Thanks to @seralexphoto for making this photo available freely on @unsplash

Over the past 5 or so years I have become an avid and enthusiastic menstrual cup user, and I’ve made an effort to learn a lot more about the different kinds of menstrual products that are out there. As a menstruating person who bleeds far more than the average due to my reproductive health issues, I really do think the title of this post says it all.

I’m talking about this today because of a post I saw on the Vermont Retail & Grocers Association Facebook page:

Photo found here: https://www.facebook.com/vtrga/photos/a.111064477732/10159247321767733/?type=3

Several states have begun doing this- and make no mistake, I truly believe it is a huge deal. The Pink Tax is a very real thing! Many manufacturers charge a higher price for items made for women compared to identical items made for men (or razors, girls toys vs boys toys, items made with traditionally feminine print verses masculine prints), and many states charge tax on menstrual products- a practice that is slowly beginning to change.

This makes it harder for these necessary products to be easily accessible. Don’t even get me started on which of these products are actually made by women with other women’s best interest in mind, and how some are made with harmful chemicals that ravage the reproductive system.

I’m really pround of my home state for taking this step, and I hope they don’t stop here! Menstrual products are necessary for everyone on the planet with a bleeding uterus. That’s about half of any given population! Menstrual products that are easy to use, environmentally friendly, and just plain practical should be free easily accessible to everyone.

I hope to write more on this topic in the future, but until then, checkout this article on states that are fighting the pink tax!