 In the United States, there are certain items that cannot be taxed. Things considered necessity items, such as clothing items, and certain foods are not subject to being taxed like everything else. Taxable items are looked at as luxury items, and are subject to state sales tax. Some items that supposedly fits into this “luxury” category include beauty products, entertainment, and tampons. I don’t know about you, but it doesn’t exactly seem like tampons or any feminien hygiene products should fit into this category of “luxury”. We need to take a stand against this tax on feminine hygiene, and put pressure on the legislature to repeal this unfair tax in every state across the country.Â
Only fifteen states have repealed the tampon tax. This is completely absurd considering that once every month I get pain, headaches, and plenty of other issues that I didn’t ask for. I would most definitely not consider my period or the products that I buy for it, a luxury. Several states have even repealed sales tax for condoms and Viagra. These products may be useful for people, but in no way should their tax be repealed before the tax on feminiene hygiene products.Â
Poor menstrual hygiene can also result in physical health problems. Without access to tampons and pads every month, women can be forced to use rags or tissue to try and make up for the products they are missing. Women can also overuse the small amount of products they do have, and refrain from changing out tampons and pads multiple times a day. This can lead to many medical issues including toxic shock syndrome, endometriosis, and even cervical cancer. This forces women to not only pay for period products, but also for the medical bills that come will poor menstrual hygiene.
The government needs to take this issue seriously and make a change. Period products should not be taxed in any states and should be more readily available for women are struggling to afford them. Half of the population of the United States are women. Many of these women experience period poverty on a monthly basis. We should not be forced to pay sales tax on an item that half of the population will never have to worry about in the first place. State and federal governments need to stand with the female population, to ensure that every woman can be healthy when it comes to their menstrual cycle.
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