By Emily Smith
FORGIVE me if you cringe at the sound of hearing the word tampon, or can’t imagine a conversation where the topic of periods may crop up, because as a woman who has endured periods for more than 20 years of my life, it’s something I have to think about once every four weeks.
I remember starting my period at the age of 13. I had not long started secondary school, which is scary enough, and had to have an awkward conversation with my English teacher telling her I thought I had come on my period. I was handed a sanitary pad as thick as a roll of toilet paper and told to place it in my underwear. That evening I went home and had a conversation with my mum and prepared myself for my first period. I spent the next week in agony battling stomach cramps and worrying about this new change my body was undergoing.
No matter what age you are, having a period is not a pleasant experience. It is not something I imagine anyone looks forward to and it is a huge change in an individual’s life. It is also something which requires research, trial and error, hundreds of pounds spent on sanitary protection during a lifetime and still something many people won’t openly speak about.
Last year, the Government of Jersey made a pledge to provide free period products to all women, girls and anyone else who needs them in Jersey. The government also hoped to address period poverty and try to remove the stigma around the topic of periods. From September, sanitary protection was made available in all Island schools and in selected community spaces, including the Library, youth clubs and a number of charities.
The Chief Minister also successfully lodged a proposition last April to remove 5% GST from sanitary products, which was welcomed by Islanders. The States Assembly voted 26-16 in favour of removing the GST. The removal of GST on all period products has not yet come into force. However, the government has now taken a U-turn on that decision and the Treasury Minister Ian Gorst has lodged a new proposition to reverse the move, which Deputy Kristina Moore has backed. The States will not debate the proposal until at least 12 September. This is despite last year Deputy Moore saying ‘women should not have to turn to charity to deal with period poverty’.
If the decision to remove GST from all period products is revoked it would mean Jersey would become the only place within the British Isles to tax sanitary products, meaning they would be classed as a luxury item.
The government has said that because they have provided schools, some community centres and youth clubs with free period products they have helped address period poverty. Yet I would argue that this has done very little. Unfortunately, there is still so much stigma around talking about periods and it is seen as a taboo subject. Realistically how many people are going to walk into the library, for instance, and ask for some free tampons?
I currently work for one of the charities which have been given free period products. Although lots have been provided the range is not extensive. It can take months for an individual to discover what works for them, what’s comfortable and what products mean their period goes as unnoticed as possible. Sadly, the government has provided a very limited range which won’t suit everyone. It is also a range which the individual has to publicly ask for, instead of being able to go into a supermarket or chemist, when it is convenient for them, and buy what they need without paying the added GST.
Just last week a young adult came to access our foodbank with her father. The girl needed sanitary protection and quietly asked me, in front of her father, for some ‘girly items’. Straight away I knew what she was talking about and took her to where we store the free sanitary protection. I tried to remove all stigmas by talking openly about what we had and checking with her what she needed. I would argue that all embarrassment of asking for period products in front of her dad and myself would have been removed if she went and bought it from a supermarket. The products would not be free but all embarrassment would have been lost. This is why the price of period products need to be reduced as much as possible, because there are some people who will never feel able to go into a public space and ask for help. Removing GST on these products would ultimately reduce the price of each item.
When I think of luxury items I think of alcohol, chocolate, designer clothes, a car, not something I need to use to protect my underwear from my period.
I know how lucky we are in Jersey. I have spent time in India where some women are made to stay outside until they have stopped menstruating. I have heard stories of women using things such as hay or newspaper to stem the flow of their period. I think it is fantastic that schools and other locations have been provided with free sanitary protection in our little Island – but we can’t stop there. We must do so much more to remove period poverty and stigma and our government wanting to revoke their decision is a step in a very wrong direction. We also need to ask how long the government will provide this free protection, because sadly a period isn’t just for Christmas.
