Houston women to rally at city hall against 'tampon tax'

A rally partcipant holds up a sign during the Planned Parenthood Action Fund's Stand with Texas Women Rally at Discovery Green in Houston, Texas. The Rally highlighted the abortion restriction bill, House Bill 2 being Pushed in Austin. The Parenthood Action Fund will held the rally in Houston as part of the statewide Stand with Texas Women tour. Tuesday, July 9, 2013, in Houston. ( Billy Smith II / Chronicle ) less A rally partcipant holds up a sign during the Planned Parenthood Action Fund's Stand with Texas Women Rally at Discovery Green in Houston, Texas. The Rally highlighted the abortion restriction bill, House Bill ... more Photo: Billy Smith II, Houston Chronicle Photo: Billy Smith II, Houston Chronicle Image 1 of / 9 Caption Close Houston women to rally at city hall against 'tampon tax' 1 / 9 Back to Gallery

Hundreds are expected to descend upon Houston city hall next week on National Period Day to rally against the "tampon tax," a sales tax on menstrual products, in an event meant to coincide with dozens of other rallies taking place across the country.

The Houston National Period Day Rally, the first of its kind, is being led by an all youth team of organizers, said Saranna Zhang, sophomore at The High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. Zhang is the lead rally organizer and president of PERIOD Houston, a local chapter of the nonprofit PERIOD, an organization whose goal is to end stigma associated with menstrual cycles and to end period poverty.

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The group plans to wear red and rally at Houston city hall on Saturday, Oct. 19 at noon to "elevate the issue of period poverty and demand real change to making period products more accessible for all and ending the 'tampon tax,'" the organization said in a statement.

According to the nonprofit, one in four women cannot afford period products due to a lack of income. In a study, researchers found that 46 percent of low-income women had to choose between a meal and period products.

The Houston rally is one of three taking place in Texas – Dallas and Austin will also have a rally on the same day –and one in 50 happening across the country, said Anusa Singh, spokeswoman for PERIOD.

The Houston event is co-hosted by the Endometriosis Foundation of Houston, a nonprofit whose goal is raise awareness of endometriosis in the Greater Houston area.

The event takes place at 901 Bagby Street in downtown Houston.