A Bloody British Shame: Let’s See the End to Tampon Tax

Gender equality is often measured by opportunities - to be educated; to work ; to be paid the same money for the same work. Education and wage inequality get a lot of attention in the Western world where the school system seems to favour female learners, yet women often experience the very opposite out in the working world. 

However, societal attitudes to gender can be more subtle; more fundamental. When countries choose to tax menstruation, for example. 

Among those countries is Britain.  

A Value Added Tax of 5% is added to sanitary goods in Britain. True, it's certainly not the biggest menstruation tariff in Europe, and it was reduced from 17.5% in 2000. However, why do these essential items need to be taxed at all?

It's no secret that the British General Election 2015 is just around the corner, and politicians are thrashing it out on issues they hope will inspire us to vote for them.

And here's an issue that is important to me because it affects me, and millions of women. 

Oddly enough, if I want free condoms, I can get those from my doctor. If I want free contraceptive pills, I can get them from my doctor. Am I being too cynical to view these as things that are for the benefit of men, as much as me?

And, of course, how do homeless women cope?(Read this informative article to find out more, and how you can help).

Interestingly, similar items that may be used by both sexes, such as incontinence pads, are exempt. However, sanitary goods AND maternity pads are both subject to taxation. Fair? I think not. This, as campaigner Laura Coryton argues, reflects the attitude of an era when women used old rags to soak up their menstrual blood and then discretely burned them. Perhaps back then the concept of a disposable sanitary towel  - let alone a tampon - was seen as a luxury. 

But Mr Osbourne, this is the 21st century! Today's news is that the Labour Party candidate, Ed Miliband has declared any tax on sanitary products as "ridiculous". But his disappointing caveat is, "I can't promise I will go further because there are these rules in place..."

But I’m excited to see that an issue that has bugged me for a large proportion of my life is finally being addressed by Laura Coryton, a 21-year-old student who, along with her supporters, took a petition voicing their objections to the government. Only time will tell if the noisy protests against this blatantly sexist tax has fallen on deaf ears.

Perhaps they were too discrete and polite. Just as girls and women are supposed to be about this subject. Perhaps to really make an impact a crowd of women standing in blood-stained pants brandishing blood-stained bed sheets should turn up at 11 Downing Street and demand to know why sanitary goods aren’t available free, let alone why women are taxed on these essential items.

Meanwhile, to check my facts, I find the www.gov.uk website on taxable goods makes for interesting reading. 

Children’s car seats and booster seats (a legal safety requirement) are also taxable to the tune of 5%, but …

Physical education and sports activities: exempt.

Betting and gaming, lottery games, bingo: exempt.

Cess pools and septic tanks: exempt. 

But this has to be among my favourites:

Helicopters - for sale or charter: exempt. 

At the bottom the page, I’m asked, ‘Is there anything wrong with this page?’

Well, no. I suppose not, if it all this data is entirely accurate. However, there is something wrong with this tax system. Because while children may be entitled to tax-free clothes and shoes, tax-free reading material and a tax-free education, as soon as a female begins her periods she is taxed for the necessity of her basic hygiene and comfort requirements. 

That’s just wrong. Period.