Louisiana lingerie shop accepting EBT cards

EBT cards are no longer being used just for food and other essential items, at least in one Louisiana town where a lingerie store is accepting the federal benefits as a form of payment.

According to Louisiana’s WAFB, Kiss My Lingerie in Gonzales, La., posted a message on its front door informing customers that electronic benefit transfer cards are accepted as a form of payment. The store began allowing customers to use their federal benefits more than eight months ago, the owner, who is not identified, told WAFB.

The store accepts all forms of payment, the owner said, and does not “discriminate” against customers.

Kiss My Lingerie’s owner did not return Red Alert Politics’ request for comment by the time of publication.

A woman who works in the vicinity of Kiss My Lingerie told WAFB she recently noticed more and more people entering the adult shop. Upon further investigation, the unidentified patron noticed the sign on the store’s door listing EBT cards as an acceptable form of payment.

“We were told anything could be purchased there with the food stamp card,” she said. “No child I know eats edible underwear.”

Part of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, EBT cards are provided to states by the Department of Agriculture. The cards allow food-stamp recipients to transfer federal benefits to retail accounts to pay for things like food and other products.

A spokesperson for the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services, however, told WAFB the state’s EBT card, otherwise known as the Louisiana Purchase card, is not limited to food purchases. Cash benefits are also available to recipients, the spokesperson said. The EBT cards, however, do have some limitations including alcohol, tobacco, lottery tickets, casinos and adult entertainment.

Though Kiss My Lingerie offers a wide array of items including adult speciality items — and is expanding to offer adult videos, its website states —  the Department of Children and Family Services said the store can legally accept EBT cards.

The agency said there are less than 10,000 Louisianans who receive the cash benefits associated with EBT cards. Approximately 835,000 use the card specifically for food purchases.

“It’s still the taxpayer dollars that are being used in a store like that, and that really upsets me,” the woman told WAFB.

h/t Capitol Hill aide Ellen Carmichael

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