What is gender tax?

Have you ever heard of gender tax or pink tax? It's when a product for women costs more than the same product for men. Sophia, one of our YouTubers, explains how it works!   

Instructions

Watch the video and use the subtitles and the transcript to help you understand. 

Transcript

Happy International Women’s Day! It’s Sophia again and, of course, this video is for the British Council’s LearnEnglish Teens website and their YouTube channel. As it is International Women’s Day, I thought as well as celebrating all the amazing women in our lives, it would be really great to raise some awareness about women’s equality, so I’m going to be speaking to you guys today about ‘pink tax’, otherwise known as gender tax.

What is gender tax? Gender tax is basically the idea that women have to pay more for certain products because they're marketed at women and not men.

Now you might be thinking, ‘How is this possible?’ Surely if women across the globe realised that they were being charged more than men, they would be angry and they wouldn’t buy the products and they would realise how unfair this is? Unfortunately, no! Gender tax has sneaked into many everyday products that women and men aren’t even aware of! We might be familiar with the classic examples of women’s deodorants or razors costing more than men’s, but have you ever thought about something as simple as a plain T-shirt or a yoghurt?

A report by the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs found on average that products geared towards women cost more than similar products geared towards men 42 per cent of the time. But it doesn’t just stop there. Even children are affected by the gender tax. In the same report, they found that these two similar scooters from the same company – one was targeted at girls and one was targeted at boys – and the one that was targeted at girls cost £16 more than that one targeted at boys. So even girls and boys, men and women, people of all ages are affected by the pink tax or the gender tax.

So, what can we take from all of this? Well, I think that the very first important step is to be aware of gender tax; to be aware of the products we’re buying and to question whether this product is more expensive because it’s for a woman or less expensive because it’s for a man. You can help to raise awareness by sharing this video with all your family and friends. Leave me a comment below and let me know if you’ve realised any products in your local supermarket that might be influenced by gender tax, and, of course, let me know how you’re celebrating International Women’s Day. I hope you’re having a lovely day and, once again, happy International Women’s Day. I’ll see you in my next one! Byeeeeee! 

Discussion

What do you think about gender tax? Can you think of any more examples of products that cost more if they're aimed at women? 

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Comments

Profile picture for user bookishgirl

Submitted by bookishgirl on Thu, 07/28/2022 - 12:22

Wutt! Really?! I have not known that!!

Submitted by girlpower on Thu, 10/28/2021 - 19:09

In my opinión there is a big difference between the genders. The girls says that the first step is being aware of the problem and we agree on that. We think that gender tax is a result of the patriarchal society we live in.
Profile picture for user Kostantinus

Submitted by Kostantinus on Fri, 04/02/2021 - 07:56

I noticed the fact that products for women and children cost more than men's products. I just didn't know how it called. Yes, it's quite strange for me. Why small kid's T-shirt costs the same or even more than T-shirt for an adult. But it's a fact. That's why rasing children isn't cheap. I am going to work hard to get good education and get good job for to be able to care about my future family. Because I am a man.

Submitted by Jeana on Wed, 04/17/2019 - 11:46

Taking more money just beacuse you are a girl and less when you are boy is so unfair.Because when a person makes anything for others,like if a farmer cultivates rice then everyone has the right to eat that.There isn't any differentiating in this.That's why gender tax should be stopped. In the supermarket price is written in the shelves so it is hard to take more money in there.But in other places you can't stop it.If they tricked you,you wouldn't be able to know. For example:One day me and my mom went to buy some plants.So before us a man was buying a plant.And when we were buying the same plant,the shopkeeper told us it was 110/- .Then I asked the man who bought the same plant who was checking his phone that how much he paid for that plant.He replied 80/-.The rest of the part is a long history. Not only this but also if you go to buy vegetables,the shopkeepers will increase the prices if you are a woman.I think it's just because of woman seems to have a kind heart ❤️ or they do not argue over the price much.So shopkeepers take that advantage.
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