Wis. Democrat wants "free" tampons

[ezgeze]

http://host.madison.com/ct/news/loca...68bb1092a.html

State-run buildings in Wisconsin, including schools, would be required to offer free feminine hygiene products under a bill being proposed by a Democratic lawmaker.

Rep. Melissa Sargent, D-Madison, likens tampons and sanitary napkins to other necessary hygiene products stocked in restrooms, like toilet paper and soap.

Her bill would require restrooms in any building owned, leased or occupied by the state to dispense feminine hygiene products at no cost to those using the facilities. That would include public schools, independent charter schools and private schools participating in the state's voucher program. A fiscal estimate hasn't yet been completed, so there is currently no cost estimate available for the bill.

The logistics of implementation would be left up to the state Department of Administration, which would be charged with producing a plan.

"I don’t see how this is different than basic hygiene products in a public bathroom," Sargent said, arguing that to her, it seems like common-sense legislation.

After introducing the bill for co-sponsorship last week Friday, a few lawmakers have signed on in support, Sargent said. But she's also received some negative feedback through social media, email and phone calls. Some comments have been particularly "childish and untethered," she said, adding that it has "overwhelmingly" been men who are troubled by the legislation.

She chalks their responses up to the fact that they've never "been caught in a situation where they've gotten their period" unexpectedly and needed to deal with it at work or school.

"Will you have the larger sizes for the liberal women?" one Facebook commenter wrote on Sargent's official legislative page.

"Now you WANT the government in your vagina? Make up your mind," wrote another.

Sargent said she's seen similar proposals discussed in other states and other countries, but Wisconsin would be the first to implement such a statewide policy.

Still, she doesn't expect the bill to gain much traction in Wisconsin's Republican-controlled Legislature. It is her hope that some local governments might consider adopting proposals at the city or county levels, in the meantime.

Asked why her legislation would mandate the products be available for free — rather than, for instance, requiring restrooms to dispense the products for a small fee — Sargent responded, "We're not charging people for toilet paper and paper towels."

According to the national campaign Free the Tampons, which aims to make tampons and pads free in public buildings throughout the country, 86 percent of women in the U.S. have gotten their period in public without the necessary supplies. That organization frames the issue as one of "restroom inequality" and argues that "every bathroom outside the home" should have these supplies "freely accessible."

A New York City councilwoman introduced a similar proposal this summer, which would stock school restrooms with free tampons and pads. Her hope was to also expand the availability of such products in prisons and homeless shelters and to have them covered by the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

An amendment has also been proposed to the Dane County budget that would require county facilities to dispense those products for no charge. Dane County supervisor Heidi Wegleitner said she was inspired in part by the effort in New York.

"Access to menstrual products is a big issue, especially for low-income, homeless women," Wegleitner said.

Wegleitner's proposal would be implemented as a pilot project in eight county buildings, selected based on their accessibility for low-income women in the area.

"The first time we do something like introduce a piece of legislation, quite often there’s a lot more questions associated with it," Sargent said. "That means people are thinking about something that they haven't thought about before — and I see that as a win."

So we have ISIS going crazy, Russia running roughshod over countries, Iran building nuclear reactors, Obama trampling over the constitution as if he were a king, NSA collecting data on every American, ally and enemy, 8+T in debt added in the last 6 years, the fed still manipulating monetary policy.............

Whats important? Forcing taxpayers to provide "free" tampons. Crazy

[Deleted]

I'm not really seeing a problem here. :|

[Tragedia]

There is no problem with what is being proposed.

[Bakis]

I think that is not needed at all. Stupid proposal.
I also dont think just cos of the examples and similar ones that you bring up should suddenly put every other political suggestion on hold.

You would make a better case sticking to the tampons issue and not addsome weird idea such as the above.

[Hammerfest]

My state is so sick and wrong. I love it!

[Radaney]

So we have ISIS going crazy, Russia running roughshod over countries, Iran building nuclear reactors, Obama trampling over the constitution as if he were a king, NSA collecting data on every American, ally and enemy, 8+T in debt added in the last 6 years, the fed still manipulating monetary policy.............

Whats important? Forcing taxpayers to provide "free" tampons. Crazy

Am I meant to be looking at this badly? I don't really get the point of the thread.

So you expect us to drop any sort of domestic issues because all these things are happening?

