As a teenage girl, I’m more than familiar with the Pink Tax. I see it every time I step foot in a store and have been dealing with it my whole life. It’s hard to believe that this country is said to be “gender equal”, but a pack of disposable razors can cost a man $4.39, but $6.99 if it is categorized as “feminine”. The pink tax does nothing but put women at an economic disadvantage; it is another obstacle in the way to gender inequality.
“Pink Tax” isn’t referring to an actual federal or state tax, but to the difference in price paid for the same items or services just because they are targeted towards female consumers instead of males.
According to Black Curve, companies have the guarantee that women are willing to pay more for their desired products or services, especially those beauty, hygiene, and fashion related. This leads most sellers to raise the costs intentionally, exploiting female buyers.
There isn’t exactly a specific time when the Pink Tax began or was created, but it was first noticeable in the 1920s, when women’s products began to be priced higher than men’s, even if the only difference was the packaging. Even then, it wasn’t until 1994 that the California Assembly Office of Research acknowledged the issue. They had discovered that more than 60% of dry cleaners charged more for their services if it was a woman’s shirt instead of a man’s.
In 1996 the senate of California passed The Gender Tax Repeal Act of 1995, which stated that women and men must be charged equally if the service or product took the same time, skill, and cost to make or provide. Unfortunately, California is only one of few states that have come up with a solution.
A study from the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) in 2015, helped bring a lot of this phenomenon to light. Named “From Cradle to Crane”, this study showed the cost of being a woman in a man’s world, specifically focusing on the Pink Tax. The DCA study revealed that women, on average, pay 7% more for their products than men do, even if the only difference was the color of the packaging. They also found that 42% of the time, female products will have an increased cost.
The Pink Tax costs women about $1,300 per year, as said in an estimate made by the multinational bank, JPMorgan Chase. But this can vary due to other elements, specifically the place one lives in. For example, in more demanding states such as California, it can cost a woman up to $2,300.
What contributes even more to the Pink Tax issue is the gap between the earnings disparities between men and women. The gender wage pay gap highlights the differences in compensation between what a man makes and what a woman makes. As of 2022, for each dollar a man makes, a woman makes 82 cents. So, not only do women have to pay more for their necessities, but they also earn less.
The Pink Tax is more than just an economic burden. It proves that discrimination towards women is still occurring in everyday life to millions. It illuminates the social inequality that we’re faced with, and how injustice towards women can be found anywhere, even in the feminine products we purchase. The world needs to understand that these products are not a luxury, but a need.
We know that this issue won’t be going away anytime soon, but we can still speak up and fight back about it. Small actions can lead towards big changes. Complaints, social media posts, and strategic shopping can all help in the fight towards Pink Tax.
