Though it might seem like President Obama has been pandering to millennials by having the White House set up interviews with YouTube stars like SWooZie and GloZell, without them he’d likely still have no idea that 40 or so states tax tampons as luxury items.
Abolishing the tampon tax might be the only thing that the president hasn’t named as his No. 1 priority, but U.S. Representative Grace Meng (D-N.Y.) hasn’t given up on her quest to make tampons, pads, liners, cups, sponges, douches, wipes, sprays, and similar items more accessible. On Monday, she sent letters to three House panels asking for their assistance.
While the #MenstruationMatters hashtag isn’t lighting up Twitter today, expect to see much more of it next month as the world observes Menstrual Hygiene Day on the 28th.
I've called on key House panels 2 help make feminine hygiene products more accessible 2 #women. https://t.co/6vy8FlLdBZ #MenstruationMatters
— Grace Meng (@RepGraceMeng) April 12, 2016
I also applaud the #NYS Senate for voting to eliminate the #tampontax. Look forward 2 the tax repeal becoming law soon! #MenstruationMatters
— Grace Meng (@RepGraceMeng) April 12, 2016
Meng’s goal in sending the letters is for the government to provide free feminine hygiene products to prison inmates and to exclude money spent on such products from income when considering eligibility for assistance programs. Finally, she’d like the secretary of state to compile a report on all foreign aid programs that currently provide toilet paper and soap to determine if funding can be found to provide feminine hygiene products as well.
Secretary of State John Kerry has been very busy racking up the air miles lately, but we’re confident the man who pals around Europe with Leonardo DiCaprio and was able to shuttle James Taylor to France for one song will easily find the means to send plenty of douches overseas.
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