3/4/2019 Senior Project Proposal - Google Docs

Stephanie Hoke

October 2, 2018

Senior Project Proposal

3A

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3/4/2019 Senior Project Proposal - Google Docs

A. SUMMARY

I have chosen to explore the topic of gender biased taxation, more specifically how it

targets womens’ purchase of feminine hygiene products. I gained interest in this topic when I came

across an advertisement for a company that advocated to eliminate this tax and paid for the

customers tax on their sale of feminine hygiene products. This topic is particularly interesting to

me because the exemption phase of the tax is still relatively young. Feminine hygiene taxes have

been exempted in nine states, and seven have introduced legislation this year. This topic is clearly

gaining momentum in the legislative system; however, this still leaves 34 states that have the tax.

In order to guide my research for my project, my driving questions will be as follows:

➢ What are other kinds of gender biased taxes?

➢ Do any gender biased taxes target men?

➢ How is gender biased taxation legal?

➢ How much money does this tax accumulate on women?

➢ How long has this tax been in place?

➢ Do the taxes vary from state to state?

➢ What products other than feminine hygiene are taxed with a gender bias?

For my project, I would like to orchestrate a women’s drive that collects products that are

subject to gender biased taxation, and donate these products to a local women’s shelter, with the

help of my advisor, Mr. Butler. I plan on holding my drive this winter, in several different

OB/GYN offices and among girls sports teams in order to advocate the issue to women and reach

both older and younger audiences. My project’s success will be be evaluated by the volume of

products donated and how well people understand the reason behind my project. In order for

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3/4/2019 Senior Project Proposal - Google Docs

people to understand gender biased taxation and why it is an issue, I plan on creating a pamphlet

about my senior project and the topic of gender biased taxation and how it affects our nation.

Copies of this pamphlet will be placed outside of the donation box in the medical offices. When

explaining my project and its purpose to girls sports teams in the area, I plan on giving a brief

presentation to the team and holding the drive with the teams for about a 2-4 week period in which

they can bring products to practice to donate in a box at the location of their practice and I will

collect their donations weekly.

B. NEW SKILLS, ENHANCED SKILLS, AREAS OF GROWTH

New Skills

● Organizing an event/drive

● Coordinating with an organization

Enhanced Skills

● Leadership

● Communication

● Organization

● Creativity

Areas of Growth

● Patience

● Public Speaking

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C. Marketing Plan/Facilities/Audience

In order to market my project I will contact medical offices and girls sports teams that play in the

winter. I will organize a 2-4 week drive with each group to collect feminine hygiene products. My

target audience is women, so I will place the boxes in OB/GYN offices as well as holding drives

within girls sports teams. The reason for contacting both offices and sports teams is to reach all

age demographics so that I can educate them on my issue. I plan to inform my audience about my

issue and its purpose by both the use of brief presentations and through the use of pamphlets that I

will make.

D. Project Steps

Preliminary Steps Secure offices and teams, 6 hours

make drive boxes and
pamphlets, create presentation,
research/phone calls

Midway Steps Practice presentations, 5 hours

confirm offices/teams, phone
calls, rehearse

Later Steps Practice presentations, check 4 hours

on drives, make phone calls,
market/advertise the drive.

Follow Up Collect drive items, call 5 hours

women's shelter, thank you
notes to offices/teams, phone
calls to women's shelter to
secure a drop off date.

Total - 20 hours

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E. PROJECT DOCUMENTATION

● Screenshots of any text messages and e-mails

● Screenshots of any social media posts

● Pictures of drive boxes and collection days

● Pictures of the offices which held boxes

● Pictures of the amount of products donated

● Copies of the pamphlets

● Copy of presentation

● Copy of outline/agenda

F. PROJECT JUSTIFICATION

This will be a beneficial event because it educates an audience about a relatively unknown issue.

Many women are unaware of the tax that they are paying when purchasing these products and the

weight that this can bear on less fortunate women. The women’s drive is a step outside of my

comfort zone because while I have been involved in fundraisers before, I have never organized one

by myself. This drive will also be a challenge in securing different places that will be willing to

take part in it, in addition to advertising my project so that people actually donate. In order for this

to be successful, I will also need to have weekly check-ups at each of the offices and calls to the

sports teams in order to gather any items donated. This is an extremely beneficial project because

this women’s drive will raise awareness in the community on the issue while gathering necessities

for a local women's shelter in need.

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G. PROJECT-PAPER CONNECTION

My paper on gender biased taxation will address my driving questions such as the history of

gender biased taxation,what legal measures are being taken to target this issue, and how this issue

can affect both men and women. My focus will then shift to gender specific taxation. I will look at

how taxation can be biased towards women, specifically with necessary items such as feminine

hygiene products. This ties into my senior project because I am collecting items that are

specifically subject to the gender-biased taxation, that will help women who are most targeted by

this tax in the Tidewater community. My presentations and pamphlets will create advocacy for the

issue in the area and the donation of the products will help those in need.

H. ACADEMIC HONESTY

I understand that any academic dishonesty by me on any part of the project will result in failure of

the Senior Project and forfeiture of the Legal Studies Seal on my High School diploma.

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