To Pink Tax or Not
Taxes on menstrual products vary by state, and 28 states in the U.S. do not tax products. This is often referred to as the “pink tax.” Research advocates for prohibiting the pink tax by providing information on how many people have struggled to afford these products. With the vast majority in need of this product, pink taxes should be revoked. Though whether you agree or not with the pink tax, there are always ways to help those in need by donating and advocating.
On the flip side of this, many feel that if the pink tax is revoked, the producers of feminine products (Tampax, Always, Carefree) may up the price of the product. The gain in doing this would be to make a better profit. Many also feel that the government should spend more money helping people in need. Menstrual products aren’t included for eligibility on a medical expense tax break. Pepperdine University suggests the government check women’s eligibility to receive a card to help them pay for tampons. The idea is like food stamps.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecology researched Missouri, concluding that two-thirds of women in Missouri could not afford feminine products. Some women confessed to the researchers that they often had to make do with rags, cloth, and tissues. Others admitted that between the cost of products and food, they had to make a choice between the two. Bloomberg data company brings up the topic of inflation. As plastic and cotton prices rise, so does the cost of a tampon. They conducted a survey concluding 42 women out of 100 have struggled to buy period products. The stigma around a period can feel uncomfortable or taboo. Debbie Moyer, a former Villanova law school graduate, recalls her childhood, “When I first got my period, I used toilet paper instead of a pad and my mom found out when the dog pulled it out of the trash,” she goes on, “I felt so embarrassed by the whole topic because we never talked about such things growing up.” Society shouldn’t shy away from talking about this
There are tons of ways to help out, even in your school. Catie Stritzl, junior at Pennridge, feels “the feminine products in school are provided, but not respected by the student body.” The Women Supporting Women club tries to collect and provide free menstrual products in the Pennridge bathrooms and has helped this problem by donating thousands of products to Libertae and Homeless Women’s Period Project. Their goal is to support women in need in all areas. Change for women is right in front of you.
Sources
https://periodproject.org/pages/we-educate
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB367
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-06-09/inflation-is-pushing-tampon-prices-up-10
https://www.goodrx.com/health-topic/womens-health/free-tampons-and-period-menstrual-products
https://pepperdine-graphic.com/opinion-the-tampon-tax-can-benefit-women/
Alexis Moyer, Grade 12. Interests/hobbies include field hockey, founding the Women Supporting Women club, playing guitar, NHS, swimming, and working out....
