New York City has been the most progressive when it comes to feminine hygiene. They have already gotten rid of the “tampon tax,” which put a tax on feminine products because they were considered to be a “luxury item.” There is literally nothing less luxurious than shedding blood from your insides and having to pay to stop it from running down your leg.
Not only are tampons and pads now duty-free (hehe, duty), they are going to be free of cost for women in schools, prisons, and homeless shelters, which makes absolute sense and it’s hard to believe nobody thought of this sooner. Councilperson Julissa Ferreras-Copeland said it best when she pointed out that feminine products are “as necessary as toilet paper.” Such a simple idea, with such an incredible impact.
Tampons can be expensive. Huffington Post did the math, and in a woman’s lifetime, she will spend about $4,500 on tampons, pads, and new underwear, and will spend 6.25 years of her life bleeding. That is not a luxury. Luckily, women who come from low-income situations will be able to focus on other necessities, you know, like food and shelter.
Although it may seem small, this is a big step for womankind. By de-stigmatizing periods, like New York City is doing, it makes menstruation something we can talk about. A councilwoman even waved a tampon around during the discussion of the bill to show that periods aren’t works of the devil. Women are disgusting, but not because of our periods. Good for you, NYC. Now if the rest of the world would just get the hint..
[via Teen Vogue]
Image via Shutterstock
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