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Feminine Hygiene Products

Tampon Tax in Canada[edit]

Tampon Tax in Canada was abolished on July 1 2015 in which the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) was removed on products that are “marketed exclusively for feminine hygiene purposes.[1] Female Members of Parliament in the House of Commons have urged for the abolition of the tampon tax [2]which gained further support from online supporters through the #NoTaxOnTampons movement founded by Canadian Menstruators, a Canadian campaign that seeks to abolish the GST and HST on feminine hygiene products. Bill C-282, introduced by New Democratic Party (NDP) member, Irene Mathyssen, abolished the tax and was successfully passed with all party support by Canadian parliament.[3] Many supporters believed tax exemption was based on the proposition that the tampon tax is a gender-based tax which can be perceived as discrimination against women. Through its successes, supporters in the House of Commons alongside the activist movement of the Canadian Menstruators has put an "estimated $33 million to $36 million annually back into the hands of those who menstruate each month".[4]

Background[edit]

Non-Essential Item[edit]

From 1991 to the year 2015, the Canadian government did not consider all menstrual hygiene not as an essential item to a woman rather a product of luxury. In 2004, Member of Parliament, Judy Wasylicia-Leis, was among the first woman in Canadian politics to introduce a bill to add "menstrual hygiene products to the list of zero-rated products"."About the Campaign". Canadian Menstruators. The Canadian Menstruators. Retrieved 7 November 2016. Wasylicia-Leis strongly believed that the tax on feminine hygiene products was a gender-based taxation only applicable for women. Wasylicia-Leis states that, "Taxing of essential and necessary products used exclusively by women is unfair and discriminatory. It unfairly disadvantages women financially, solely because of our reproductive role. The bill would benefit all Canadian women at some point in their lives and would be particular to value low income women…”[5] Wasylicia-Leis's impact has continued to fight against tax exemption on feminine hygiene products since 2004 and has come to fruition with the passing of Bill C-282 in 2015.

Irene Mathyssen and Bill C-282[edit]

Irene R. Mathyssen
MP
Personal details
Born (1951-08-16) August 16, 1951 (age 72)
London, Ontario, Canada
Political partyNew Democratic Party
SpouseKeith Mathyssen
ResidenceIlderton, Ontario
Professioncommunity activist, high school teacher

Irene R. Mathyssen is a Canadian politician and a Member of Parliament in the Canadian House of Commons.[3] She was previously a New Democratic Party Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) in Ontario from 1990 to 1995, and briefly served as a minister in the government of Premier Bob Rae.[3]

In 2014, Mathyssen introduced the "private members bill C-282 to exempt feminine hygiene products from being taxed."[2] The bill urged for elimination of the tax which could be redirected to the needs of families and women in Canada.[2] In addition to the 10,000 supporters from Mathyssen's office, over 70,000 online petitioners from Canadian Menstruators also protested for the elimination of the tax.[5] Through effective petitioning and a strong presence on social media, Canadians became aware of the discriminatory tax affecting women in Canada which encouraged a call to action on behalf of the Canadian government, resulting in the passing of the bill in 2015. "Her motion to remove the Harmonized Sales Tax from Feminine Hygiene products was passed with all party support by Canadian parliament. As a result of her work, on July 1st, 2015 Canadian women celebrated the end of the so-called “Tampon Tax”.[3] Without the passing of Bill C-282, the tax imposed on feminine hygiene products would have continued to impact women in Canada regardless of any cultural or economic standing.

Online Activism[edit]

Canadian Menstrautors is a Canadian movement that founded the campaign, #NoTaxOnTampons. Jill Piebiak and Kathleen Fraser, founders of the movement, created the website to provide information with substantive evidence and statistics that exemplify how the Canadian government had exploited and taken advantage of the woman's natural processes. Piebiak and Fraser "have packed into a petition calling for Canadian tax law to reclassify tampons as "essential" medical devices like contact lenses or adult diapers"[6] therefore placing them in a category exempted from sales tax. The Canadian government believes that medical products should not be taxed and by shifting menstruation products under the same category as products utilized for medical uses, they would no longer be considered a luxury item. Piebiak and Fraser strongly emphasize that feminine hygiene products should no longer be considered as a luxury item because women "don't have a choice whether we buy them or we don't."[6] The tax placed on feminine hygiene products "implies that these products are cosmetic rather than medical necessities. Yet, other medical products like incontinence pads, prescription drugs and hearing aids are exempt from the GST."[7]

