Graphic from BuzzFeed
Around the world, at any given time, roughly 800 million people are on their period. This might seem like an insane number, but those who menstruate deal with their period almost once a month starting around twelve years old. With the frequency periods happen and the large number of the population they impact, one would think that period products are considered essential (especially since those who menstruate need them to be hygienic and can’t necessarily prevent their periods from happening). However, 30 states still impose taxes on period products, even though essential goods are typically tax exempt. States such as West Virginia have a tax on period products, but not on chewing gum. Or, there’s Georgia that taxes period products, but not tattoos. While Pennsylvania does not impose a tax for period products, it doesn’t change the fact that there are 30 other states that do.
Millions already struggle to access the proper resources to deal with their periods, so when you factor in the extra $150 million dollars those who menstruate spend collectively per a year paying tampon taxes you start to see the problem. Period products are necessary for anyone who menstruates. People should not struggle to pay for them or have to pay a premium to get them. Not only are these taxes problematic because they make period products less accessible, but it also predominantly impacts women. Many people like to bring up the question of if this would even be a problem if biological men were the ones to deal with periods. While we will never truly know, it really does make you think.
Photo by Anna Shvets from Pexels
While you might be a little fired up about all this (I know I am), there are people fighting to abolish the tampon tax and ways we can all help too. The movement “Tax Free. Period.” started in June 2019 with the hope to have all states abolish their period tax by tax day in April 2020. They led discourse, worked with attorneys, met with government officials, staged protests, and even worked on lawsuits. Their efforts succeeded in getting 5 states to end their tampon tax by July 2023, but there are still 30 states who have made no promises. They continue to fight, help others join, and raise awareness for this cause that might seem like nothing, but impacts so much of the population. Period products are essential to the health of those who menstruate and should be treated and taxed with this same mentality. While progress has been made, the 30 states that still impose this unfair tax must put profit aside and think about the impact they are making 0n those who menstruate.
It makes me so angry to see that 30 states still tax on essential products like tampons. First, they are already expensive enough — which makes it hard for low-income households to afford the products they need. But despite already being expensive, states still want to tax on them! I think personally that the tax on women’s products is ridiculous, considering your statistic on how 800 million people are on their period at one time. I hope the movement can continue to stop this.