When I was thirteen years old, I hated the color pink. Pink was shopping, was liking boys, was the character that was only there to be rescued. Pink wasn’t video games or comic books or anything I felt connected to. Thirteen-year old me swore that I would never wear or own anything pink ever again. But thirteen year old me also thought that Twilight was the ultimate love story, so I wouldn’t exactly call her a genius.
Today, I am much more accepting of pink and all it implies. The world has changed a lot in six years. Not only are people less concerned with the concept of binary genders, but even some of the most hard-set binary gender roles are beginning to break down. Pink is...just a color. It doesn’t define something about us just because we wear it.
But now I’m facing off against the Pink Tax, something very different and far less beautiful. In short, the Pink Tax is when products specifically gendered as “women’s products” cost more than their male counterparts.
Take razors, for instance. A product that the majority of people use with varying frequency, depending on the season and personal preference. So why is it that a pack of disposable razors marketed for women are priced at $2.32 per razor, as opposed to 0.65 per razor for men? And these aren’t two different companies either. Both of these razor packs are sold by Gillette. So why is it that nearly identical products have a cost difference of $1.67? That may not seem like much, but it will add up over time.
Deodorant? Dove Men’s Care sells for $3.68 for 2.7 oz, while the female equivalent is $4.38 for 2.6 oz, so you’re paying more for less product.
The Pink Tax extends to several (not all) products that are gendered for men and women separately- when often times the difference is the merely the packaging and the scent. Since more attention has been called to the Pink Tax in recent years, many companies like Degree and Suave have closed the price gap, but this is not the case for everything.
Now, I admit that I’m willing to pay more for my hair care products, because I believe that the products work better on my hair than those marketed specifically for men. This, in essence, is the problem with the Pink Tax. If the difference in product quality made up for the difference in price, then it wouldn’t be an issue. But with products like razors, body wash, or shaving cream- I don’t believe there’s a notable difference in product quality. In fact, I believe that razors marketed towards men are of a higher quality than those for women, even when they are made by the same company.
So how do we fix this? Well, the benefit of living in a capitalist society is we can literally put our money where our mouth is. If you prefer one product over another and you support it, companies will get the message that overpricing a ink because it’s pink doesn’t work. We also live in a digital age, where we can connect with companies instantly through social media. Not only can we tell them what we dislike, we can offer suggestions on what we do look for in a product. Communication leads to better quality and lower costs for consumers, while creating incentive for other companies to compete.
Because in the end, it’s not about male or female, but about companies charging more for a specific scent or color. I practically guarantee that there’s a rough and tumble biker guy who likes green tea and jasmine body wash and a Britney Spears look-a-like that loves the smell of Old Spice. It’s a matter of personal preference, and wanting a high-quality product.
So the next time you’re out shopping, take a chance and buy a product that’s not typically marketed to your gender. Who knows? You might find something you love at a much better price. If all else fails, walk out into the world and rock what you have, because as my favorite orphan Annie says, “You’re never fully dressed without a smile!”
