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Tapon Tax Promoting Stigma And A Barrier To Human Rights

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The Tampon Tax: Promoting Stigma & A Barrier to Human Rights
Three British women recently made headlines by “free bleeding” outside the Parliament building in London. The women wore white pants and no feminine care products – making a statement on their pants about the importance of feminine care products (Gruff, 2015). In the UK –as in 40 U.S. states– there is a tax on tampons and other menstruation related products, including sanitary napkins and cups, justified under the general sales tax. Of the 10 states that do not tax feminine care products, five of those states have no sales tax. Meaning just five states have decided to abolish the sales tax on feminine care products. The sales tax applies to feminine care products under the belief that such products are “luxury” or “non-essential” purchases. (Hillin, 2015). …show more content…

It is rooted in sexism and unethical double standards and is a barrier to basic human rights. The tax in one of many examples of women-specific needs being ignored by policymakers and instrumentally used for profit in the form of tax dollars (Freedman, 2015). This only further stigmatizes menstruation. For centuries women have been told to hide their periods as they are viewed as an unclean, disgusting, and shameful burdens. The shame and stigma associated with women’s bodies is only reinforced by policy that declares menstruation and the products needed to have a healthy period as luxury or non-essential – as anything other than a normal function of

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