Holy shit I look amazing holding tampons
Well folks, as I announced yesterday, I became a lead plaintiff on the New York State tampon-tax case. The press conference was fun, and the best part was posing with the products themselves and looking serious:
Things are progressing fast, too: Governor Cuomo has said the following through a spokesperson: “We agree that sales tax on these products should be repealed and will work with the legislature to do so.”
I hope it’s soon, because according to my Twitter feed there are a whole bunch of people who are willing to protest the ongoing tax by free bleeding on the subway, which could get mighty sticky come July.
I kid. But not really. One thing I’ve figured out through all this is that the squeamishness alone – exhibited mostly by men – is a large part of why the unfair tax exists in the first place. It’s like, if we don’t think about it, it won’t exist.
To be honest the tax thing is great, and it’s progress, but I’d be unsatisfied if we stopped there. If men had periods, I’ve always said, then tampons would be free; or at least as free as toilet paper. Instead, I’ve spent countless hours and dollars desperately locating a tampon in the middle of a conference or workday, because there are very few bathrooms that bother to supply these cheap little wads of cotton balls. What gives?
Fuck this. Let’s not stop until they are freely accessible, especially to poor women, and especially especially to homeless women. Right now you can’t even purchase them (or pads) with food stamps. They are somehow considered unnecessary and/or non-medical, even though they directly concern blood.
Which brings me back to the free bleeding on the subway plan. It’s starting to sound a bit more like a viable thing.
How much did Proctor & Gamble pay you for that bit of product-placement?
No, more seriously, is this an issue (as I would imagine) extending to most other states, and if so will the NY case have wider ramifications (or is it mainly a NY issue)?
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This is a state-level issue. Currently 40 states charge tax. Of the remaining 10, 5 don’t charge sales tax at all and the others have explicitly exempted menstrual products. There are 7 pending bills in state legislature to exempt these products. I don’t know offhand the names of these states, but if your state has sales tax chances are your state charges tax on tampons.
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I’m a little bit confused. Does the existing law specifically name which items are exempt? (My impression is no.) If not, who is ultimately responsible for interpreting such tax laws (sans lawsuit)?
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Yes it does.
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Yes, you do. And in a good cause, too.
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Now I’m confused. I thought the law stated categories of things that are/aren’t subject to tax and the specific list of items was determined by the Dept. of Taxation and Finance. No?
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yes, you’re right. those guys are illegally interpreting it; that’s the gist of the lawsuit.
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http://greatist.com/live/if-men-used-tampons?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_content=story1_image&utm_campaign=daily_newsletter_2016-03-03_mails_daily_new_header
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Insta-reposted on Facebook.
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So great that you’re doing this! Thank you. As of this year, the math department in which I am a faculty member now provides tampons and pads, free of charge, in each female bathroom in the department. It was my idea, but kudos and thanks to the department for footing the bill (which it turns out is minimal).
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Just heard about this on NPR. Cathy – could you be more amazing? I instantly thought of my friend Oasa who is making these necklaces: https://www.instagram.com/p/9l_XptSkZX/?taken-by=oasasun
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This is awesome. With respect to those countless hours, I once found myself in one of those hotels that is kind of far away from things, and therefore stocks necessities like snacks, toothpaste, and razors. Do you think they had tampons? No. Nothing.
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Yes!!
On Sat, Mar 5, 2016 at 6:36 PM, mathbabe wrote:
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Cathy,
This is one bleeding edge cause I can agree with you on.
Abe
P.S. What happened to the blue hair?
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Thanks, Abe!
My husband asked me to go red. So I did, but it ended up mostly purple.
Cathy
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Women have enough problems without having to worry about this. Good job, Cathy.
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Reblogged this on Scott Andrew Hutchins and commented:
The fact that homeless women aren’t provided with sanitary products is disgusting. They don’t get extra public assistance to buy them.
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As if I needed another reason to admire you Cathy. Thank you for standing up for what’s right!
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You made The Nightly Show… well, the issue did. Tuesday, March 15th’s show.
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http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/democrat-controlled-state-assembly-votes-nix-tampon-tax-article-1.2565822 SWEET VICTORY
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