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Stop Paying the Pink Tax! Like, Now!

In the course of your lifetime to date, you may have spent some $80K more than a man your age for the same products and services. Enough!

Got two X chromosomes? Chances are, it’s costing you—as much as $1,351 per year. On average, that’s the extra amount women pay for basic goods and services, as compared to similar stuff for men. It’s due to the Pink Tax, and if you’re turning red with rage about it right now, we’re with you.

Technically not a tax because it’s not levied by governments, the term refers to an ongoing form of price discrimination charged by manufacturers and stores, leading women to shell out more for everyday necessities 42 percent of the time.

The Pink Tax Outrage List

A recently published study of 800 products from more than 90 brands, conducted by New York City Department of Consumer Affairs, found that women pay up to 13 percent more than men for, well, you name it: That disposable razor with the pink handle is bound to cost more than the same one with the blue handle; the feminine-fragranced deodorant will be priced higher than the macho-scented one; and that scooter with the cutesy colors and designs may well cost twice as much as the otherwise identical one aimed at little boys.

Often the price differentials are small, but they add up—as much as $1,351 per year.

Yep, price discrimination starts young and doesn’t stop when we get older. Senior products aimed at golden girls run about eight-percent higher than those for silver foxes. And the practice doesn’t stop with purchases—it’s more expensive, for instance, to dry clean a woman’s shirt than a man’s. Often the price differentials are small, but they do add up. Go to the lifetime calculator at axthepinktax.com to find out how much. (My bite? $80,810! Ouch!)  

The cruel twist is that women still only earn about 80 percent as much as men! So what can we do? First, quit being a marketing target and buy gender-neutral products or those made for men. Then, blast companies with unfair pricing policies on social media to tell everyone you know about the Pink Tax. Let shocking pink shock back!

By Nina Malkin

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