This idea sounds almost insane. But we guess it must have sounded insanely good to the men who thought this measure up thinking it would actually work and nobody would say anything about. For those who are unitiated into the politics of tampon taxes, Britain is currently in the throes of two things – a campaign against luxury taxation of tampons or sanitary pads and austerity measures imposed by the government which means low public spending and major budget cuts.
So when hundreds of women protested and campaigned against the abolition of a luxury tax on tampons, they were hoping it would really be abolished. Instead George Osborne, their exchequer (their equivalent of finance minister) told them that they will not abolish the tax, instead the 15 billion pounds raised every year from just taxes on sanitary pads will be channeled to women-related charities, including domestic abuse refuges.
This protest has been going on for almost a decade. It’s almost insulting that menstruation, a rather painful and essential process which women have to undergo every month, draws an almost arrogant indifference from the government. While shaving razors for men fall under essentials, tampons and sanitary pads have actually been considered by the UK government as ‘non-essential’ and therefore subject to a luxury tax, which was actually a whopping 17.5% for over two and a half decades. It was only in 2000 after rigourous campaigning by Labour party MP Dawn Primarolo, the tax was reduced to 5 per cent.
But the idea of levying a luxury tax on menstruation is nothing short of offensive and to use that to fund charities helping sexual abuse female victims is much much worse. Like the headline says, it’s literally like paying for your own aid and counselling through taxes. It’s also like the government is saying that women’s issues needs separate money – from women. The government money is really men’s money, to be used for sectors that largely benefit men.
Naturally, British women were outraged. The announcement was met with some consternation in the House of Commons, with Labour MP Jess Phillips reportedly shouting at Osborne, “You’re not paying it George, I am!”
Check out what other women had to say on the issue.
. @jessphillips shouts: “You’re not paying it George, I am!”
— Emily Ashton (@elashton) November 25, 2015
Menstruation to fund our mental health problems. What a time to be a woman! #spendingreview #tampontax
— Ilona Burton (@ilonacatherine) November 25, 2015
So essentially women who bleed every month fund vital services for women who are victims of violence? #Everydaysexism #spendingreview
— Doris (@DorisDeals) November 25, 2015
Hang about.. Women have to fund women’s services? How will they be funded if the #tampontax is ever abolished?
— Sarah Bridgman (@SarahMBridgman) November 25, 2015
If we’re using the #tampontax to find women’s refuges are we saying that domestic violence is a women’s problem not society’s? That’s wrong.
— Simple Si (@DadAndTwo) November 25, 2015
