During a shoot for `The Caviers’ I meet a poet called Robin Welsh. robin has written a poem called the Menstrual Tax, and after explaining about my `Transient Nature of Chance’ and showing him the images, we agreed to join the two together for his about to be published book of poems. I have included the poem under the image, for those who have not seen the image previously. the poem is available here.
Menstrual tax
Tax me because I’m a woman
Tax me because I bleed
Make me pay more than men
Pay for their unused seed
My life is hard enough
Without taxing my menstrual flow
A monthly period of blood
A period of mess below
Is a towel a luxury?
According to government it is
But it only affects the Her’s
It don’t affect the His
What happens when I have no means or cash?
To pay this unequal uneven tax
When I can’t afford a tampon or pad
These are everyday facts
This is without the sadness of PMT or PMS
Man has no idea of the pain or the bloody stress
Why would you tax a woman just for being her?
How do you tax a towel that woman is forced to wear?
This taxation is way out of line, unjust and morally wrong
Its time to end this crippling tax
Menstruation’s been exploited way too long!
Labour promise free sanitary products for girls and women in bid to tackle ‘period poverty’
Robin Welsh writes poems and rhymes daily about all life in general…but mainly politics, human rights and world affairs. Performing at every opportunity he can get, not yet published because of procrastination.