Last week, the New York City council voted unanimously on a series of measures that would provide menstrual hygiene products, free of charge, in public schools, homeless shelters, and prisons.

The city is the first to introduce such a program in the United States.

Supporters of “menstrual equity” argue that cost of tampons and pads places too much of burden on poorer and low-income women and girls.

Toilet paper is freely available in public school restrooms because it is viewed as essential to everyday health and sanitation. However, women are left on their own when it comes to accessing tampons and pads.

The new tampon and pad dispensers will have timers on them so that someone cannot empty out all the supplies in one shot.

This new measure in NYC is great, but when will the U.S. government take the necessary step to stop taxing tampons and pads for all women?

In case you didn’t know, menstrual products are no considered essential by the government and thus, they are taxed. So if these products are so inessential, then why don’t women just stop using them and free bleed instead? Would that be okay with society? Would it be okay if we just let our uterus shed freely?

Cowboy boots, candy, and Viagra are exempt from sales tax in different parts of the country. Are they more essential than menstrual products? I don’t think so.

This tax hits low-income women the hardest. I’m sure they could use that money for something more worthwhile.

It’s also clear that women are paid less in America, so why is the government taking away more of our money on items that we absolutely-without-a-shadow-of-a-doubt need?

Basically we are being taxed for being women.

There are only a handful of states that have no sales tax on menstrual hygiene products. I’m lucky enough to live in one (shout out to New Jersey). It’s time for the rest of a country to get on board.

So to all you lawmakers out there, stop taxing our periods. We didn’t choose this. We want menstrual equity.