Do you want me to curl up and cry every night as well?

God forbid having different departments of Government, we should get the Department of Housing and Development to help tackle the ISIS threat as well.

[Hyve]

So, because there are other issues at hand, they can't take an honest look at the day to day domestic issues that Women face?

Tax / VAT on Tampons and such products is stupid. They're not luxury items, they're essentials. They shouldn't be free of course, but their cost reduced by relieving the taxation on them. I went shopping the other day with my girlfriend and was honestly shocked at the price for a pack of tampons. Something she'll need, yet they're charging close to £4 a pack ...

It's stupid. As is your argument though. Just because the U.S. is in debt, just because it's facing terrorism, just because of the issues with the N.S.A. doesn't mean every state, and every member of your political parties should be locked down to focusing on those issues alone.

[Annoying]

There is no problem with what is being proposed.

But there are starving people in Africa! How can we solve problems here when there are worse problems?

On a less snarky note: OP, you realize this is local government, right? What exactly is a rep in the Wisconsin State Assembly going to be able to do about federal government issues?

[ezgeze]

Whatever happened to being prepared?

Why should everyone be forced to pay for a product to give to someone else?

What will happen once word gets out that you can get free tampons at these locations? Are you willing to either keep an unlimited stock ready or create a tampon police to make sure people don't take more than 1?

Etc, etc, again, not surprised these lawmakers come up with this crap. In the end, they all just have terrible ideas left.

[THE Bigzoman]

As long as it's in the budget and not backbreaking I guess.

[ezgeze]

But there are starving people in Africa! How can we solve problems here when there are worse problems?

On a less snarky note: OP, you realize this is local government, right? What exactly is a rep in the Wisconsin State Assembly going to be able to do about federal government issues?

Yes I do know this and yet instead of talking about important local/state issues like the city of Madison losing a major company like Oscar Myer, she goes off the rails and talks about tampons.

[Macnessa]

As long as men get free condoms next to the paper towels.

[Tragedia]

But there are starving people in Africa! How can we solve problems here when there are worse problems?

On a less snarky note: OP, you realize this is local government, right? What exactly is a rep in the Wisconsin State Assembly going to be able to do about federal government issues?

Instead of using money to buy toilet paper for the state of Wisonsin, we could just buy food for Africans. Suddenly famine is eradicated!

[Crissi]

Let cities do what they want, as long as its not against current state or federal law. God damn you're a busy body.

[darkwarrior42]

Whatever happened to being prepared?

Why should everyone be forced to pay for a product to give to someone else?

What will happen once word gets out that you can get free tampons at these locations? Are you willing to either keep an unlimited stock ready or create a tampon police to make sure people don't take more than 1?

Etc, etc, again, not surprised these lawmakers come up with this crap. In the end, they all just have terrible ideas left.

I assume you bring your own chamber pot with you everywhere you go, so you're not caught unprepared in case there's no bathroom?

At the very least I assume you have your own sanitary wipes and toilet paper, so you're not reliant on using paper and soap provided by others.

[Deleted]

As long as men get free condoms next to the paper towels.

The menstrual cycle is in no way comparable to sexual intercourse.

[Dextroden]

Whatever happened to being prepared?

Why should everyone be forced to pay for a product to give to someone else?

What will happen once word gets out that you can get free tampons at these locations? Are you willing to either keep an unlimited stock ready or create a tampon police to make sure people don't take more than 1?

Etc, etc, again, not surprised these lawmakers come up with this crap. In the end, they all just have terrible ideas left.

Basically, like this guy says. Is there going to be something in place to prevent tampon looting or are places going to be running out constantly? Because I see weekly how much toilet paper women just burn through.

[Meaux]

She raises a good point, soap, toilet paper and other bathroom luxuries shouldn't be provided for free. This could also raid much-needed money for schools.

[Moralgy]

As long as men get free condoms next to the paper towels.

You do know tampons aren't used for sex right?

[Annoying]

Instead of using money to buy toilet paper for the state of Wisonsin, we could just buy food for Africans. Suddenly famine is eradicated!

Yeah, people should just be prepared. Bring your own toilet paper, I don't want to be forced to pay for everyone else to get free toilet paper! I mean, are they going to create toilet paper police to make sure that people don't use too much free toilet paper, or wrap a bit up and put it in their pocket?