It’s important to stay informed about our society and the systems around us. Something everybody should know about is The Pink Tax.
The Pink Tax is a common practice used by many companies across the world which makes items and services marketed to women cost more than the same products that are gender-neutral or advertised to male consumers. This injustice can be spotted pretty much everywhere, if you take a close enough look. For example, if you are in the Personal Care section at a store, you may notice that there are shaving razors that are advertised to men, and then there are shaving razors advertised to women. If you take a closer look at the price tags, the chances are that you will probably see a price difference between the razors advertised to women compared to the razors advertised to men. The price of the razors that are advertised to women may be much steeper than the male-advertised ones of the same quantity. This is a common example of The Pink Tax in everyday life.
I know what some of you might be thinking, That’s unfair, but it’s just a few extra dollars on some razors. What’s the big deal? And to that I say it’s not just razors! The Pink Tax can be from hygiene products all the way to health insurance and loans from the bank. The Pink Tax is having to pay more and do more for the same resources that others have. There are so many instances where The Pink Tax is prevalent, so it’s impossible to list them all. However, there is yet another financial injustice to add onto The Pink Tax, The Gender Wage Gap.
The Gender Wage Gap is the difference in the earnings between male and female counterparts in a workplace. So in simpler terms, basically how men are paid a higher amount than their female coworkers for doing the same job. Currently, women generally get paid 75 cents for every dollar a man makes. But, this often varies between women of different ethnicities. For every dollar a white man makes, an African American Woman makes 58 cents, a Hispanic woman makes 49 cents, a Native American woman makes 50 cents, a white woman makes 73 cents, and an Asian American makes 75 cents. For the typical female worker, the pay gap adds up to a shocking $500,000 dollars over a lifetime. This Gender Wage Gap disparity added with that of The Pink Tax creates a societal and financial system that leaves women with less access to basic necessities. These issues are only parts of an even bigger problem that is our patriarchal society.
You may be thinking, well what can I do to avoid this? Truth is, you can do a lot to make sure you don’t fall victim to The Pink Tax and its allies. If the Pink Tax doesn’t directly affect you but you still want to stand against it, or if it does affect you and you want a way to take a stand and save yourself money, you could try to buy items that are more gender neutral or are marketed towards men, because often, there isn’t even a difference except for the price and color of the packaging. Another way you could make an effort to end the Pink Tax is to boycott companies that often heighten the prices of products that are marketed towards women. Not only boycott it, but speak out about it! Make a post on social media about your feelings on the company and tell others about The Pink Tax. Not many people have heard of such a thing, so this might just be an eye-opener for many people. If you feel strongly about ending this injustice, spread the word, do research on prices, and boycott those companies! But, just remember, of course it’s okay to get yourself something pink and bright sometimes! Just because you believe in equality doesn’t mean you can’t get something that you really like every once and a while. Never let hurdles stop you from doing what you love and being who you are. Do what’s right for you and remember to stand up for what you think is right! I hope this article taught you something!
Adelina Mejia – University of Chicago Lab School – DMSF Class of 2026
Image credit: OpenClipart