Most women cannot choose whether or not they have their periods. This means that they have to use some kind of product to hygienically manage their monthly menstruation. It’s nice that there are so many options on the market these days: pads, tampons, cups, discs, cloth reusable pads, and more. These are costs that men are exempt from simply as a result of their biology.
There has been recent discussion of removing some of the cost from products like pads and tampons by getting rid of the sales tax. Products like Viagra, Rogaine and sunscreen are currently exempt from sales tax because they are considered medically necessary. Why are tampons and pads not included in this category? There was a rally at the Capitol building just last month on National Period Day to bring awareness to the issue. I worry that our legislators are not taking this issue seriously. Rep. Susan Duckworth has introduced the Hygiene Tax Act for the past three years and nothing has happened. A hundred and fifty years ago, Utah was a leader in promoting women’s rights. What has happened to our state since? We need to do more to support our women.
Betsy Stephenson, Orem
