'Tampon Tim': How internet users have redefined the Trump campaign's attack on Tim Walz

In an effort to paint Vice President Kamala Harris’s running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, as a far-left liberal, the Trump campaign has chosen the nickname “Tampon Tim” after a bill Walz signed last year.

The law, which went into effect in January, requires schools throughout Minnesota to provide menstrual products — like sanitary pads and tampons — to “all menstruating students in restrooms regularly used by students in grades 4 to 12.”

But the nickname may not have pulled off what Trump supporters intended.

What is the ‘tampon bill’?

Minnesota state Rep. Sandra Feist, who authored the bill, told Yahoo News the goal of the bill was to support student health and ensure that any student doesn’t have to miss school because they can’t afford menstrual products.

The Wall Street Journal reported in July that the cost of pads and tampons has increased faster in the last few years than the price of food. The average cost of a pack of pads and a box of tampons is $6.50 and $8.29 respectively.

“The bill was brought to be by students saying that this was something really important to them and it was something that was really impacting their ability to get an education,” Feist said. “That was the goal of the bill.”

In January 2023, a 16-year-old student told lawmakers at the Minnesota capital, “We cannot learn while we are leaking. … This is a fear everyone knows, and it is happening in our schools all of the time.”

Another 15-year-old emphasized how important it was to remain inclusive, fighting against efforts by Republican lawmakers to amend the bill to be exclusively for female and gender-neutral restrooms.

“It will make it more comfortable for everyone,” they said. “People can use whatever restroom they want without being worried.”

Minnesota is not the only state with a bill like this

“There are a number of states that have already done something similar,” Feist said. “Period poverty is something that impacts all students who menstruate.”

According to the Alliance for Period Supplies, Minnesota is one of 28 states that are either committed by law or budgeting (for some, both) to provide menstrual products in schools. It includes states with Republican representatives like Georgia, Ohio and Utah.

“I would love to see other states follow suit,” Feist added.

Trump campaign tries to paint Walz’s bill as ‘too weird and too liberal’

Trump campaign spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told Fox News on Tuesday that the bill is “a threat to women’s health” and encourages “gender-transition surgeries for young minors.”

“Those are the radical policies Tim Walz supports,” she continued. “He actually signed a bill to do that.”

This seems to be the consensus from Trump supporters — that providing easy access to sanitary products will encourage young boys to want to transition. Online trolls like Chaya Raichik, who runs the Libs of TikTok account, and X user @catturd2, got #tampontim trending on X with their posts.

“What could be weirder than signing a bill requiring schools to stock tampons in boys’ bathrooms?” the Make America Great Again account wrote on X. “Or weirder than signing legislation allowing minors to receive sex change operations?”

In another post, the Trump super-PAC said, Walz “is too weird and too liberal.”

“I question the logic,” Feist told Yahoo News. “There are a lot of aisles with tampons in many stores and it doesn’t seem that’s had an impact on young people considering whether they want to transition. So that doesn’t make sense to me.”

How a Trump nickname turned into a positive meme

Despite the Trump campaign using this nickname to mock Walz, it’s instead more widely publicized Walz’s support for reproductive health and provided another example of his advocacy for students.

Soon, "#tampontim" became a term of endearment and support, inspiring memes from supporters, including prominent names like Hillary Clinton.

“How nice of the Trump camp to help publicize Gov. Tim Walz's compassionate and common-sense policy of providing free menstrual products to students in Minnesota public schools!” Clinton tweeted in response to Raichik’s meme. “Let's do this everywhere.”

“Does MAGA not understand #TamponTim isn't an insult?” another X user wrote. “When did a Man making sure young girls aren't bleeding through their clothes at school become a problem?”

“Period poverty is a real thing,” one person posted. “As a former teacher, Walz understands how his impacts educational outcomes, just like he knows how hunger impacts learning. This makes me an even bigger fan of Tampon Tim.”

In response to a tweet by a Republican Party X account, someone said, “I keep accidentally liking all of the right-wing posts about Walz because everything they post about him makes me like him more.”

“I didn’t expect this,” Feist said. “I imagine that Governor Walz wasn’t expecting this. This wasn’t on his bingo card. I’ve been really gratified by all the support and interest in this legislation.”