Being a woman has hidden costs
It costs more to be a woman.
And then, they are taxed on top of it.
When shopping for hygiene and personal care products, there is almost always a very distinct gender division, from razors to body wash, shaving cream to antiperspirants. Then, there is that aisle, the one for female menstrual products, or as sophomore Casey Felton calls it, “a terrifying aisle I never want to walk down.”
Women’s razors often cost more than men’s razors. At Target, the Schick Hydro Silk Razor costs $9.59, while the male version, the Schick Hydro 5 Razor costs $8.52. Many justify this price difference because women use razors to shave a much larger area. Women shave their legs, men only shave their face.
In an interview with Boston Magazine over the price of razors, Kristina Vanoosthuyze, a scientist at Gillette Innovation center on skin care sciences, said, “[For women’s razors] the elastomer materials in the grip points, finger rests, and how women hold the razor are different and more comprehensive. It’s important to make the razor ergonomic to use, because women typically shave in a fairly wet environment. And for women, shaving can be like acrobatics, trying to get the ankles, back of the legs, knees, etc. We want the handle to have good control so she can move it around in her hands.”
In essence, because women shave more than men, the women’s razor is more complex and more expensive. Still, some women believe that the price difference is unproportional and ridiculous.
Teacher Cynthia Faupusa said, “I use men’s razors. I don’t use women’s razors. I use my husband’s.”
The price difference extends beyond razors. So much so that in 2010, Consumer Reports did an article on the cost difference of many common products between the male and female counterparts. The article ended by advising consumers to “try to ignore gender labeling and buy the cheaper version.”
Recently, the debate over the taxation of female menstrual products has come into focus.
According to California Revenue and Taxation Code, all the necessities in life are exempt from sales taxes; this includes food, health related items, and housing. Yet, women in California annually pay around $20 million in sales tax on feminine hygiene products like tampons and sanitary napkins, called the “tampon tax,” according to Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia’s website.
But periods are not optional. They aren’t something that women choose to have. It is a natural occurrence that all ovulating women must deal with. Feminine hygiene products are not luxury items, but rather essential products for women’s health.
Faupusa said, “I think the tampon tax is yet another example of the misogynistic patriarchy that runs the United States. Periods happen whether the woman wants them or not, and therefore, it should be deemed as a medical expense and should be covered. In some places, condoms are not taxed because we are trying to prevent sexually transmitted diseases. Isn’t women’s health just as important?”
Women must accommodate for menstruation when going through daily activities. Bacteria growth can cause urinary tract infections, other bacterial infections, and skin rashes. Leaving a tampon in for more than six hours can cause Toxic Shock Syndrome, a life-threatening complication that can take weeks to recover from.
However, many people argue that exempting tampon and other feminine hygiene products from taxation is a risky path to follow. Some opponents to the repealing of the tampon tax claim that the more items exempt from taxation because they are deemed as “necessities,” the more interest groups pressure for more exemptions, driving up tax rates.
Felton said, “The government needs to make money somehow. If we are going to cut a certain tax, taxes will need to be upped elsewhere. We can’t just cut a tax. Still, taxing tampons is not really fair. It seems almost sexist.”
The debate over the tampon tax continues. During the first California state legislative meeting of 2016, Garcia and Assemblywoman Ling Ling Chang introduced a bill to do away with the “tampon tax,” to bring about greater gender equality, make such products more available for women, especially low income women, and close the income gap, according to Garcia’s website.
Sophomore Hazel Lam said, “I feel like it is a tax on women. The price of tampons adds up, and sales tax makes it worse. Some people cannot afford [tampons], which puts their health at risk.”
Currently, only five states have eliminated the tax: New Jersey, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania. In Canada, the government decided to lift the tax on feminine hygiene products as of July 1, 2015.
When YouTube personality Ingrid Nilsen interviewed President Obama regarding the tax on menstrual products, Obama said, “I have to tell you, I have no idea why states would tax these as luxury items. I suspect it’s because men were making the laws when those taxes were passed.”