The movement began as online activism on Canadian Menstruators which informed interested readers of a discriminatory system that taxed essential items subjected only for women, further encouraging readers to sign the petition. The campaign emphasized the though the tampon tax affects all women in Canada, "the petition points to a serious barrier for low-income women."[6] Fraser clarifies by stating that, "women in Canada have an income gap of 19 per cent, and there are higher rates of poverty and homelessness,"[6] therefore creating more challenges in the midst of both inequality and poverty. Food banks and non-for-profit organizations provide feminine hygiene products however, they are often in short supply. Reducing the tax may be a small change for the government but it providers easier accessibility to feminine hygiene products. Supporters have clearly indicated that "income taxes – the taxation of individuals’ income and corporations’ profits"[7] are intended to be progressive, "meaning the wealthy pay more than the poor"[7] however, low-income women suffering from poverty and inequality are subject to the same tax on a product that is a necessity for them to survive. [7]

The movement emphasized the unfair reality that the Canadian government gained profit based on the natural, unstoppable processes of a woman's body. The petition was associated with hashtag, #NoTamponTax, which further garnered supporters through social media and other internet platforms. The movement garnered strong support from online petitioners and further provided substantial advocacy to eliminate the tax on feminine hygiene products. "The campaign supports NDP MP Irene Mathyssen's private member's bill to drop"[6] the tax on all forms of feminine hygiene products. With 74,000 online supporters[8], the Canadian government had to respond with a change in regards to the tampon tax. The success and impact of Canadian Menstruators showcased the potential of online activism in the sphere of Canadian politics.

Jill Piebiak, the organizer of the #NoTaxOnTampons petition states that, "social media was a key factor to her campaign's success, which offers those who menstruate small savings and ‘a symbolic change".[4] "There had been a lot of support. Tampon Tax was even trending on Twitter,” Piebiak says."[8]

The #NoTaxOnTampons campaign made a presence in the political sphere of Canada as over 74,000 supporters[8] urged for a change to the Canadian Federal government. Piebiak states that, "It’s about talking about menstruation openly and what this broader conversation can do for women in politics".[4]

Success[edit]

The presence of supporters both online and within the Canadian government led to policy-making changes to the Canadian Federal government. Canadian Menstruators report:

  • "Approximately 17,876,392 Canadian women between the ages of 12–49 spent about $519,976,963.00 on menstrual hygiene products".[5]
  • Thus, the Canadian government "collected approximately $36,398,387.00 in government sales taxes based on the natural processes of a women's body".[5]

Global Effects[edit]

United States[edit]

Bill C-282 is a bill that successfully eliminated the tax on feminine hygiene products under the jurisdiction of the Canadian Federal government. Though Canada has settled these terms, the United States does not have federal taxes on menstrual-hygiene products.[9] Therefore, "taxes will have to be fought and lifted state-by-state."[9] however, "just 13 of the 50 US states have no tax on feminine hygiene products."[10] "Minnesota, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania do not have tax on sanitary products while Oregon, Montana, Delaware, New Hampshire, and Alaska have no sales tax at all."[10] "Illinois, New York, and Connecticut were among the states that moved to abolish the tax this year."[10]

California is still underway in abolishing this tax as many politicians adopt the notion of the tampon tax as a discriminatory tax. California Democratic Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia states that, "eliminating the tax is a short-term monetary loss that can lead to the long-term success of girls...girls have [...] missed school because they couldn't afford feminine hygiene products — one even used socks instead."[11] Alderman Edward Burke, who is part of the Chicago City Council, claims that reclassifying feminine hygiene products from "grooming and hygiene" to "medical appliances" in the municipal code can eliminate the tax. Many states throughout the US attempt to abolish the gender-based tax but many have yet to implement the change.

