I have ignored the whole tampon tax campaign for years. It's one of those incredibly mainstream feminist campaigns that I've never been able to give two hoots about. The last few days, my feeds are full of people saying what a great achievement axing the tampon tax is. Now, I get it's kinda weird to have condoms and lube and an assortment of "natural remedies" listed as essential items that are GST free as well, but to be honest, condoms and lube are rather useful items and I've saved a lot more GST off them than I would have on tampons. Women's sanitary products are not only expensive, but an incredible source of landfill. About 11000 pads or tampons per woman in her lifetime, each one taking 500+ years to break down. There are about 12.1 million women in Australia. Making for 133.1 billion pads or tampons produced and thrown out by these women. Does that sound like a lot of rubbish yet?
This is why I can't get excited about the tampon tax campaign. Reusable menstrual products have moved on from the old rags used back in the day. The menstrual cup, washable pads and period undies are all comfortable, accessible, convenient, and much more sustainable than disposable products. They also happen to be much cheaper. So who gives a shit about the GST? If the money is an issue, buy a reusable product. I don't expect to spend another cent on menstrual products for the rest of my life. Making the total cost of managing menstruation from about ages 20 to 50 coming to less than $100. But the monetary cost isn't really the main issue. It's the 10500 or so pads or tampons I have not used. The government is claiming it will loose $30 million in GST each year from the tax. I'd rather they spent that money on giving women reusable menstrual products. That would acknowledge that they are an essential item whilst not supporting an industry of waste products.
So I'm just going to give menstrual cups a little spruik. They rock. Never again carry used tampons out from the crag, or for days on a remote bushwalk, or find someway to deal with them in developing countries. No wrapping and bagging and finding a bin. Or doing what a distressful number seem to, chucking them in the bush. Just empty, replace, go. Wash them once a day. They are silicon, it's a 2 second job. That's it. And your risk of toxic shock syndrome will basically disappear. Search for them on ebay, where you can get them for less than a single packet of tampons and wonder why the hell you have been forking out for tampons and getting worked up about the GST all these years. They were good value when you had to pay $40 for them. They are incredible value at $4. That $4 will last you 10+ years. Tell the government and the sanitary product industry where they can put their tampons.
Axing the tampon tax is not a great achievement. Surely it doesn't take any stretch of the imagination to picture things which might be greater achievements for women? The vote, legal abortion, sexual assault centres, anti-discrimination legislation, the tampon tax. Maybe we should refer our government to Sesame Street, because one of these things is not like the others. It's a token nod to women whilst failing to address a major source of waste and missed opportunity to promote sustainable (and affordable!) alternatives. But I guess it would be a fair depiction of this government that the best thing they did for women was remove the GST from tampons.
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