ntil 1924, the Kingdom of Tranvancore (in present-day Kerala state of India) had a “breast tax” on lower-caste and Dalit women. It was traditional in the area to bare one’s breasts as a sign of submission and respect, and thus, all lower-caste and Dalit women had traditionally gone bare-breasted in public as a sign of their submission to higher castes. In comparison, Brahmin women only bared their breasts to images of deities.
So what was the breast tax? Well, if lower-caste or Dalit women wanted to cover their breasts in public in Kerala, they had to pay the breast tax. Even worse, the tax was assessed as soon as they started developing breasts and could vary based on their size.
To be fair, lower-caste and Dalit men paid a “head tax” for all men as well.
