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Pink Tax Thesis

Decent Essays

Introduction
The “Pink Tax” is when women pay more than men for the same product. Typically the only difference between the women’s versions and the men’s is the scent or the glittery pink or purple packaging, hence the name the “Pink Tax”. The “tax” comes in all shapes and sizes, from deodorant and personal care items, to clothing and services, and even children’s toys and products. This is a very common occurrence and it has been shown to cost women more than $1000 more a year. This could be a result of companies taking advantage and capitalizing on women and their willingness to pay more for pink. However it could also be a deeper rooted problem with societal gender roles. Because gendered pricing has been costing women extra money for …show more content…

Many sources say the manufacturers change the prices while others claim it’s the vendors at fault. The main cause however, is companies taking advantage of a group of people just to get another dollar out of them. The products really don’t cost much more to manufacture despite what they say. The companies have taken advantage of women and almost created a sort of monopoly of higher prices for women’s products. This may be due to women’s perceived vulnerability or even a perceived inability to make decisions on what products to buy. Imported goods also get taxed unequally. One Trade Lawyer found that “shirts with buttons on the right side (customary for men) that were taxed at a couple of percentage points less on imports than shirts with buttons on the left side (for women).” This lawyer brought two cases against the unequal taxation on imported goods to court and both were dismissed. This shows that the problem may be deeper than we thought they were with a perfect blend of many different …show more content…

The U.S. government and citizens could raise awareness for this cause and the high cost of being a woman. No law or bill would have to be passed, women would vote with their wallets and chose to buy the men’s products. This would lower the demand for women’s product and further lower the price for them. However this may not be 100% effective because prices may then fluctuate for a while. Another possible solution is a federal law or bill being passed prohibiting gendered pricing for identical products. This would make sure the retailers are being equal with their products and save women nationwide thousands of dollars. However this may cause problems with nations we trade with, but it may encourage them to pass a similar law. It also may infuriate many companies and possibly lead to some financial problems for a select few. If the law that is passed is an efficient and smart plan then there could be hope to achieving a more equal and just

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