Women already have countless problems, and period product tax is one of them. As of January 8, 2024, 21 states in the U.S. still charge sales tax for period products without considering them as necessities for people who menstruate. In the previous year, paying for the product itself was a struggle for two-thirds of the 16.9 million people who menstruate while living in poverty in the U.S.
When affording menstrual products is already a hassle, the taxes charged on them could be the reason that many people can’t afford them, especially with the hundreds of pads that are used by each individual every year. To promote more menstrual equity, product affordability, and economic equality for women and people who menstruate, period product taxes need to be revoked.
The gender inequality that exists in this situation is highlighted by the $1,773 that an average person who menstruates will spend by the end of their life. An amount that men don’t have to stress about because they don’t bleed every month proving the illogical nature of making women and people who menstruate pay another 4%-7% of taxes on top of the costs for their pads, tampons, etc. These are the same products that are qualified as medical expenses for reimbursement according to the IRS under the CARES Act. However, many states ignore the fact that menstrual products are basic needs and consider them as luxuries. This leads to the term “Pink Tax,” which is another name for period product taxes and is used for products taxed in discrimination of gender.
Some may argue that the cost of taxes on period products doesn’t make a significant impact; however, the money that states would lose for their annual revenue caused by removing period product tax displays the severe exploitation of a menstruator’s struggles. The revenues of States like New York and California were estimated to drop by 14 million dollars and 55 million dollars (combined with diaper taxes), respectively. Even with this sharp decline, both states have exempted menstrual product taxes and demonstrate the act as something all states can do.
On top of everything mentioned, the gender pay gap in the U.S. deepens the existing gender inequality as men are currently paid 16% more than women. Even with a controlled wage gap, women are still paid less. Therefore, the least that can be done to help women, people who menstruate, and those who live in poverty is abolishing period product taxes and eventually everything under the spectrum of “Pink Tax.”
Not only is this issue a national phenomenon, but it is globally experienced as well. Throughout the world, 12.8% of the people who menstruate live in poverty and struggle to afford menstrual products, which is equivalent to about 1 billion people. The ideal situation would be to make all period products 100% free, but unfortunately, it’s a long process. This is why smaller steps need to be taken, like getting rid of the taxes on period products, to reach the greater end goal.
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Deerga Ramu
Centerton, AR
Instagram: @deerga_r Sources:
Alliance for Period Supplies. “Tampon Tax - Alliance for Period Supplies.” Alliance for Period Supplies - It’s That Time. *, 26 Jan. 2024, allianceforperiodsupplies.org/tampon-tax/.
Calderón-Villarreal, Alhelí. “Taxing Women’s Bodies: The State of Menstrual Product ...” The Lancelot Regional Health, 24 Nov. 2023, www.thelancet.com/journals/lanam/article/PIIS2667-193X(23)00211-9/fulltext.
IRS. “IRS Outlines Changes to Health Care Spending Available under Cares Act.” Internal Revenue Service, 17 June 2020, www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-outlines-changes-to-health-care-spending-available-under-cares-act.
Rodriguez, Leah. “The Tampon Tax: Everything You Need to Know.” Global Citizen, 18 June 2021, www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/tampon-tax-explained-definition-facts-statistics/.
Reeve-Parker, Nicole. “Breaking the Cycle of Period Poverty to Achieve Menstrual Equity.” UW Combined Fund Drive, 6 Sept. 2023, hr.uw.edu/cfd/2023/06/27/menstrual-equity/.
Haan, Katherine. “Gender Pay Gap Statistics in 2024.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 1 Mar. 2024, www.forbes.com/advisor/business/gender-pay-gap-statistics/#:~:text=What%20is%20the%20wage%20gap,for%20every%20dollar%20men%20earn.
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