The so-called “tampon tax” isn’t just a point of contention is Australian politics.
Tampons and sanitary items are also considered “non-essential, luxury items” in the UK, and a few weeks ago, politicians voted to keep it that way.
Many of the male MPs squirmed as a proposal to remove the 5% tax on tampons and pads was debated in parliament, some couldn’t even bring themselves to say the word “tampon”, an absurdity which Labour’s Stella Creasy took some joy in lampooning on Twitter:
Charlie Edge, a 22-year-old woman from London, was upset that her leaders kept cramping up over the issue, so she decided to see if they would be more comfortable with women not using the “products” at all.
In a uniform of white pants and armed with placards, she and a group of her friends held a rather unique protest outside of the parliament.
“Today I am forgoing tampons and pads outside the houses of parliament to show how ‘luxury’ tampons really are,” she wrote in a Facebook post, which has now been shared and liked thousands of times.
They’re not luxury items, any more than jaffa cakes, edible cake decorations, exotic meats or any other number of things currently not taxed as luxury items.”
While perhaps this form of protest isn’t for everyone, thanks to women like Charlie and her friends (who have now made international headlines), people are taking notice.
Watch British comedian Russell Howard gleefully call bullsh*t on the tampon tax (post continues after video):
Obviously, not everyone has been so enthusiastic about their protest, with comments on Charlie’s Facebook page ranging from simplistic critiques like “this is just ew”, to pointing out that, in London, pads and tampons aren’t taxed as much as other items.
Of course, she responded to the naysayers in another, powerfully argued post on her Facebook page and like she says, “people are talking about it”:
Top Comments
Oh please! Just more attention-seekers. They could have used toilet paper down there, or even old rags. They're just after attention. No one respects people who do that. In the days before pads and tampons, women used rags and washed and re-used them, before all this disposable stuff, so the disposable things weren't a necessity back then. A friend of mine is all about the earth and there are such things as re-washable pads made of cloth, with those little silver snap buttons on the sides to hold them in place. I am a woman myself, and yes I used pads and tampons. However, maybe my friend is right, and we should consider buying the earth pads. Would be far better for the planet.
If you find this disgusting, that is because you are supposed to. This is what happens when women can't afford sanitary products. I know there are a lot of people out there who think everyone can afford to pay, well everyone can't and that extra 10% certainly does not help. There is absolutely no reason to put a tax on sanitary products and if you don't like looking at this, I can only assume that you agree. Take your outrage to the politicians, not young people trying to raise awareness.
Oh pffft - so if I can't afford toilet paper everyone has to see and smell my shitty arse? Where do you draw the line? Tampons cost $6.00 so by my poor maths I say 10% = $6.60? Wow - a whole sixty cents is sending me to the poor house. L.O.L.
The point is Kate B that a lot of women struggle to pay for sanitary products without being taxed on top. If it is uncomfortable for you, imagine how those women must feel. This is a protest, it is supposed to graphic and make people think. Can I suggest you do some volunteering in homeless shelters, then perhaps you won't think this is funny.
Do you do volunteering in homeless shelters? If you do then you would know that there are plenty of free products available - and frankly, a lot of the homeless I see in the shelter in my town have some pretty up to date electronic devices so I'm thinking it's not that much of a stretch to pay the sixty cents when you have an Iphone 6 in your handbag.
"volunteering in homeless shelters" The irony. There are women without homes, and you are worrying about a teeny tax on tampons. First world problems. Maybe if you and these silly girls volunteered in a homeless shelter, it would make them GRATEFUL for what they have, and stop complaining like selfish whiny brats.