Garcia was influenced by Burke's approach and later "co-introduced a bill in in her state in January that would eradicate the tax on feminine hygiene products at both the state and local level by reclassifying them as medical necessities that qualify for insurance coverage"[11]

There is a continual progress of eliminating the tax as "15 states introduced legislations or proposed debate to eliminate"[10] the gender-based tax. According to market research from Euromonitor, American consumers spend $13.1 billion on tampons and other feminine hygiene products in the year of 2015 alone [10] but if the tax exemption were to be implemented throughout every state, an "estimated $10m will be be saved by consumers in a year"[10] from sales tax.

Australia[edit]

"Australia is one of a number of countries where petitions were launched on the issue. As it stands, sanitary products attract the 10% Goods and Services tax (GST)."[12] "Australian treasurer, Joe Hockey, have asked to review changes to the tax however, "Australia's states and territories, which have to agree to changes made to the GST, decided in August 2015 to keep the tax on sanitary products"[12]

Canadian Menstruators influenced Australian supporters to found the campaign, "Stop taxing my period!" The campaign emphasizes that it the 10 percent Goods and Services Tax applied on feminine hygiene products marginalizes women and reinforces sexist systematic ideologies. The campaign seeks to abolish the tax that was "introduced by the Australian government in 2000 and placed on products deemed “luxuries” or non-essential."[13]

United Kingdom[edit]

In 1973, a 17.5% Value Added Tax (VAT) was introduced when the United Kingdom joined trade agreements.[14] In 2000, taxes on sanitary products were reduced to 5% after Labour Member of Parliament, Dawn Primarolo, lobbied for it.[12] Primarolo believed the reduction was about overcoming a gender-based tax[12] and removing cost on necessities. Tax exemptions are currently not allowed in the EU[12] therefore, The UK Independence party (Ukip) had promised to end the taxation of sanitary products by withdrawing from the European Union (EU). The UK applied a 5% reduced rate of VAT to the supply of sanitary products which is the "lowest rate possible under the EU VAT law".[12]

The Canadian Menstruators campaign had influenced similar campaigns in the United Kingdom, launching the #EndTamponTax campaign by Period Watch. Period Watch is an online petition seeking to abolish the tampon tax with the campaign, 'Stop taxing periods. Period', "which had obtained over 320,000 signatures."[15] Period Watch emphasizes that supporters want to end the marginalization of women by demanding a change in the UK parliamentary for a zero tax rate for sanitary products. Abolishing the tampon tax in the United Kingdom may pose many challenges on behalf of the government as EU law still maintains sovereignty in the United Kingdom.

Slovakia[edit]

In Slovakia, tax is paid on sanitary products at the basic goods rate of 20%.[12] The justifciation for this tax is that Slovakia was "under a communist rule whilst the sexual revolution was happening elsewhere in Europe"[16]

France[edit]

With France still under the European Union, a zero tax option would not be a realistic option however, "French lawmakers voted to reduce the tax on sanitary products from 20% to 5.5%."[17]

Kenya[edit]

Kenya is one of the most successful countries in implementing the exemption of tax on feminine hygiene products, abolishing both the VAT and import duty on sanitary products. [18]Since 2004, Kenya had repealed the taxes imposed on feminine hygiene products and since 2011, the Kenyan government budgets $3 million dollars per year to be freely distributed to girls in schools and low-income communities.[19]

Kenyan girls do not have easy access to feminine hygiene products, resulting in make-shift pads made from unhygienic materials such as "chicken feathers, cheap mattresses and newspapers"[19] therefore, abolishing the tax and providing access to sanitary products has enabled girls to continue to their day-to-day lives. Mukuria, founder of the ZanaAfrica foundation claims that when young girls undergo their monthly menstruation, they are more likely to miss class or drop out therefore justifying a strong need for easier access to the product in Kenya. "Government involvement — along with the support of Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and media coverage — have noticeably improved the menstruation situation for girls in Kenya."[19] "WASH United, an international NGO dedicated to issues of water, sanitation and hygiene, launched Menstrual Hygiene Day in 2014. Kenya marked the occasion with a public event for thousands of schoolchildren."[19]

