Let me start by saying that I understand that debating taxes can be difficult. I do think that taxes at their basis are good because they keep society functioning, and it’s important that things such as education and infrastructure are properly funded. However, there are certain individual products that should not be taxed, as access to them should be a basic human right.

In the UK, exotic meats and helicopters aren’t taxed, and in Canada incontinence products and many kinds of food are not taxed. All of these products are considered to be essential, but for some reason menstrual sanitation products do not make the cut. Maybe it’s because periods are icky.

I know that not taxing food products seems fair; every human needs food, so this should be a no-brainer. In Canada, fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, poultry, breakfast cereals and some dairy products are not taxed, and this seems logical; however, there is actually debate over the types of food that fall into these categories.

Wedding cakes and cocktail cherries are considered part of this list, and CBC reported that Twinkies and Pop-Tarts also fall in line with what is considered essential. I’m no nutritionist, and I love a slice of cake as much as the next person, but I’m fairly sure my well-being wouldn’t be jeopardized if I didn’t have proper access to these products.

There isn’t a woman out there who would consider her menstrual sanitation products a fun treat. They aren’t a splurge and they aren’t for cocktail parties — they are a basic female human necessity. Period.

Why are some exotic foods tax exempt while feminine sanitation products aren’t?

Over half the world’s population will need regular access to these products throughout a large portion of their lives, and yet they aren’t considered a need. Let me just put it out there that the Merriam-Webster definition of the word ‘need’ is “a physiological or psychological requirement for the well-being of an organism.” How is it even possible that a debate exists about whether or not products like tampons fit this definition?

But that is the tragedy of the matter; this is an ongoing debate with governments around the world. The UK, France, Australia, United States, and Canada are all petitioning federal governments to eradicate this tax that unfairly impeaches on the female population. In Canada, the movement is called “No Tax on Tampons,” and there are over 57,000 out of the 75,000 needed signatures on the Change.org petition.

The individual GST charged on each product we buy seems insubstantial and most Canadians don’t notice it in the short run, but Statistics Canada estimated that approximately 17,876,392 Canadian women between the ages of 12–49 spent over 500 million dollars on menstrual hygiene products in 2014 alone. That’s a lot of money coming from products that females have literally no choice but to buy.

Most importantly, this debate is about defending the rights of the lower-income women who do feel the effect of every dollar spent. If tampons become an extra expense, these women may either choose to forego other necessities, like food, or push their limits and risk ill health from lack of sanitation. This just isn’t fair.

If you agree that tampons and all other menstrual sanitation products shouldn’t be taxed, make sure to check out the No Tax on Tampons campaign. Tampons are a necessity that Twinkies simply can’t compete with.