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Should people be able to get pads and tampons for free?

Sex is a choice. Menstruation is not. You can't imply they're equal.

They're not equal but it's not done because men 'deserve' free stuff - it's done because otherwise teenagers who don't have cash or CBA to go to the shop or are embarassed going to the shop will have unprotected sex and unwanted pregnancies/abortions/pregnancies/babies will cost the state a lot more than giving a few free condoms away.

The only consequence of girls not bothering to buy tampons is that they bleed on their clothes a bit, it doesn't cost the government anything.

TBH the cost doesn't bother me cos I'm on the pill and have crazy light periods so I probably spend less than £1 a month on sanitary stuff. But I do agree in principle it's annoying to pay for them. That said I do think in most schools there will be a pastoral support who have pads to give out if you need one...

Reply 81

anosmianAcrimony

20

Original post by Kambu

The feminine products available today have only been around since about WWI, women have done without them for thousands of years. Wouldn't say the're essential whatsoever.

People 'did without' vaccination for thousands of years, too. I suspect practically any woman would tell you they're vastly better than the alternative.

Reply 82

Ray1999

7

Original post by Student-95

No, food and water are essential (neither of which are free), tampons are not.

We have the things like water, food and oxygen that we physically need to survive, but we're more complicated than plants and animals and also have other needs, like sanitation and healthcare that affect our quality of life.
I didn't say that sanitary products should be free for everyone, just that they should be available for those who need it. I'm not against free-bleeding, but some people have no choice.

Reply 83

DrawTheLine

22

Original post by Anonymous

At Sixth form we get people coming in once every two weeks, giving out free condoms. This got me thinking about how, although sex is a choice colleges (and the government) are willing to aid it, but periods aren't a choice and it costs 50p to buy a pad or tampon in the toilets at college.
Do you agree? Am I overreacting?
I'd love to hear your thoughts!

To an extent yes. They should be free in an emergency, like when you get your period earlier than expected and have no protection. Obviously the problem here is people lying about the emergency just to get them free. I do think they should be a lot cheaper, and schools should have them readily available to help out girls caught in a bad situation. It's happened to me a few times where I've had to make a pad out of toilet paper because I was too embarrassed to ask for a proper pad.

Reply 84

faloodeh

18

Original post by DrawTheLine

To an extent yes. They should be free in an emergency, like when you get your period earlier than expected and have no protection. Obviously the problem here is people lying about the emergency just to get them free. I do think they should be a lot cheaper, and schools should have them readily available to help out girls caught in a bad situation. It's happened to me a few times where I've had to make a pad out of toilet paper because I was too embarrassed to ask for a proper pad.

I was about to say this too! asking other (sometimes random) girls for pads is awkward aswell so I think atleast for emergencies they should be readily available (I've had to use toilet paper too, its awful).
What especially sucks is for heavy-flow girls who go through multiple pads in a day (and sometimes still leak) :frown:

Reply 85

DrawTheLine

22

Original post by faloodeh

I was about to say this too! asking other (sometimes random) girls for pads is awkward aswell so I think atleast for emergencies they should be readily available (I've had to use toilet paper too, its awful).
What especially sucks is for heavy-flow girls who go through multiple pads in a day (and sometimes still leak) :frown:

Exactly. I don't think they should be free, because everything has to be paid for by someone, but just made cheaper.

Reply 86

Tiger Rag

22

Original post by Emsio8

I think menstrual cups should be the only free menstrual product. This could encourage people to try them out. Plus they last for years and years before they need replacing saving the government money and also vastly reducing the millions of tonnes of feminine products that are dumped into landfill every year.

Not everyone gets on with cups. I don't.

Reply 87

SirMilkSheikh

11

No. Pay for your own stuff.

Reply 88

Gambit150

7

the point is that its better for the government if they can stop unplanned pregnancies as they dont need to give out support to the child afterwards
with tampons youre not really saving any money
people expect to get everything for free without thinking who is going to pay for it

Reply 89

waleed99

16

Your body, your money.

Reply 90

Sweetpeasw

17

Original post by Kambu

The feminine products available today have only been around since about WWI, women have done without them for thousands of years. Wouldn't say the're essential whatsoever.

so what would you propose, if you think pads/tampons aren't essential? would you rather girls walked around, sitting in puddles of their own blood, blood leaking onto all furniture, or potentially on seats you would have to sit on afterwards? public transport seats covered in blood? or if you have a female family member, and you had to take the car together? to see hundreds of girls each day, with blood stained trousers/skirts/dresses? also how're girls supposed to be confident if everyone can see this? we worry enough about tiny blood spots leaking in our jeans even with pads/tampons. Get yourself informed before you go making statements like this.

Reply 91

the beer

14

No, how on earth can you justify that when we charge sufferers of long term illnesses like Crohn’s and Colitis prescription charges.

Reply 92

Tiger Rag

22

VAT should be removed. But they shouldn't be free.

Reply 93

sophalina97

3

I don't think they should be free. If the argument for them being free is that we need them then where do you draw the line- we also need food, water, healthcare, shelter etc. and there is no way the government can provide all of those things without making tax so high that people are completely disincentivised from working.
If the argument is they should be free because its an extra expense women have to pay that men don't then you have to consider that the average man requires an extra 500 calories a day than the average woman so should we compensate them for this?

Reply 94

DarthRoar

20

I need tampons, they should be free. Should toilet paper be free? What about shaving razors? Ooh, toothpaste and toothbrushes should be free too. I require food to live too, food should be free. BAM socialism.

Reply 95

Athematica

18

The "if guys can wrap their willies" argument is stupid. Condoms protect both partners -- girl included. How about we stop giving them free condoms so they **** young girls without protection, spreading STIs and causing pregnancies, hmm?

Reply 96

Athematica

18

The potential consequences of having unprotected sex far outweighs the potential of not having sufficient padding when menstruating. We offer protection from those risks because they can devestate a life. Tampads are not in the same ball park.

Reply 97

cactuss

15

Original post by Athematica

The potential consequences of having unprotected sex far outweighs the potential of not having sufficient padding when menstruating. We offer protection from those risks because they can devestate a life. Tampads are not in the same ball park.

Yes i do agree that the consequences of having unprotected sex are greater and i am not trying to suggest that people stop giving out condoms all together but pads and tampons are necessary. Not everyone will be having sex but all girls will be menstruating.

Reply 98

ANM775

20

They should not be free

If we're going to go down that route....

nappies are "essential" to babies, shouldn't that be free?

food is "essential" too [far more essential than tampons], why shouldn't that be free?

If ya'll feel the cost of these women products are too much, then simply don't wear them. It's not going to kill you .....as it's truly not "essential".......