Money from the Tampon Tax designed to support women used to fund trans youth conference

[OrchidInTheSun]

The Proud Trust received nearly £100,000 from the Tampon Tax "to improve the safety, mental health and social inclusion of disadvantaged lesbian/bisexual women, and intergenerational opportunities benefiting older lesbian/bisexual women."

They used some of this money to fund a trans youth conference. This event is for young trans people - including those who identify as non-binary or non-gender – who will come together to meet each other and to take part in workshops and discussions. In allocating places at the conference, NTYN will give priority to them. So, we will not be able to accommodate others who wish to attend.
The theme for this year’s event is ‘Trans Representation in the Media’. The day will include some workshops, speakers and a chance for you to share ideas you have about how to increase diverse representation of trans young people in the media.

The event was also sponsored by GIRES and Mermaids.

Incidentally, the Proud Trust is based in Manchester and received regional funding from the Tampon Tax. The conference was held in London.

(Via @womanhavewombs on Twitter - sorry can't figure out how to copy the tweet)

I'm beyond angry about this. Its a sexist tax, it only affects women, and they said they would use it to benefit women's charities such as Rape Crisis and DV shelters.

www.change.org/p/philip-hammond-axe-tampon-tax-before-2022

This is disgusting

So women are basically being forced to fund their own erasure now?

Awful.

So women are basically being forced to fund their own erasure now?

That seems so. This is outrageous.

Not thrilled about this because it's not within the scope of the aims it was supposed to be. How many of the male trans identified people will have ever paid for sanitary products? Erm none!

However if this youth conference is anything like the NUS one a lot of the non binary, non gender attendees will be lesbian/bi girls. The NB label seems to very much appeal to this cohort and given that lesbian/bi are terms very much out of fashion with young people this is a way at least of picking up this group who would exclude themselves from anything called lesbian/bi.

This is not right. Suggest that people check carefully on the wording of the specific "sequestration" of the t tax and make Proud and the administrators of the grants very aware of any contraventions. I'll have a look and see what's around.

I've just signed the petition.

Signed

Looking into it more, PT receive funding from a lot of places. I don't know if the Tampon Tax money has specifically been used for things it wasn't intended for iyswim.

Initial guidance from DCMS
www.civilsociety.co.uk/news/dcms-clarifies-position-on-awareness-raising-in-new-tampon-tax-guidance.html
And assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/668464/Tampon_Tax_Fund_2018-19_-_Guidance_for_Applicants_v.3.pdf
Which specifically references vulnerable and disadvantaged women and girls.
Seems like thin ice to focus this money on trans; a belief that trans women ARE women is not a legal reality.

Youth conferences about changing representations in the media are all well and good but this money was supposed to be spent on women?

I would prefer to see it going to rape & DV centres, stuff for menstrual products for those who can't afford them, homeless women and children, I mean, there's a million things.

They have also given money from this fund to a pro life (anti abortion) group.

The govt are trolling women.

Also agree with vaggie

The idea that women must pay extra taxes to pay for services to protect us from men (essentially) is appalling.

There should be no tax on sanitary protection and help for women who are dire straits should be provided by a wealthy, "civilised" society like ours.

The fact that there is so much period poverty in the UK makes it particularly repellant

Ummm, stating the obvious here - sanitary products should NOT be taxed at all. It is not a luxury, not something women use because they want to.

Me too Vaggie. Don't forget to sign the petition!

Signed

I believe that the Tampon Tax money was also used by Pride to fund these workshops: "Sexuality aGender [sic] will enable you to engage with young people in a meaningful conversation about gender identity, sexuality and sexual health. ... training event is free, thanks to The Tampon Tax Fund."
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/sexuality-agender-an-inclusive-sexual-health-toolkit-cumbria-tickets-38039218326#

From what I can find about this Sexuality aGender, it features a penis dice and Laverne Cox:

At least one thread on MN, at the time when decisions were being taken about what the tampon tax could fund, such as the low cost ST making equipment to communities in need, utterly foundered because of the attitutude that 'this tax is so wrong that we don't want to engage with it in any way'

That left the door wide open for groups who would engage, and I'm not surprised at the upshot. Now the money has been awarded, it's too late.

As I have posted many times before, VAT is not a luxury tax, it's an EU general consumption tax. We can stop the tax when Brexit is definitive, as we shall be able to recast the general consumption tax in any way we want. I suspect it will initially just roll over, as it, but consumption tax on sanpro will surely be amongst the first elements to be changed.

The people endorsing this should be ashamed.

I'm off to buy a moon cup...

OrchidInTheSun
Pride did indeed use Tampon Tax funds for the Trans conference.

Follow this link and click on "View Details":
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/national-trans-youth-conference-2017-representation-in-the-media-tickets-36858668269

At the bottom:
Thanks to those organisations who are sponsoring this event:
Linklaters, GIRES, ATL, NUT, Mermaids, The Tampon Tax (through The Proud Trust) and Hiscox