Earlier this week, members of Aktivistin.ch, a feminist collective in Zurich, Switzerland, ooured food dye into various public fountains in order to protest the tampon tax.
Here’s an excerpt from English-language press in Switzerland:
Spokeswoman Carmen Schoder said the #happytobleed action was meant to prompt discussion on attitudes towards the female body.
“Many people still see menstruation as something shameful,” she said, adding that people were afraid to talk about it.
The organization is angry at the fact that tampons and sanitary towels are taxed at a rate of eight percent, and not at the rate of 2.5 percent which applies to most items of daily use.
“Tampons are seen as a luxury product and women are financially disadvantaged,” Schoder said. The tax gave the impression that sanitary products were not a requirement.
The Zurich authorities, which had to clean the fountains, complained that the water was meant for public consumption and should not be misused for publicity purposes.
Read the full coverage here.
Image source here
