OPINION: Good bye tampon tax, we won't miss you

It's estimated women will spent $19,000 on sanitary products in their lifetime and cadet journalist Ebony Stansfield takes a look at the issue

Tampon tax protest.

MILLIONS of women across Australia, including me, are happy to hear sanitary products will soon be exempt from GST.

Since 2000, the Australian Government has taxed every menstruating woman 10 per cent on hygiene products, which I believed was absolutely ridiculous.

I was always dumbfounded that a bodily function we can't control naturally was taxed in the first place, especially when Viagra and condoms were exempt.

In a women's lifetime, it's estimated she will spend $19,000 on our period, and the GST meant that an additional $1900 was spent on sanitary products.

I know I would much rather go on a holiday or put it towards a housing deposit.

The list of ridiculous claims I have seen and heard show how uninformed some men are about our periods.

My favourite unforgettable statement I heard from a male in a bar was that women should just 'hold their periods', like women can all defy the laws of gravity.

A man commented on social media if tampons are exempt so should men's products such as shavers and deodorant. Well, news flash, women buy those things too.

The products to be made exempt are expected to include tampons, pads, menstrual cups, maternity pads and leak-proof underwear, but the list will be subject to public consultation.

Originally published as OPINION: Good bye tampon tax, we won't miss you