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Riesenbeck

Paige Riesenbeck

Professor Rebecca Morean

English 11015T5

29 November 2020

The Pink Tax is Unnecessary

Many people aren’t aware of what a Pink Tax is and what it involves. This tax a gender-

based price discrimination that targets females. Items such as pads, tampons, female clothing

items, baby toys and more. In present day there are many arguments if men should have a say on

this topic, due to them not needing these products. Removing this tax will benefit women, young

girls and whole house holds because this tax is sex describing those females that have a

menstrual cycle.

According to Miriam Berger, Scotland has become the first nation to make pads and

tampons free. The article stresses how much help this is providing for woman, and it is explained

that one of four women struggled to get feminine products before the change. Berger explains

how this change will cost an estimated $31.2 million a year. With not being able to control a

menstrual cycle this makes these products a necessity monthly. If men had a menstrual cycle

these products would be free now. This being said it will be expensive to make the change

although so many women can’t afford these feminine products, they would benefit from

removing this tax.

It was found by Andrea Diaz, that voters in Nevada amended the sales tax on tampons

and sanitary pads. It is stated, “Proponents of removing the tax say these items are a necessity,
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not a luxury”. Therefore, every woman that has flow has to get these products. A minstrel cycle

is not something that can be prevented. Also stated in the article “Assuming all of them spent

seven to ten dollars per month on feminine hygiene products, purchases would generate taxable

sales of $72.8 million to $104.0 million each year”. This being said women are to pay a price a

man would not have to pay.

The Editorial Board talks about the quantity of product and its price on items such as

razors. This is claimed by Monoprix, that men’s razors are cheaper to produce and sell faster. It

is also cheaper to make male deodorants and body spray due to the fragrances. The tax is also

used on women due to special packaging and higher design cost. Women tend to shop more than

men, purchasing items like clothes and shoes. This gives companies the opportunity to make

more off of women because they are already spending more than males. Although women don’t

just buy for themselves, they buy for their kids.

This sex discriminating tax is not just on adult products, but also included on children’s

items as well. Which is proving that the color pink is now falling into a luxury item category. As

a “luxury” item it would be described as something you desire, for example makeup, hair styling

products, jewelry, watches, etc. Georgette Sand took photographs of male and female products

together such as a toothbrush revealing a mark up in price. Paying more for these goods and even

services is economically unequal, when studies have found that women even make less than

men.

Necessities to life are items that are mandatory, for instance a toothbrush, or hairbrush.

For example, soap is generally taxed, though for most people it is a necessity. This brings our

attention to the fact that babies need diapers. A newborn or toddler can’t go without them, just

like woman needs to have feminine products and should be taken seriously. Comparing a boy’s
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blue pair of roller skates that are the same size and brand to a girl’s pink pair of roller skates

there is a three-dollar price difference. ChannelMum.com founder Siobhan Freegard said,

‘Treating baby girls as a commodity to be exploited is terrible. The so-called “pink tax” is bad

enough for adult women but a pink tax for tots is just plain wrong’, this pink tax on little girl’s

products effects the male parents that also have to pay a tax for buying a pink item.

Gender price gaps and the pink taxation is not the equality women should get. Females

are expected to pay more than men on items that are required for a bodily function. The sex

discrimination between male and female taxes are causing more of an issue than we see. The

exact same toy will cost almost double due to the color pink. There is inequality in stores while

most don’t even recognize it. Removing this tax will help so many women that couldn’t access

them before. Men do not use these products and should not be able to classify an item as luxury

or essential. When not paying for the tax, families could use that to help pay bills and provide for

their family.
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Work cited

Berger, Miriam. "Scotland moves to become first nation to make pads and tampons free."

Washingtonpost.com, 26 Feb. 2020. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints,

https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A615327790/OVIC?

u=dayt30401&sid=OVIC&xid=d8fac719.

Clinic, Mayo. “Menstrual Cycle: What's Normal, What's Not.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation

for Medical Education and Research, 13 June 2019, www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-

lifestyle/womens-health/in-depth/menstrual-cycle/art-20047186. 

Diaz, Andrea. “Nevada Becomes the 10th State to Eliminate 'Pink Tax' on Menstrual

Products.” CNN, Cable News Network, 7 Nov. 2018,

www.cnn.com/2018/11/07/health/nevada-tampon-tax-repealed-trnd/index.html. 

The Editorial Board. “The Pink Tax.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 12 Nov.

2014, www.nytimes.com/2014/11/13/opinion/the-pink-tax.html?searchResultPosition=1

Radnedge, Aiden. “'Pink Tax' on Children as Study Finds Girls' Products Cost More.” Metro

Newspaper UK, 6 Mar. 2018, www.metro.news/pink-tax-on-children-as-study-finds-girls-

products-cost-more/965045/. 

Zraick, Karen. “22 States Considered Eliminating the 'Tampon Tax' This Year. Here's What

Happened.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 12 July 2019,

www.nytimes.com/2019/07/12/us/tampon-tax.html.