Period Poverty
Keara Hopkins & Nora Vigor
Introduction
Why did we choose this topic?
Global Information
Interviewing the Experts
gdsf
Kate Barker Swindell Lysne Tait Eliza Martin
Period Poverty in Texas: “The Tampon Tax”
● Menstrual products are considered luxury goods and are taxed anywhere from 6.25% to 8.25%
● Texas minimum wage is $7.25 while the average box of tampons is $7.00 and $7.58 with the tax
● Everyone’s period is different, some need more tampons, some people are buying tampons for multiple
people
● Tampons are already very expensive and those 58 cents start to add up, it’s money that people don’t have
● To people experiencing period poverty, this tax makes tampons less accessible
Representation in the Texas Senate
https://apps.texastribune.org/features/2020/2021-texas-legislature-representation/
How Has the Pandemic Affected...
The People
Period Organizations
Job loss has made accessing
menstrual products much
So many schools and community more difficult, People can’t
programs which offer wrap afford these products and are
around services, that can also forced to cut back on them.
provide these products, have not
been in operation. Additionally, The State
people whose jobs are getting
eliminated, or whose salary is Because people are buying
decreasing are now struggling fewer menstrual products due
even buying period products. to monetary restraint, the
Isolations from organizations state of Texas is losing the
that have been providing this money they would regularly
community support have had to make off taxing them. The
cut back on their services, state is now less likely to
adding onto this issue by further eliminate the taxation on
lacking the access to essential menstrual products because
goods. they can’t afford to lose
another stream of revenue.
Taking Action
Letter to Rep. Meyer
https://docs.google.com/docu
ment/d/1MGyYkjSKpGUiKqT8
6bjVyL-woA81Ml5UwhqRJIX
EzWI/edit?usp=sharing
Nora’s Testimony
https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=ujsN_ak7sD8&t=
13s
Keara’s Testimony
https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=jFpWKLA4wE0
Our Advocacy Projects
Nora Vigor Keara Hopkins
https://periodpovertytgplan.weebl https://docs.google.com/documen
y.com/ t/d/17Kb8ddGoRSCUQzxh694Pzd6
K97iF0pBXH-Zt969KggM/edit?us
p=sharing
Reflection
Obstacles What We Learned
Some obstacles I faced was my The testifying in the taking
individual advocacy part action ascept taught me the
because I was going camping most. I learned about the
the one weekend I was planning issue as a whole and this
on doing my advocacy piece, sexist taxation. As well as
and since it was a painting, my the slow-paced
resources were limited and I environment in the Capitol
often worried about puncturing, and how these conferences
scratching, and getting debris work, knowing how much I
on my painting. enjoy talking about things
that are important to me.
I ran out of time making my
website because I spent most of
the last work day at the capitol.
What Can You Do to Help With Period Poverty?
“Talk, talk about it, find out what it means. Do some
research, follow groups on social media that talk about period
poverty. I think the more we talk about periods, and period
poverty, the more people will learn about it and we can
change education regarding period poverty or periods, then
that will help the issue.”
—Lysne Tait
Works Cited
Martin, Eliza. Personal Interview. 19 Mar. 2021.
Swindell, Kate. Personal Interview. 16 Mar. 20221.
Tait, Lysne. Personal Interview. 22 Mar. 2021.
Ura, Alexa, and Carla Astudillo. “In 2021, White Men Are Still Overrepresented in the
Texas Legislature.” The Texas Tribune, The Texas Tribune, 11 Jan. 2021,
apps.texastribune.org/features/2020/2021-texas-legislature-representation/.
Thanks!
Does anyone have any questions?
