A victory’s a victory, regardless of its size: On Friday, the governor of Illinois signed a law eliminating the sales tax on feminine hygiene products.
The decision makes Illinois the third state to kill this particular lady tax, following in the footsteps of New York and Connecticut. California is also poised to do the same, the New York Daily News reports.
Per the bill’s sponsor, Senator Melinda Bush:
“This is just the start of a conversation about the unfair ‘pink taxes’ women face as they buy products priced higher than similar ones marketed to men or, in this case, as they have to spend on products that men don’t.”
The pink tax, as we’ve previously reported, begins for girls the moment they exit the womb, from which point things get progressively worse: Over the course of women’s lives, we’ll pay more for everyday items 42 percent of the time. That, combined with the fact that feminine hygiene products are unavoidable necessities, means they should actually be free. Baby steps!
The new law, which will cover products like tampons and pads, will go into effect on January 1.