this post was submitted on 02 Sep 2023
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Shoppers in Texas no longer have to pay a sales tax on menstrual products, making the state one of the few in the nation to eliminate the so-called "tampon tax."

A new law that went into effect Friday eliminates the sales tax on feminine hygiene products including items like tampons, menstrual pads and menstrual cups.

In addition to menstrual products, the law, S.B. 379, also eliminates the sales tax on family care items including diapers, baby bottles, baby wipes, maternity clothing and breast milk pump products.

top 32 comments
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[–] dan1101@lemm.ee 102 points 1 year ago (4 children)

Wait, this will disproportionately help women, what is Texas doing?

[–] BossDj@lemm.ee 50 points 1 year ago (3 children)

I think I figured it out.

Since every other law is attempting to force women to be stay at home moms, men are having to foot the bill for menstrual products, and we can't be burdening men with such women problems.

OR Republican Texas men don't know what tampons are for because sex ed in Texas, so the women who sponsored it lied and said it's for babies.

[–] Cethin@lemmy.zip 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

A far too large group of people think tampons can be safely used for gunshot wounds, and this is Texas we're talking about so...

[–] sewerkat@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 points 1 year ago

Weren't modern pads invented by military nurses using bandages? I see how that factoid could give people the wrong idea

[–] jasondj@ttrpg.network 3 points 1 year ago

Still doesn’t make sense. Any man with a kid and half a clue knows that they don’t bleed when they’re pregnant. Thus, tampons are only necessary when women aren’t fulfilling their wifely duties, barefoot and pregnant.

I mean, it really was seeming like the GOP wants every woman to be carrying their spawn (against their will) from menarche to menopause.

[–] BombOmOm@lemmy.world -1 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Texas does something nice

Half the thread: Let's find some reason to bash on Texas!

[–] tider06@lemmy.world 9 points 1 year ago

In fairness, you don't have to look that hard.

[–] afraid_of_zombies@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

Why do you think that is? Do you think this is coming out of nowhere?

[–] Cethin@lemmy.zip 1 points 1 year ago

Hitler did some good things too!!!

[–] WarmSoda@lemm.ee 13 points 1 year ago (1 children)
[–] Cethin@lemmy.zip 5 points 1 year ago

It helped itself in its confusion!

[–] ivanafterall@kbin.social 11 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Maybe they figure they should try to help out since they're trying to force women into pregnancies against their will.

[–] Hotdogman@lemmy.world 14 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Well aren't we optimistic this morning.

Edit: in the sense they are trying to help.

[–] Aviandelight@mander.xyz 3 points 1 year ago

I really want to have a positive outlook about this type of thing because I do want to help people. That being said there is nothing stopping retail from marking the price back up to what it would've been with the sales tax and just pocketing the extra.

[–] odium@programming.dev 50 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Color me surprised, was not expecting this from Texas.

[–] CameronDev@programming.dev 50 points 1 year ago

Bizarrely, they have accidentally implemented an actual pro life policy

[–] Kerred@lemmy.world 16 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

According to the links, the law was sponsored by Donna Howard (Dem) and Angie Button (Rep). Said 13 yays and 4 abstained from the financial committee.

Hopefully women constituents from both sides encouraged their reps to push forward.

[–] tdawg@lemmy.world 29 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Did... did Texas just do something right for once?

[–] SuiXi3D@kbin.social 10 points 1 year ago

Even a stopped clock is right twice a day.

[–] hroderic@lemmy.world 29 points 1 year ago

Likely trying to score some points with female voters after rolling back Roe v Wade

[–] BonesOfTheMoon@lemmy.world 25 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I'm sure there's some Republican politician someplace in Texas saying that women have the ability to shut their periods down if they try, and they don't need socialist tampons.

[–] Rachelhazideas@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago

God I want a socialist tampon inside me so bad. Socialism is so hot.

[–] atzanteol@sh.itjust.works 18 points 1 year ago (3 children)

This is great - but is the "tampon tax" just "normal sales tax"?

[–] revelrous@sopuli.xyz 22 points 1 year ago

Yep. But other medical products have been exempt the whole time.

[–] Schadrach@lemmy.sdf.org 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Yeah, but it sounds more like a special imposition placed on women for being women if we talk about the "tampon tax" instead of arguing about whether or not there should be special cutouts on sales tax for products used primarily or exclusively by women.

[–] Natanael@slrpnk.net 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

There are places with "luxury taxes" on some of those items

[–] Schadrach@lemmy.sdf.org 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Usually only in places where that luxury tax rate is actually lower than the general sales tax. If you have a contrary example, I'm curious.

[–] glacier@lemmy.blahaj.zone 8 points 1 year ago

Rare Texas W

[–] xylogx@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

This look to me like an advocacy group successfully advocating for common sense legislation:

“Advocates for menstrual equity who oppose a tax on menstrual products say the taboo around menstruation and the lack of access to menstrual products hurts women economically because it costs them money for products and may keep them from attending jobs and school. Poor menstrual hygiene poses health risks for women, including reproductive issues and urinary tract infections.”

[–] Jeredin@lemm.ee -1 points 1 year ago

GOP is simply trying to make the state unwelcoming to progressives and move out the ones that can/will, just so there's no chance of losing the state to the left. FL and other many other GOP states are doing the same - simple as that: electoral votes.