By MELISSA WELLHAM
I, Melissa Wellham, am paying a tax on my body. And so are you, and you, and you and you.
In fact, almost all ovulating women are paying a tax on their bodies.
If you are female, you are probably paying a tax by the very virtue of being female – a tax that the menfolk in Australia don’t have to pay at all. Because, in case you didn’t already know, the 10 per cent Goods and Services Tax (GST) applies to women’s sanitary products. The reasoning behind this is that they are seen as ‘luxuries’.
Yep. Sanitary products – pads, tampons, and moon cups or similar – are a luxury. Like new shoes. Like holidays to the Bahamas. Like paying for the latest episode of Game of Thrones instead of downloading it illegally (kidding!).
Uhuh. Whenever I have cramps and my skin looks like sh*t and I am being mean to everyone around me and all I want to do is eat five blocks of that salt-imbued dark chocolate; that is the epitome of luxury. And having to carry pads about with me? That’s ABSOLUTE heaven.
If it doesn’t make you annoyed that you have to pay 10 per cent extra on an item that you probably resent buying anyway, then maybe this will…
Condoms are GST exempt. Yes, you read that right.
Condoms are GST exempt. But pads and tampons are not.