We're so proud of our Co-Founder and Director, Laura Coryton, for being named in the New Years Honours List 2024 for her services to charitable campaigning. She recently visited Windsor Castle with her sister and our Creative Director Julia Coryton, to receive her MBE from Princess Anne.
Laura received her award for dedicating a decade of her life to campaigning for equalities across the country. This began in 2014, when she launched a petition to end the sexist 'luxury' tax rate once applied to all period products. She coined this the 'tampon tax'. Her campaign was fuelled by a mission to tackle period stigma, prove taxation is a feminist issue, and to end the unfair tax levy which disproportionately impacts women and especially those facing poverty.
Her campaigning reaped several notable successes. The petition gained over 300,000 signatures, the support of major international political figures including President Obama, and successfully lobbied the Government into establishing the Tampon Tax Fund, through which almost £100m was donated to female-focused charities. Laura's tampon tax campaign ended in 2021 when tampon tax was finally axed, saving consumers £15m annually.
There is now a tampon tax petition in all corners of the world, including in Tanzania, Japan, across the United States and Europe. This just goes to show a small petition really can change the world!
In 2019, Laura co-founded Sex Ed Matters, which launched a whole new wave of activism for her. Through this social enterprise, she is working with many others to champion quality, evidence-based and empowering sex education for all. This includes in key topics such as consent which we know can effectively tackle rising rates of Violence Against Women and Girls.
Thank you for supporting Laura's activism and work throughout the years! We can change and achieve so much together.
Watch this space as we have lots more to share with you soon.
You can find coverage of Laura's award here in the BBC, Independent and Evening Standard.
Feel free to get in touch by emailing us at info@sexedmatters.co.uk. You can also sign up to our newsletter here to stay up to date with our work.
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