and make our voices heard, let it be known to the lawmakers of this country that we are not complacent with having our natural bodily functions being monetized. So, we’ve put together a rundown of all you need to know about the tampon tax:
34 States
Across America there are 34 states that still place a tax on menstrual products to varying extents. Somehow in a lot of these same states, other products that should be deemed luxury items are not treated as such. In Washington feminine hygiene products are taxed while sugary breakfast cereals are not. How does that make sense?
Tampon Tax Means Profit From Periods
A whopping $150 million is collected annually from taxing menstrual products. Why are these states profiting off our periods? If the government is going to profit off menstrual products, which are necessities to people with periods, then why aren’t they benefiting off luxury items such as condoms and recreational activities?
Unconstitutional
The 14th Amendment states the right to equal protection; however, treating people who bleed differently to those who don’t is a denial of their constitutional right. “There’s no other way to describe it but gender-based discrimination. … Menstruating individuals don’t really have a choice but to purchase these types of products, in whatever form they might be or be able to access,” Marcy Karin, a professor of Law at the University of the District of Colombia shared with The Detroit News.
Cycle of Poverty
Lack of access to menstrual products perpetuates the cycle of inaccessibility for certain socio-economic groups, particularly homeless people, creating a cycle of period poverty. This issue is affecting young girls from receiving proper access to education, with the menstrual brand Always reporting that 1 in 5 girls are missing school during their cycle as a result of period poverty. By taxing menstrual products that should be accessible to all, the financial divide is increased, and not even government-implemented assistance programs are addressing this issue. Federal assistance programs that are designed to help out socio-economic disadvantaged groups aren’t accommodating when it comes to purchasing menstrual products. Programs such as SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) and WIC (Women, Infants and Children) don’t allow EBT cards to purchase pads or tampons, as they are listed as “luxury items” alongside alcohol and cigarettes.
End Tampon Tax Is A Worldwide Movement
Menstrual inequity is an issue that affects people internationally, and as a result has seen a number of countries leading the way to end the divide by eliminating tax on menstruation products. In 2004 Kenya started the movement followed by Canada, Malaysia, India and Australia. These countries realize the unfair financial burden tampon tax places on people with periods and have taken action to end this cycle of inequality. Come on, United States, it’s time to jump on the bandwagon.
Movers & Shakers
In 2016 New York City councilwoman Julissa Ferreras-Copeland teamed up with activist and pioneer at the forefront of menstrual equity, Jennifer Weiss-Wolf to take on a range of issues surrounding accessibility and equity to menstrual products. The result was groundbreaking, with New York making the move to provide free pads and tampons to menstruating people in the city’s schools, prisons and homeless shelters. The powerful duo were also at the forefront of the legislation that put an end to the tampon tax in New York in 2016.
Non-profit Period Equity (co-founded by Jennifer Weiss-Wolf), has partnered with LOLA, (a reproductive brand founded by women) to spark real changes to the United States tampon tax with the launch of Tax Free. Period. a campaign focused around eliminating the tampon tax in all the remaining 34 states by Tax Day 2020. “A tax on periods is wrong. Telling half of the population that their needs aren’t important is wrong,” tennis star and LOLA investor Serena Williams told Fortune.
In addition to larger organizations and celebrity support local advocates such as the Virginia Menstrual Equity Coalition have been campaigning nationwide to spread awareness and place pressure on lawmakers.
What’s The Latest On Tampon Tax?
Rhode Island was the most recent state to eliminate the tampon tax, as of June 2019, with the exemptions taking place from October 1st, 2019. California has been introducing a significant number of bills since 2016, with a temporary budget finally being approved in 2019, which will see a suspension on the tax until 2022. This exemption only lasts for the two-year period of the budget and is subject to change in future budgets.
In Georgia, lawmakers introduced funds to the 2019 budget to allocate to providing free menstrual products for schools and community centers, while ignoring the tax that exists on the actual products themselves. Tax exemptions have been introduced in 23 states, but have not yet been passed, while 2 states have had the tax rate lowered or temporarily suspended. There are sadly still 9 states that have had no exemptions introduced at all, but with the ongoing support of individuals and lobby groups the hope is that this will change within the next few years.
