22 states still have the Tampon tax, but we don't believe that anyone should have to pay extra for essential items like period care, so we always do our best to pay it for you.
Once we launched in actual retail stores, charging a sales tax to our customers was no longer in our control. And that hasn’t been sitting well with us.
After months of hard work, we are proud to announce our new payback system:
- If you purchase August period products from a retail store in a state that still has the Tampon Tax, we will Venmo it back!
Keep reading to learn more!
How it will work:
- Click HERE to SIGN UP for the program. You will ONLY be able to receive payments from us if you sign up.
- We’ll text you to confirm that you’re opted in. Then you choose between Venmo & PayPal.
- Text us photos of your receipts WITHIN 10 DAYS of purchase.
- No math for you – we’ll calculate the taxes that you paid on our products then PAY YOU BACK that amount.
What is the Tampon Tax?
The ‘Tampon Tax’ is the name for the sales tax placed on menstrual products, considering them a “luxury” rather than an essential item.
This unfair tax is similar to 'Pink Tax' products, whereby products are specifically branded for women, and seemingly cost more. [Even though tampons are not exclusively used by women, they are often branded as such.]
However, the Tampon Tax is a state-imposed sales tax decided on by the government.
More context about the Tampon Tax:
Most states don’t tax "essential goods." However, what falls under that category is different in every state.
As of May 2023, 22 states still tax menstrual products, meaning they are NOT deemed “essential”. This results in menstruators paying up to $7 more per month – about $20 million annually per state.
Have the lawmakers forgotten that periods are a basic biological function that half the population experiences at some point in their life. Not to mention ESSENTIAL to creating human life…
Items that ARE tax-free:
How can YOU help to abolish the Tampon Tax across the country?
- Educate and stay up-to-date with menstrual news.
- Read this & follow us on @itsaugust.
- Get MAD. You expect us to pay EXTRA for bleeding once a month???
- Talk about it with your friends, family and greater community.
- Contact your local legislator/governor/representative.
You're never too young to get involved! You have a voice and we're here to encourage you to use it. Here are some great resources:
- ACLU Menstrual Equity Toolkit
- Forbes: Taking Down the Tampon Tax
- Global Citizen: Everything You Need to Know About the Tampon Tax
Remember though, ending period poverty and creating menstrual equity for ALL is not just about more affordable & accessible products. It will take
- education
- adequate sanitation facilities
- ending stigma
- an inclusive & intersectional approach so that all people with a period feel dignified in their menstrual experience
Access to period products is a call-in to LAWMAKERS & other people in leadership positions. Teachers, administrators, parents, and other guardians should be able to offer FREE period products to the young menstruators in their life.
Shedding worries about getting a period will help the next generation live up to their full potential and focus on what's really important to them. Shame-free, stigma-free, tax-free.
