"Plug It In, Plug It In"

Throughout the world, many women are faced with a problem that they have no choice in. Once a month. **Oh, bloody hell** End of story. Period. Period's aren't the only problem these women are facing, but the tax included on the feminine hygiene products needed to TAME the problem.

Melissa Sargent, a Wisconsin lawmaker, is facing backlash after proposing a bill that would make feminine hygiene products free in public schools, independent charter schools, state buildings, and correctional facilities statewide. She also added on November 6, that restrooms in stated owned or leased facilities and buildings should provide sanitary napkins and tampons free of charge, like soap or towel.

"You expect to have paper towels and soap in every bathroom, so why wouldn't we have feminine hygiene products available in bathrooms as well?"

Worldwide, girls and women who don't have access to these necessary products rely on rags which may result in a vaginal infection while not attending school or work. The UN considers menstrual hygiene "a human right" yet the products needed are treated as "non-essential" products by lawmakers. In the U.S., low-income women can't use their federal assistance on feminine hygene products. Some states  tax tampons because they are considered as non-medically necessary items and many prisons do not offer inmates free tampons-- some even withhold them as punishment.

There are many creative people around the world supporting their right to have their period.

In Australia, tampons and pads are taxed 10 percent and are classified under the Goods and Sales Tax. Creative minds repurposed Snoop Dogg's "Drop It Like It's Hot" to "Drop It Coz It's Rot" making a badass statement pointing out that, "The vagina, half the people got them / Yet there's a tax if you're born with one of 'em... Ain't no shame in the fact that we B-L-E-E-D / So why we gotta pay this bloody GST?" Even the Sydney Liberal Councillor Christine Forster-- who is Prime Minister Tony Abbott's sister-- makes a cameo in a "mighty fine" white track suit.



Now, hop on a plane and take a quick ride to the UK where British comedians Cariad Lloyd and Jenny Bede want the Chancellor of the Excheqeur, George Osbourne, to lift the tax on tampons. They chant, "It's so sad to think you make us pay until we die, so ladies for your bad blood, why not try using a dishcloth?"

The UK has also classified tamponsas "non-essential" items since 1973, taxing them at 17.4 percent. The rate was reduced to 5 percent in 2000, but activists want it reduced to zero. Prime Minister David Cameron, who promised to look into the taxation, has said, "it's quite difficult" to change the tax because it is regulated by the European Union. Neither Cameron or Osbourne can change the policy but they can both make an effort to convince the European Parliament that tampons should not be taxed.

**Does this remind anyone else of the tea party or is it just me..?**



What do you think? If we do this, does that mean other taxes should be eliminated because they are essential?

xoxo, Kaila