Whose Taxing Your Period?

No woman chooses to have her monthly cycle nor can she prevent it from happening. Women do not have a choice but to buy pads or tampons under these circumstances. To make matters worse, we are forced to pay five to six dollars, plus tax, for menstrual products that cannot be counted on to last more then a month.

There are many women that do not have the extra money to buy these feminine products every month. Although a homeless shelters main purpose is providing food and a bed to sleep, they do fall short in the feminine products department. This leaves a great deal of homeless women to be uncomfortable and unfortunately unhygienic as they cannot receive the proper materials to care for themselves. Proving that poverty and periods are two things that do not mix well but are always overlooked.

What many people do not understand is that pads and tampons are not luxurious items that a women buys for pleasure, they are a necessity. Still, the government neglects this fact and makes us pay taxes for them because they are not considered to be vital.

Why is it that most birth control can be obtainable free of charge but pads and tampons, which are clearly essential, are not. It is unfair that insurance companies can cover the cost of birth control but do not cover the cost of pads and tampons, a necessity for every women. Birth control, on the other hand, can be viewed as unnecessary deeming that sexual intercourse is a choice. Regardless, birth control seems to have a greater importance and financial support than feminine products. Just like you can go to a clinic and get free pills or condoms, a women should also be able to go and ask for pads/tampons free of charge. How has something so crucial to a women's health been pushed aside? This just shows why feminine products should be free, after all, women cannot pause their monthly cycle.