And then, they are taxed on top of it.
When shopping for hygiene and personal care products, there is almost always a very distinct gender division, from razors to body wash, shaving cream to antiperspirants. Then, there is that aisle, the one for female menstrual products, or as sophomore Casey Felton calls it, “a terrifying aisle I never want to walk down.”
Women’s razors often cost more than men’s razors. At Target, the Schick Hydro Silk Razor costs $9.59, while the male version, the Schick Hydro 5 Razor costs $8.52. Many justify this price difference because women use razors to shave a much larger area. Women shave their legs, men only shave their face.
In an interview with Boston Magazine over the price of razors, Kristina Vanoosthuyze, a scientist at Gillette Innovation center on skin care sciences, said, “[For women’s razors] the elastomer materials in the grip points, finger rests, and how women hold the razor are different and more comprehensive. It’s important to make the razor ergonomic to use, because women typically shave in a fairly wet environment. And for women, shaving can be like acrobatics, trying to get the ankles, back of the legs, knees, etc. We want the handle to have good control so she can move it around in her hands.”
In essence, because women shave more than men, the women’s razor is more complex and more expensive. Still, some women believe that the price difference is unproportional and ridiculous.
Teacher Cynthia Faupusa said, “I use men’s razors. I don’t use women’s razors. I use my husband’s.”
The price difference extends beyond razors. So much so that in 2010, Consumer Reports did an article on the cost difference of many common products between the male and female counterparts. The article ended by advising consumers to “try to ignore gender labeling and buy the cheaper version.”
Recently, the debate over the taxation of female menstrual products has come into focus.
According to California Revenue and Taxation Code, all the necessities in life are exempt from sales taxes; this includes food, health related items, and housing. Yet, women in California annually pay around $20 million in sales tax on feminine hygiene products like tampons and sanitary napkins, called the “tampon tax,” according to Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia’s website.
But periods are not optional. They aren’t something that women choose to have. It is a natural occurrence that all ovulating women must deal with. Feminine hygiene products are not luxury items, but rather essential products for women’s health.
Faupusa said, “I think the tampon tax is yet another example of the misogynistic patriarchy that runs the United States. Periods happen whether the woman wants them or not, and therefore, it should be deemed as a medical expense and should be covered. In some places, condoms are not taxed because we are trying to prevent sexually transmitted diseases. Isn’t women’s health just as important?”
Women must accommodate for menstruation when going through daily activities. Bacteria growth can cause urinary tract infections, other bacterial infections, and skin rashes. Leaving a tampon in for more than six hours can cause Toxic Shock Syndrome, a life-threatening complication that can take weeks to recover from.
However, many people argue that exempting tampon and other feminine hygiene products from taxation is a risky path to follow. Some opponents to the repealing of the tampon tax claim that the more items exempt from taxation because they are deemed as “necessities,” the more interest groups pressure for more exemptions, driving up tax rates.
Felton said, “The government needs to make money somehow. If we are going to cut a certain tax, taxes will need to be upped elsewhere. We can’t just cut a tax. Still, taxing tampons is not really fair. It seems almost sexist.”
The debate over the tampon tax continues. During the first California state legislative meeting of 2016, Garcia and Assemblywoman Ling Ling Chang introduced a bill to do away with the “tampon tax,” to bring about greater gender equality, make such products more available for women, especially low income women, and close the income gap, according to Garcia’s website.
Sophomore Hazel Lam said, “I feel like it is a tax on women. The price of tampons adds up, and sales tax makes it worse. Some people cannot afford [tampons], which puts their health at risk.”
Currently, only five states have eliminated the tax: New Jersey, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania. In Canada, the government decided to lift the tax on feminine hygiene products as of July 1, 2015.
When YouTube personality Ingrid Nilsen interviewed President Obama regarding the tax on menstrual products, Obama said, “I have to tell you, I have no idea why states would tax these as luxury items. I suspect it’s because men were making the laws when those taxes were passed.”