The road to dismantling the tampon tax
For those who’ve been following along, you know theCityMoms don’t shy away from the sometimes taboo topic of menstruation. This month we sat down with Suzanne Herman, Legal Director of Period Law, to share some exciting updates on the progress of addressing period poverty.
Established in 2016, Period Law is a national legal and policy organization combating menstrual inequity. Suzanne shares that when their work began, there were 40 states still collecting taxes on menstrual products. Today, that number has been reduced to 21.
Removing sales tax has been Period Law’s primary focus alongside advocating for transparency of ingredients in menstrual products and making sure all states are providing free products in places like schools, homeless shelters, and prisons.
First, a refresher:
Period poverty is the struggle to meet basic hygiene needs surrounding menstruation. This could be anything from difficulty purchasing pads and tampons, to a lack of sanitary disposal methods, or even poor access to clean facilities or functional plumbing. Many organizations like Period Law, I Support The Girls, and PERIOD. are bringing visibility to these issues, and we’re happy to report that huge steps have been taken to address one key problem: the tampon tax.
So far this year, with support from Period Law and more than 50 pro bono attorneys nationwide, 13 states have introduced legislation to repeal taxes on menstrual products. The goal is to bring that number up to 20 in 2024.
Suzanne explains that the introduction of these laws, even if they don’t pass, brings visibility to the issue. ”We don’t talk about menstruation very much in public life,” explains Suzanne. “We don’t see these things getting hearings very often, but when they do, that tends to be when movement happens. Suddenly the veil is lifted and they [legislators] see what a common sense issue it is.”
Partnerships with legislators, attorneys, and other advocacy organizations have been the key toward progress, just like Period Law’s recent collaboration with the Texas Menstrual Equity Coalition and the state’s Representative Donna Howard and Senator Joan Hoffman. The result? In June of this year, Texas repealed the tax on menstrual products!
Suzanne sees this as a huge victory, noting that in “a place where women’s reproductive justice is a very polarizing topic, they [legislators] were able to see the bipartisan nature of this issue and pass a bill that exempted menstrual products, diapers, and other ‘family care’ items.”
Suzanne Herman, Legal Director of Period Law
Now, Period Law and their partners have their sights set on the rest of the U.S.
This includes Georgia, one of the remaining states where tampon tax remains despite being a long-time leader in ensuring access to free menstrual products in places like schools. Indiana is another state to watch, with Senator Shelli Yoder poised to introduce new legislation this coming year and bring more attention to the issue. To gain momentum, supporters recently participated in Period Action Day, an educational event that took place at the Indiana Statehouse on October 18. Period Law was there helping to fill out reimbursement forms for period products as a form of protest, urging policymakers to see the need for change.
If you live in Indiana, mark your calendar for January 10 when Senator Yoder is set to introduce a bill to repeal the tampon tax. In the meantime, make your feelings known by submitting your receipts for period products to the Department of Revenue.
Suzanne points to the statistics: “In Indiana and most states, tampon tax revenue collected by the state is .01% of the total budget.” This means that this revenue loss wouldn’t require funding cuts elsewhere…There is no clear reason why menstrual products continue to be taxed.
Suzanne Herman, Legal Director of Period Law
What is clear is that the practice is outdated and confusing. Why are we taxing period products instead of items that would generate a greater revenue (candy, tattoos, and prescription drugs like :ahem: Viagra)? Suzanne theorizes that the greatest barrier is the lack of open dialogue surrounding menstrual health, and this is where we come in.
We hope that the tampon tax will soon be nothing more than a memory. We look forward to our continued partnership with Period Law and other organizations doing the work and are happy to come alongside their efforts.
There are several ways to help:
Talk about it! Join us in normalizing menstruation and reducing its stigma.
If your state is still taxing menstrual products, contact your local representative–especially if they are male or Republican. Let them know that this is an important issue to their constituents.
Follow along with the work of Period Law on Instagram, LinkedIn, or Twitter.
Contribute to the work they’re doing by making a donation or supporting one of their partner organizations here.
