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On January 1, 2021, the tampon tax was abolished across the UK. The tax had already come out of force in Scotland some months earlier, but now the ban applies to the whole of the nation. On social media, women and girls rejoiced at the removal what they believed to be a sexist and preposterous tax.
What was the tampon tax and why was it bad?
The tampon tax was a law that enforced a 5% VAT on all sanitary products – from Mooncups to pads. It meant that menstrual care items cost more than they meant to – and this amount of money was life-changing for some people. Because of the tax, many women couldn’t afford basic necessities that they needed for the upkeep of their bodies and their mental health. Many mothers had to choose between sanitary items and putting food on the table. Activists also argued that it was an inherently sexist law integrated into a male-dominated society that refused to accept women and ignored their needs. As well as this, there is no tax on razors (the kind that men use to shave) as they are deemed ‘essential’. The reason for the tax was that sanitary products were ‘non-essential’, and therefore had extra charge. Many people argued, quite rightly, that if razors were essential, so were sanitary products - after all, women need them for hygiene and personal health reasons every month, when men can just go without shaving. It should be noted, however, that the tax had already been abolished in Scotland in November 2020, so the ban only applied to England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
How was it abolished?
Activists have been fighting for the abolition of the tax for years, and the decision to remove the fine was announced as part of the 2020 budget. The government claims that it could not be done earlier due to the fact that the EU (European Union) has the tax as part of their international trade rules, and because the UK left the EU on December 1, 2020, the tax no longer applies to us. However, many activist groups denounced this reasoning, saying that if the government had truly cared about the abolition of the tax, they could have done something about it much sooner.
Do other countries have the same tax?
As mentioned above, the EU has the tax in force, so countries in the organisation such as France, Germany, Belgium and Spain all tax their women for a basic requirement. Many countries have abolished the tax, including Canada, Jamaica, Australia, South Africa, Nigeria, Columbia, India and parts of the US.
How does this relate to ‘Period Equality’?
Period equality is a movement sweeping the globe that aims to crush the taboo around menstruation and menstrual health and ensure that every period is a safe period. Millions of people around the world are affected by period poverty, meaning that they lack the income or don’t have access to sanitary products. This can often lead to girls missing schools for extended periods of time or even dropping out completely, and in some cultures, menstruating women are viewed as dirty and are cut off from their people for the duration of their monthly bleed. As many people have rightly pointed out, this behavior towards women is utterly unacceptable and must stop. Period poverty affects women everywhere, including in the UK, and hopefully the abolition of this disgusting tax will decrease its alarming abundance in the population. Amika George, from London, started a campaign called the Free Periods movement, which has meant that schools and colleges across the UK now have access to free menstrual care items which they can distribute to the pupils who need them. This campaign is an admirable one and has already made a difference to the lives of so many young people, but it’s only a step in the right direction. Join me, and so many others, in the fight against period inequality and make the world a better place for you and for your mothers, sisters, aunts, cousins and friends. Together, we can fight this.
Here are some useful links if you want to find out more: https://www.freeperiods.org
If you’re worried, upset or affected by any of the themes raised in this article, talk to a trusted adult or contact us via our website. You can also visit Young Minds at https://youngminds.org.uk/ or call Childline at 08001111.
