The Luxury of Menstruating

It's time for me to rant.

Last week I was watching Russell Howard's Good News, in which he raised a topic that I was honestly delighted to see discussed on a topical TV show - the tampon tax. For years now, the British government has continuously made the decision that tampons are something of a luxury, and have recently voted against amending the Financial Bill to abolish said tax. How lucky are we women to be graced with the gut-wrenching, womb-shedding monthly phenomenon that is our period? Very lucky according to the tax man. So lucky in fact that we are forced to pay 5% tax on sanitary products that we would be incredibly unsanitary without.

Putting my own anger aside on this subject, there is a far more serious issue when it comes to taxing sanitary products that are not cosidered to be "essential". I am very lucky to be able to afford to buy tampons and sanitary towels every month when I need them, but there are women in the UK who cannot afford to buy them. Households with a very low income often struggle to pay for things which are, quite rightly, classed as essential items. When you throw sanitary products into the mix, averaging at £3.14 for a box of 20 regular Tampax, it suddenly becomes even more difficult to make ends meet every month. 

Considering that the House of Lords is currently made up of 191 women, equating to just 25%, it strikes me as absurd that the people making this decision are primarily men. Men, who have never had to and will never have to use such sanitary products. They have no idea what it feels like to menstruate and equally no idea how many tampons and sanitary towels one woman goes through each month. For this decision to be primarily in their hands is ridiculous and unfair.

On top of that, let's look at the list of products that are tax-free and therefore considered to be "essential": Helicopters, Jaffa Cakes, Zoo Tickets and Crocodile meat, amongst other things. I honestly can't remember the last time I desperately needed a Jaffa Cake...

The thing is, I wonder what reaction would be coaxed if women were to stop using tampons and sanitary towels? Most probably outrage? Disgust? Horror at the fact that, yes, it's true that we bleed monthy, were you under the impression that it was a myth?

For the time being it looks as though we won't be losing the tax on tampons. Just one of many things that the British government do that I disagree with. I sincerely hope that they see sense sooner rather than later, and end this unfair, sexist charge for having a uterus.

~ C xxx