Earlier this month, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed House Bill 5267, which repealed Michigan’s 6% sales tax on menstrual products like pads, tampons, and menstrual cups. Michigan is only one of 21 states without a “pink tax,” which is pretty wild when you consider the fact that the U.S.’s menstruating population spends an estimated total of $150 million on the tampon tax per year.
While this is a big step in the movement toward equality (women are still getting paid $10,157 less per year than men, by the way) providing access to menstrual products is vital work.
Returning for its fourth year in doing this work is For The Girls, a non-profit charity pop-up put on by Detroit’s Old Soul Vintage, which aims to raise funds or tampons and pads (no cups as many people don’t have safe/hygienic ways to dispose and clean) for unhoused women, as well as trans and non-binary people. The event will host 15 local art, clothing, vintage, and house wares vendors as well as performances by five local music acts, including Adelaide, Jack Oats, Chicki Baby & the Bash, Tears of a Martian, and TY. Old Soul Vintage will distribute 100% of the event proceeds to Corktown Health Center, which services the local LGBTQ+ community and I Support The Girls-Detroit, which provides bras and menstrual products to the unhoused.
Per a press release, in past years, this event has raised thousands of dollars and multiple car loads in physical donations to those in need. Can’t make the event but still want to help? Old Soul Vintage will be accepting in-person donations at their 3627B Cass Ave storefront until Nov. 30.
Doors open at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 27 at the Loving Touch; 22634 Woodward Ave., Ferndale; 248-546-3696; facebook.com/oldsoulvintage. Admission is a minimum $5 donation or physical menstrual product(s).
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