Being a woman is expensive.
Women account for 85% of global consumer spending, yet only 39% of women are employed globally. Women pay an estimated $1,300 more per year on personal care products than men. Simple purchases like two-step hair-care, three-step skincare, manicures, and menstrual products add up and put us at an economic disadvantage despite being routine. Even razors, toothbrushes, and hairbrushes marketed toward women often cost more than masculine or gender-neutral versions, despite being functional similarities.
Personal maintenance for feminine individuals can feel like a societal expectation or dress code. While masculine individuals also face maintenance standards, the expectations for feminine-presenting people are typically much more expensive. It’s an extra time and financial effort that most men don’t feel the pressure to participate in. I wonder what would happen if we stopped performing these perceived acts of femininity, and if we would even want to. Is the investment worthwhile?
Sources: The Culture of Beauty, Barbie Culture, The Second Sex, Listen Money Matters, Forbes
Women account for 85% of global consumer spending, yet only 39% of women are employed globally. Women pay an estimated $1,300 more per year on personal care products than men. Simple purchases like two-step hair-care, three-step skincare, manicures, and menstrual products add up and put us at an economic disadvantage despite being routine. Even razors, toothbrushes, and hairbrushes marketed toward women often cost more than masculine or gender-neutral versions, despite being functional similarities.
Personal maintenance for feminine individuals can feel like a societal expectation or dress code. While masculine individuals also face maintenance standards, the expectations for feminine-presenting people are typically much more expensive. It’s an extra time and financial effort that most men don’t feel the pressure to participate in. I wonder what would happen if we stopped performing these perceived acts of femininity, and if we would even want to. Is the investment worthwhile?
Sources: The Culture of Beauty, Barbie Culture, The Second Sex, Listen Money Matters, Forbes
