--- title: The Irony of Republicans' 'Tampon Tim' Insult description: Far from being mocked, menstrual equity enjoys broad bipartisan support in the U.S., writes Jennifer Weiss-Wolf. canonical: https://time.com/7008786/tampon-tim-insult-irony-essay/ author: Jennifer Weiss-Wolf article:opinion: true article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2024-08-07T15:53:27.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:50:22.110Z article:section: Ideas og:title: The Irony of Republicans' 'Tampon Tim' Insult og:description: Far from being mocked, menstrual equity enjoys broad bipartisan support in the U.S., writes Jennifer Weiss-Wolf. og:url: https://time.com/7008786/tampon-tim-insult-irony-essay/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt50fd520e298e421b/698a59a7db2987ca4a26bf39/Tim-Walz-Nomination-2024.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1024 og:image:height: 576 og:image:alt: VP Kamala Harris Campaign Democratic vice presidential nominee Minnesota Governor Tim Walz og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: The Irony of Republicans' 'Tampon Tim' Insult twitter:description: Far from being mocked, menstrual equity enjoys broad bipartisan support in the U.S., writes Jennifer Weiss-Wolf. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt50fd520e298e421b/698a59a7db2987ca4a26bf39/Tim-Walz-Nomination-2024.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # The Irony of Republicans' 'Tampon Tim' Insult > Sponsored content. 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It explains how TIME's journalism is made, from the first pitch through the editorial decisions behind a finished story or cover. #### How can I read about how TIME chooses its covers? Inside TIME is the newsletter where TIME's Editor-in-Chief explains cover selection and the editorial reasoning behind major stories. It is free at time.com/newsletters. #### Who is the editor of TIME? Sam Jacobs is TIME's Editor-in-Chief. He writes Inside TIME, a twice-weekly newsletter about the newsroom's reporting and editorial decisions. #### Is Inside TIME free? Yes. Inside TIME is a free newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and available at time.com/subscribe-agent. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-inside-2026q3/newsletters?i=64e609ae-1a5e-43aa-bded-abc144fd9fff&cr=time-nl-inside-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Minnesota Voters React to Kamala Harris' Choice of Gov. Tim Walz as Running Mate [Watch (HLS stream): Minnesota Voters React to Kamala Harris' Choice of Gov. Tim Walz as Running Mate](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/ZkqykEmp.m3u8) (1:03)  _Published 2024-08-06. Kamala Harris has chosen Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate for the 2024 presidential election, elevating the progressive midwestern Democrat whose clear and caustic messaging about former President Donald Trump—labeling him “weird”—has gone viral in recent weeks._ by [Jennifer Weiss-Wolf](https://time.com/author/jennifer-weiss-wolf/) ## Jennifer Weiss-Wolf Aug 7, 2024 3:53 PM UTC  Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz delivers remarks during a campaign event at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pa. on Aug. 6. Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz delivers remarks during a campaign event at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pa. on Aug. 6. Demetrius Freeman—The Washington Post/Getty Images by [Jennifer Weiss-Wolf](https://time.com/author/jennifer-weiss-wolf/) ## Jennifer Weiss-Wolf Aug 7, 2024 3:53 PM UTC Even before the official announcement that [Tim Walz](https://time.com/7007841/kamala-harris-vice-president-tim-walz/) would be named the vice presidential candidate on the Democratic ticket, the Internet churned out a cacophony of clips and quips reflecting his progressive bona fides. As Minnesota governor embracing a gaggle of children at the bill signing for free school breakfasts and lunches. As folksy dad joking with his daughter, a vegetarian, about whether turkey is meat. (According to Walz, “In Minnesota, turkey is special.”) Amid these, a corresponding, more crude moniker arose: Tampon Tim. This time, an apparent conservative dig referencing Walz’s support for a [2024 state law](https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/minnesota-schools-now-required-to-provide-free-menstrual-products-to-students/) that requires all Minnesota public schools to provide menstrual products in bathrooms. There is an element of deja vu in the timing. Nearly nine years ago to the day, on August 8, 2015, then-presidential candidate Donald Trump hurled an insult at then-Fox newscaster Megyn Kelly: he accused her of having “blood coming out of her wherever” when he thought her debate questions were unfair. At the time, I wrote here at [_TIME_](https://time.com/3989966/america-menstrual-crisis/): “Period jokes are a dime a dozen, Donald. Half of the American electorate–indeed, half the world’s population–copes with menstruation. But for those who live in poverty, lack of access to menstrual health care is more than a punch line.” Now nearly a decade later, periods have become a mainstream public policy priority. Far from being mocked or maligned, “menstrual equity” is an agenda that enjoys broad bipartisan support across the country. So far, [30 states](https://www.periodlaw.org/) have eliminated state sales tax on menstrual products (also known as the “tampon tax"), including a law signed last year by the Republican governor of Texas, [Greg Abbott](https://www.texastribune.org/2022/08/18/glenn-hegar-joan-huffman-tampon-tax/). Minnesota is one of [28 states](https://allianceforperiodsupplies.org/period-products-in-schools/) committed by law and/or budget to providing menstrual products in schools, joined