Women struggle with not being paid equally as men, but they also have to pay higher prices for female-branded products. Whether or not they have been conscious about the gender discrimination in prices, women find themselves buying from men's aisles. Items aimed for men are cheaper even though they may be made out of the same materials as the women's versions.
For example, a significant price difference is evident between razors for women and men. TheStreet compared a 13-pack Gillette Daisy Classic with a 10-pack Bic Comfort Twin. Gillette sells razors for women at $1.08 each while Bic sells them to men for only $0.75 each.
According to a 2015 study called "From Cradle to Cane: The Cost of Being a Female Consumer," 7 percent is the average of how much more it costs women for identical products as men. The annual average of additional costs and fees total to $1,351.
The "Pink Tax" is responsible for "the extra amount [female consumers] are charged for certain products or services." The tax gets its name from feminized items. Companies create "feminine" goods for women and sell them for higher prices compared to gender-neutral or male versions of them. It is not just physical objects; services, such as dry cleaning and auto repairs, also cost more for women.
Girls are affected by the unequal pricing since birth. Parents will pay 4 more percent for onesies and 3 percent more for shoes for their baby daughters. For toys, the average for girls is $29.49 and $26.49 for boys, making an 11 percent difference. A 13 percent difference was found among helmets and pads. As girls turn into women, they continue to live with the pink tax impacting their lives.
Tax on female hygiene products is another example of the unfairness in prices for women. Tampons and pads are labeled as luxury items in most states, also called the "Tampon Tax," when menstruation is far from glamorous. In "How Do Homeless Women Cope With Their Periods?" by Bustle, a New York City council member raised the point, that women should not have to choose between a pad or lunch.
On the other hand, men are not taxed for erectile dysfunction drugs in any state with the exemption of Illinois.
In 2012, Bic introduced a line of pens "For Her," which Ellen hilariously ridiculed on her show. The pens were priced twice as much as regular ones because of their ladylike colors, pink and purple, and their design "to [supposedly] fit a woman's hand." Furthermore, feminine canes are being marketed to senior women with a 12 percent mark-up when they have the same purpose as inexpensive models made for men. The gender-biased pricing follows female consumers from birth to death.
"[The pink tax] emphasizes the further gender inequality within the United States's economy," as Abbey Malbon states in her article. "Not only are women being paid less than their male constituents, but they are being charged more because of their gender." The gender discrimination in the market is not just happening in the United States; it is worldwide, affecting women of different colors and sizes.
The European Wax Center has started a campaign called #AxThePinkTax "to help level the playing field where inequalities exist." The website provides information and tools regarding the pink tax in hopes of recruiting others to join the movement. It is important to spread the word about the tax because as more individuals are informed, the stronger the fight will be to end it.
