Illinois Lawmakers Considering Ending ‘Tampon Tax’

Because paying for tampons and pads is a pain, and paying for the extra tax is just the worst.

Ladies and gentlemen. Ok, I guess just mostly ladies... at this point in your life you've probably realized that being a woman costs more than being a man.

Whether it's the more expensive shaving cream or flowery deodorant that happens to cost more than the one in the men's aisle, or the fact that most women own more make-up and shoes than any man would even consider purchasing. Being a girl is more expensive.

Especially when it comes to tampons, pads, birth control, and everything else that goes along with having the ability to grow a new human.

It gets pretty pricey, but we need those things, so we buy them.

Recently, the idea that woman are spending a lot of money on these pretty much necessary to live items, has come up in Congress. They aren't working on free Tampax for everyone, but, individual states are proposing the removal of taxes on these items.

Until I read about these taxes possibly going away I didn't realize that in addition to the approx. $7 box of tampons I buy, I'm getting taxed an additional 10% on each (in Cook County.) The best part? That's the tax that is considered, "entertainment" or luxury tax. I dunno who's getting entertainment in my uterine lining being shed every month, but it's definitely not me.

So, here's the exciting news. Illinois is one of the states who is considering the removal of this "tampon tax."

The lawmaker behind this proposal is Grayslake Democratic state Sen. Melinda Bush. Her proposal also extends to include removing the tax on incontinence products.

The luxury tax on tampons and other feminine hygiene has been removed in Pennsylvania and Minnesota, and lawmakers in California have been working toward removing it as well, according to WGN TV.

A committee made up of only men in Utah has previously voted to continue the taxes on female hygiene products.

So, I'm not moving to Utah any time soon... but I am pretty excited to see Illinois working to change this non-luxurious tax.