A vote on ???.????? ???.??????.?????Thursday in German parliament changes the tax rate for menstrual hygiene products like tampons or pads from their current designation as "luxury items" to that of "daily necessities."
As of January 1,2020, this means a tax cut from 19 percent to 7 percent, and a big win for those who advocated for the change.
Around the world, monthly hygiene products for menstrual flow are often taxed at rates higher than that of other daily necessities in a phenomenon often referred to as the "tampon tax." In countries such as Hungary, Denmark, and Sweden, products like tampons have tax rates of 25 percent or more, according to CNN, making them among the highest in the European Union. Meanwhile, other countries around the world, like Kenya, India, and Canada have eliminated their former "tampon tax" rates.
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In the U.S., tax rates vary from state to state, with a growing number of states now dropping the tax.
The move in German parliament follows the success of an online petition from equal rights campaigners, led by Nanna-Josephine Roloff and Yasemin Kotra, that received almost 200,00 signatures, CNN reports.
"It is the women who bear these costs ― and periods are no luxury for women," Roloff said to CNN. "Products like salmon, caviar, truffles, hotel nights or taxi rides are taxed lower than female hygiene products. But how should [people] avoid their period?"
Following parliament's Thursday vote, campaigners like Roloff celebrated their victory on Twitter.
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When marking their change.org petition as a "Victory" on November 7th, Roloff and Kotra thanked their 190,378 online co-signers for their support (which Mashable has translated from German via Google Translate).
SEE ALSO: It's finally bloody happening: Australia scraps tampon tax"Thanks to 190,000 people at our side, we have joined forces ... to write feminist history," they wrote. "Now it's time to celebrate, then gather new strength. Because the fight for equal rights is not over yet."
Topics Activism Social Good Politics