In a new ad, Amber Rose can be seen modeling an 18-karat gold necklace that is hand-set with a whopping 156 diamonds, complete with a custom-made diamond chain.
The ad, however, isn't about the necklace so much as it is about what's inside of the necklace: a tampon.
"Where else would you keep something 36 states tax as a luxury?" the narrator of the ad asks.
The satirical ad is actually a PSA from Period Equity, a law and policy institute dedicated to advancing menstrual access, equity, and safety in the U.S. The point being, tampons and pads aren't luxuries — but 36 states still collect sales taxes on menstrual products for being "luxury items" instead of recognizing them as the necessities that they are.
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Rose, a women's issues advocate, has always been vocal in her fight against gender inequality.
"The fact that most states still view tampons as a ‘luxury’ is another example of the gender inequality in this country that both the SlutWalk and OPENed Women’s Conference aim to combat," Rose said in a statement shared with Refinery29. "What I love about this campaign is its sarcastic, unedited realness. It was an honor to be a part of and I hope the message, and the beautiful necklaces, grab people’s attention to help get this ridiculous tax overturned."
As of now, only 13 states (in addition to the District of Columbia) have eliminated the tampon tax, including Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, New Jersey, Connecticut, and New York.
Most recently, Florida ended the tampon tax in the state.
"A tax on tampons is a tax on half the population," the ad says. "Tell the government where to stick this tax."
To find out more about the campaign, head to Period Equity's website.
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