Before the tax was exempted in 2004, sanitary pads were $1.20 and though it has been reduced to nearly a dollar[19], it is still a product that is out of reach for most women. More than half of the population lives on less than $1 a day and to the men of the household who control a family's spending and expenses, feminine hygiene products are not considered as a priority.[19]

A controversial issue with the tax exemption in Kenya is that the use and distribution of feminine hygiene products are difficult to trace as there is no system that ensures pads go directly to girls who are in dire need of them. Mukuria states that there is a possibility of teachers simply stealing the feminine hygiene products and with schools lacking the proper storage, it can easily go missing or get stolen. A connected issue is that if the sanitary products were to be locked up, the girls may feel embarrassed to retrieve the sanitary products, causing reluctancy and humiliation for the girls.[19]

Though Kenya seems to be the most progressive country in tax exemptions on feminine hygiene products, the lack of sex education "means girls are often shocked when they first get their period."[19] Kenya is in the process of easing access to education about mental and physical health.

Notes[edit]

For more information about the #NoTaxOnTampons petition by Canada Menstruators, visit their site

Works Cited[edit]

  1. ^ Mofatt, Mike (June 10, 2015). "The 'tampon tax' is gone, but the 'tampon tariff' lives on". Maclean's. Rogers Media. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  2. ^ a b c Lough, Shannon (May 7, 2015). "NDP wants to remove 'tampon tax' from menstrual products". Global News. Global News. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  3. ^ a b c d "About Irene Mathyssen". NDP. New Democratic Party of Canada. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  4. ^ a b c Henry, Michele (June 4, 2015). "Toronto woman behind campaign to kill tampon tax 'ecstatic' over victory". The Star. Toronto Star Newspaper Ltd. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  5. ^ a b c d "About the Campaign". Canadian Menstruators. The Canadian Menstruators. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  6. ^ a b c d e Berman, Sarah (March 2, 2015). "Meet the Menstruators Fighting Canada's 'Tampon Tax'". The Tyee. The Tyee. Retrieved 5 December 2016.
  7. ^ a b c d Picard, Andre (March 10, 2015). "Tax on tampons is sexist and illogical". The Globe and Mail. The Globe and Mail Inc. Retrieved 5 December 2016.
  8. ^ a b c Dickson, Courtney (May 29, 2015). "No more (federal) tax on tampons starting Canada Day". Now. Now Communications. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
  9. ^ a b Dickson, Courtney (April 14, 2016). "How Canada Finally Axed Its Federal Tampon Tax". MS Magazine. Wordpress. Retrieved 14 November 2016.
  10. ^ a b c d e f "Why is the US 'tampon tax' so hated?". BBC News. BBC. September 14, 2016. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
  11. ^ a b Gass-Poore, Jordan (March 6, 2016). "Citing Gender Bias, State Lawmakers Move To Eliminate 'Tampon Tax'". NPR. NPR. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g "'Tampon tax' paid around the world". BBC News. BBC. August 21, 2015. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
  13. ^ Madden, Kathryn (July 26, 2016). "We Need To Talk About The Tampon Tax – Again". Marie Claire. Pacific Magazines Pty Ltd. Retrieved 5 December 2016.
  14. ^ Mills, Bobbie (November 26, 2015). "Tampon Tax Explained". Scene of Reason. Retrieved 3 December 2016. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  15. ^ Bulman, May (May 22, 2016). "Tampon tax still not scrapped as George Osborne 'goes quiet' on his pledge". Independent. Independent. Retrieved 5 December 2016.
  16. ^ Brades, Charlie (October 30, 2015). "It's not bloody over. Why the tampon tax debate won't be brushed off". Recognise the Spin. WordPress. Retrieved 5 December 2016.
  17. ^ The Guardian (December 11, 2015). "France votes to reduce tax on tampons and sanitary towels". The Guardian. Guardian News and Media Limited. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
  18. ^ Phelan, Jessica (August 15, 2015). "Tampon tax is real. Women everywhere pay their governments extra to have periods". PRI. Public Radio International. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
  19. ^ a b c d e f g h Hallet, Vicky (May 10, 2016). "What Kenya Can Teach The U.S. About Menstrual Pads". Goats and Soda. NPR. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
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