Welcome to Ignorance is My Privilege, the column dedicated to breaking down the ignorant bubble we live in, separating us from the very real issues in our world. Today’s topic addresses the pink tax in New Jersey and how it affects us in New Brunswick.
Let’s begin by defining the term ‘Pink Tax’. It refers to the phenomenon of certain products, usually catered towards women, being significantly more expensive than those for men. For example, some products with the pink tax may be menstrual products, razors, soap, lotion, clothes, and more. In fact, a study published on price disparities found that “personal care products targeted to women were 13% more expensive than similar men’s products. Accessories and adult clothing were 7% and 8% more expensive, respectively.”
What is the impact of this tax? Women have historically earned less when in the same roles as men in the workforce– having a lower pay but more expensive products creates this disparity or wealth gap that perpetuates each time a ‘Pink Tax product’ is purchased.
In New Jersey, significant action has been taken to get rid of the ‘Pink Tax’, including a bill passed in the state senate in 2021 that banned gender-based discrimination on products. However, the bill’s counterpart did not progress in the NJ Assembly, meaning that this legislation is incomplete, and thus, the ‘Pink Tax’ still affects us today.
In New Brunswick specifically, this tax not only affects us as college students but also the lower-income residents who live outside of our campus. We, just like them, are on tighter budgets, with additional financial burdens when purchasing such gendered items. Therefore, this disparity is worsened by having to rely on local businesses for haircuts or beauty services, where price differences still often exist despite assurances given about gender-neutral price policies.
As students, there is a limited scope of what we can achieve, especially in practice rooted in our economy. However, we can still do our part by supporting companies actively trying to fight the ‘Pink Tax’, such as buying razors from Billie and purchasing from companies in the Tampon Tax Coalition. Legislative action is also essential, so urging your local officials to take action would definitely help as well, in addition to joining existing campaigns or generating conversations about this issue. If you are interested in helping ameliorate this issue through on-campus action, here are a few organizations you might be able to join and work with to create change: the Period Equity Project and Her Campus Rutgers.
Finally, for any Rutgers student who may ever need certain hygiene products, the Rutgers Food Pantry sometimes has extras, so I recommend checking that out if you ever need anything.
Ignorance is our privilege, let’s work to be less ignorant about the pink tax.