Why “Tampon Tax” Repeal Could Find Bipartisan Support

When I arrived at the Iowa Caucus, I trembled from both the insufferable cold and the prospect of speaking to conservatives about gender-related issues. Much to my surprise, I soon discovered that the Republicans with whom I spoke were inclined to support a conventionally liberal issue.

Throughout the caucuses, gender-related issues caused contention or were ignored by GOP candidates and caucusgoers. For example, Governor Ron DeSantis adamantly condemned “transgenderism.”

Iowans also varied in their responses to the hot-button topic of abortion. At a rally for Vivek Ramaswamy, I asked Jack Nolin, a high-schooler caucusing for Nikki Haley, about female reproductive health policies: He believes that women should have the right to an abortion under certain parameters.

On the contrary, many Republicans held strong stances against abortion.

“Women will say, ‘Oh, well, it’s my choice, right?’ It’s not your choice anymore. You got a living thing in there,” Trump Caucus Captain Ben Bakker told me.

One gender-related issue that Republican caucusgoers seemed to align with liberals on? The “tampon tax.” In Iowa, products like take-and-bake pizza and ice cream have long been exempt from sales tax because they are deemed “necessities,” yet, until 2023, menstrual products were not tax-exempt in the state because they were considered “luxuries.” One in four menstruators struggle to afford period products, which is exacerbated by the sales tax of between 4% and 7% on tampons and pads in 21 states.

Every Republican I interviewed in Iowa was receptive to “tampon tax” revocation. “[The ‘tampon tax’] is sexist and discriminatory because you can’t go without [menstrual products],” a woman caucusing for Nikki Haley said to me.

But this support was not always based on ideals of gender equity or the well-being of menstruators. I most frequently heard the argument that all superfluous taxes, including the “tampon tax,” should be eliminated.

Kat Cunningham, a 72-year-old Trump Caucus Captain, was offended when I said “period products” in the context of the tax and corrected me by asserting, “You mean feminine products.” Despite her initial reaction, she emphasized that she dislikes being taxed on household items, including menstrual products.

I asked Iowa Senator Joni Ernst about the prospect of endorsing “tampon tax” repeal, and she explained that she favors “tampon tax” abolition because eradicating taxes of any type is traditionally advocated for by Libertarian and Republican Parties.

While the rationale for supporting it may vary, the revocation of the “tampon tax”—a fundamental health care issue—has clearly found support from Americans of diverse political affiliations despite our fractured political landscape. The removal of sales taxes may be a state issue, but federal officials like Senator Ernst can call upon state legislators to enact change. Ernst’s support for “tampon tax” rescission in particular leads me to believe that removing this imprudent tax would be an easy bipartisan horse for the Republican Party to ride without alienating their core constituents.

Reflecting on American political hostilities, a first-time caucusgoer optimistically expressed, “I think it’s about compromise. I think a lot of America is about compromise.” While compromise is not necessarily as satisfying as victory, it is still a means of finding common ground. And common ground makes us stronger. Period.