by states with Republican leadership like Georgia, New Hampshire, Ohio, and Utah. In fact, in 2018, Trump himself signed the first-ever federal menstrual access requirement into law—the [First Step Act](https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/how-first-step-act-became-law-and-what-happens-next), a 2018 prison and sentencing reform package that mandates menstrual product provision in federal prisons. In 2020 he went on to sign the [CARES Act](https://msmagazine.com/2020/03/31/so-whats-included-in-that-2-2-trillion-coronavirus-stimulus-package-and-whats-missing/), which made it possible for the first time for employees to use their Flexible Spending Account allowances to buy menstrual products with pre-tax dollars. As for the latest round of name calling, it seems the aspect of the Minnesota law that has conservatives most agitated is its language: [the law states](https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/text.php?number=HF2497&session%5Fyear=2023&session%5Fnumber=0&version=latest#:~:text=ACCESS%20TO%20MENSTRUAL%20PRODUCTS.) that pads and tampons must be available to “all menstruating students” and “in restrooms regularly used by students in grades 4 to 12.” A failed attempt to amend the bill to only name “female restrooms,” did not keep it from passing as is with bipartisan support. Among its Republican supporters, Rep. Dean Urdahl [remarked](https://www.mprnews.org/story/2023/04/06/minnesota-may-soon-ok-free-menstrual-products-in-schools-these-teens-led-the-way), “Just talking with my wife and family members, they felt like it was an important issue I should support.” And it really should be that simple. Policies that address the economic burden of menstruation, and that acknowledge the educational value of treating period products as basic school supplies, have proven to be a popular and common sense reform—at home and abroad. As a matter of political gamesmanship, zeroing in on any issue that implicates reproductive health, menstruation among them, is a risky gambit for Republicans. [Poll](https://news.gallup.com/poll/506759/broader-support-abortion-rights-continues-post-dobbs.aspx) [after](https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4559921-support-for-legal-abortion-hits-new-high-among-us-voters-fox-news-poll/) [poll](https://msmagazine.com/2024/04/19/harvard-youth-poll-young-voters-abortion-biden/) shows that the majority of Americans [support](https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2024/05/13/broad-public-support-for-legal-abortion-persists-2-years-after-dobbs/) reproductive rights and turn out to vote on the issue. In her role as Vice President, Kamala Harris has taken up the discussion around [menstrual literacy and data protection](https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/06/14/readout-from-vice-president-harriss-meeting-with-constitutional-law-privacy-and-technology-experts-on-reproductive-rights/) as it pertains to abortion, for example. With Gov. Walz as a champion for fighting period poverty, it is a drum the ticket is wise to beat. And finally, as Walz reminds us—anyone who thinks that period jokes are appropriate or funny is just plain, well, weird. ## Transcript Really Biden's decision to step down. I thought, you know, it was a really good decision and saw a huge opening for Walls. I know that he's been a great leader from Minnesota. He's been terrific, and I was excited to see him announced today. Really excited. I was surprised a little bit, but super excited for everyone to discover what a great leader Tim Walls is. Well, I was very impressed with how he handled a situation during the pandemic, and he was a very calm presence. I And also in the aftermath of George Floyd's death. I have a daughter, and I am pro choice, and I'm glad you know, that we live in Minnesota and that he has solidified that right for women. He's just an approachable, down to earth person. He speaks plainly. He speaks the truth. He doesn't sugarcoat things. He doesn't tell you what you want to hear. I think all of those are very good qualities in a leader locally and nationally. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"OpinionNewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/7008786/tampon-tim-insult-irony-essay/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/7008786/tampon-tim-insult-irony-essay/"},"headline":"The Irony of Republicans' 'Tampon Tim' Insult","datePublished":"2024-08-07T15:53:27.000Z","dateModified":"2026-08-04T07:50:22.110Z","description":"Far from being mocked, menstrual equity enjoys broad bipartisan support in the U.S., writes Jennifer Weiss-Wolf.","url":"https://time.com/7008786/tampon-tim-insult-irony-essay/","keywords":["politics","freelance"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt50fd520e298e421b/698a59a7db2987ca4a26bf39/Tim-Walz-Nomination-2024.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Jennifer Weiss-Wolf","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/jennifer-weiss-wolf/"}],"articleSection":"Ideas","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt50fd520e298e421b/698a59a7db2987ca4a26bf39/Tim-Walz-Nomination-2024.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"VP Kamala Harris Campaign Democratic vice presidential nominee Minnesota Governor Tim Walz","caption":"x","creditText":"Demetrius Freeman—The Washington Post/Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/ideas/","name":"Ideas"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/politics/","name":"politics"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/7008786/tampon-tim-insult-irony-essay/","name":"The Irony of Republicans' 'Tampon Tim' Insult"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Minnesota Voters React to Kamala Harris' Choice of Gov. 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