What do Women Need?
What do women need? A question long debated at KYA, a question whose answer varies based on opinion, upbringing, and morality. At this 2017 session of the Kentucky Youth Assembly, the general consensus is that women in the Commonwealth of Kentucky deserve better. However, the debate remains over how legislation should be formed in order to benefit women to the degree that they deserve. Four solutions have been proposed and all four result in the ultimate prosperity of women. The power is in the hands of the delegates to decide what the women of Kentucky need the most.
The most common motif among the six bills is the change in the luxury tax on feminine products- i.e. pads, tampons, cleansing wipes, etc. on the basis that the aforementioned products are not luxuries and are a necessity to a woman and her health. Bluegrass Bill 32, Bluegrass Bill 20, and Commonwealth Bill 28 all propose alternatives to the tax- and several of the bills include added bonuses that the authors believe will increase support for their bills from demographics not directly affected by the absence of feminine luxury taxes. BG Bill 32 proposes the money lost by the feminine luxury tax be counteracted by a 1% increase on alcoholic beverages and products containing nicotine. Astrid Trucks, an author of the bill, cites the logic behind this as alcohol and nicotine are not products necessary for daily life; while pads and tampons are. BG Bill 20 includes eradicating the luxury tax from all necessary hygiene products inclusive of toilet paper, deodorant, and toothpaste as required-for-good-health products. CW Bill 28 focuses specifically on low income girls and providing free cleansing and feminine products to those girls who can not afford to buy their own. All three bills serve the same purpose, your job is to decide which bill fulfills the ultimate purpose- to benefit and help the women in Kentucky.
Another prevailing problem in the realm of women’s issues is sexual assault and the state reaction to assault reports, as well as the resources available to women who have been sexually assaulted. Commonwealth Bill 18 addresses issues within Kentucky’s current rape statutes- and new wording to assure all sexual assault is regarded as such- no matter sexual or gender identity. Bill authors Elizabeth Embry and Hannah Congleton designed the bill to include both male and female sexual assault- and heterosexual and homosexual methods of assault. Commonwealth Bill 4 and Bluegrass Bill 8 both involve issues within Kentucky’s current domestic abuse and sexual assault shelters. CW Bill 4 proposes increased resources placed in existing shelters as a cheaper alternative to building new shelters. Harrison Adams, Rachel Rodgers, and Alexandra Anderson, the authors of this bill, believe increasing resources will economically satisfy the citizens of the Commonwealth.
A poll of 30 KYA attendees determined that the majority of delegates are in support of changing rape statutes as the best way to improve upon the lives of Kentucky women. Nevertheless, 30 KYA delegates do not have the final decision. The outcome of each and every one of the preceding bills are in the hands of the people, are in your hands. Tomorrow, you will make a decision for or against the passing of these bills. Use logic when voting, but also, use heart and remember that the struggle for women’s rights is neverending. Will you be a part of the change or be a reason change needs to happen?
