Legislators in Washington, D.C., are proposing to eliminate the city’s tax on tampons and diapers, arguing the “tampon tax” discriminates against women.
Council member-at-large Anita Bonds is pushing for the District to follow the lead of five states including New York and Los Angeles that have already tossed their so called “tampons tax.” Bonds argues that sales taxes on tampons and both child and adult diapers unfairly burden women because of their gender. Historically tampons are faced with the same sales tax applied to household products by local governments, but changes to the law are occurring more frequently, reports NBC Washington.
Bonds originally introduced the issue into the D.C. Council in April.
“Women should not be taxed because they are women, nor should babies be taxed for being babies,” Bonds said in April. “This legislation will especially help low to moderate income mothers manage these costly expenses.”
Most states exempt any “items of necessity” from sales tax, but tampons, diapers and other products needed for people on a daily basis are not classified that way. Bonds says the District needs to “stop taxing your period,” adding research shows removing the tax would alleviate a burden off the poorest in the city. The Council member argues individuals in affordable housing and poor families in general are disproportionately affected by the current sales tax.
Maryland recently rid the state of the tampon tax, as well as the sales tax on adult diapers. In the District, products such as Viagra are already considered essential and exempt from the tax. Proponent say if Viagra is viewed as necessary, tampons should be too.
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