Republican critics have given Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz a new nickname: “Tampon Tim.” Following Vice President Harris’s announcement of her pick, Stephen Miller, a former adviser to President Donald Trump, tweeted, “She actually chose Tampon Tim.” Chaya Raichik, who operates the far-right social media account Libs of TikTok, even photoshopped Walz’s face onto a Tampax box.
Conservative commentator Liz Wheeler praised the nickname, calling it “hands down the best political nickname ever” and describing it as “savagely effective,” stating that it encapsulates everything she believes about Walz’s alleged radicalism.
The term refers to a law signed by Minnesota Governor Tim Walz last year, mandating that public schools provide free menstrual products, including pads and tampons, to students in grades 4 through 12. The state covers the cost, which amounts to about $2 per student for maintaining the supply throughout the school year.
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Vice President Kamala Harris, along with her running mate Governor Tim Walz, has praised the initiative, which took effect on January 1 following years of advocacy from students and supporters. However, the implementation has varied across different school districts.
#TamponTim pic.twitter.com/eBPyEOSWPC
— Chaya Raichik (@ChayaRaichik10) August 6, 2024
Minnesota is among 28 states and Washington D.C. that have enacted similar laws to ensure students have access to menstrual products in schools, according to the Alliance for Period Supplies. The issue has broad public support, with 30 states removing sales tax on menstrual products and former President Trump signing a 2018 law requiring federal prisons to provide them.
Some Republicans have criticized the legislation’s language, which mandates that menstrual products be available “to all menstruating students in restrooms regularly used by students.” Efforts to restrict the initiative to female-assigned and gender-neutral bathrooms were unsuccessful, even though the author of that amendment ultimately supported the final bill, acknowledging its importance.
The inclusive language of the bill reflects the understanding that menstruation is not exclusive to women, and not all women menstruate. This aspect was crucial for those advocating for the law. Bramwell Lundquist, a then 15-year-old advocate, stated that the law would make restrooms more accessible and comfortable for everyone.
However, some Republicans, who have increasingly supported anti-transgender policies, have criticized Walz for this aspect of the bill.
The MAGA War Room account on X, formerly Twitter, and Trump campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt have both expressed opposition, with Leavitt calling it a radical policy.
LGBTQ rights groups have commended Walz for his progressive stance, including a 2023 executive order that made Minnesota one of the first states to protect access to gender-affirming health care amid a wave of state bans.
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