Being a female is expensive. Sure, some of it comes from us liking fancy things and wanting to go all out in ways guys just don't. Personally, I know I'm a shopaholic, and I own it. However, some of the things I buy due to my gender are completely unavoidable, whether that comes from nature or the social expectations of what a woman should be.
My biggest grievance though is that women often pay more for the same products as men simply because of the gender the products are aimed toward, in a phenomenon known as the Pink Tax. You can learn more about it here.
While I whip out my debit card and pay up for the "luxury" of tampons, check out these 10 items you ladies may not realize you're paying for that your male counterparts are not.
1. Mascara
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Makeup, in general, is a cost that males don't traditionally incur, but mascara might be the most ridiculous extra cost women pay in the area of facial beauty. We literally feel the need to purchase paint that makes our eyelashes longer. I don't even really understand why this is necessary.
2. Hair ties
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Our ponytails don't just magically stay in place on their own. Us girls have to buy special rubber bands just to keep ourselves from sweating to death or not being able to see. Awesome.
3. Spanx
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Because women are expected to be skinny twigs, we feel pressure to wear undergarments that suck us in so tight we can hardly move. And to add to the fun, they're not cheap
4. Tampons
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Ahh yes, the most magical time of the month. NOT! Women have to pay extra money bleed while in pain. Does that even sound logical?!
5. Jewelry
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Part of wearing clothing as a female is accessorizing. We buy tiny sparkly things to wear in addition to clothes while men rarely have to consider extra costs like that.
6. Hair dye
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Hair dye is expensive, especially when you care about your hair and want it done right by a professional. Yes, a lot of us ladies do it for fun, but we also feel pressure to hide those gray hairs as we age. God forbid we appear old.
7. Nail polish
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Just like hair dye, good nail polish is pricy. Sure, it lasts almost forever, but it's still an additional cost men don't even have to think about. If their nails aren't ragged, they're considered put together. Women on the other hand require steps beyond our nails appearing "normal."
8. Different types of socks
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Because there is a greater variety in the shoes women are socialized to wear, there is a wider variety of socks ladies must purchase. Men's shoes are usually only cut one or two ways, so they can get away with fewer pairs of socks overall.
9. Hair styling tools
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Females are supposed to keep their hair long, but we're also supposed to be able to keep it tamed. Enter expensive, damaging hair tools that look foreign to most men.
10. Purses
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No matter how hard I try and no matter how many bags I fall in love with, I will never understand why girls seem to have to carry a crap ton of extra stuff around in a purse while men get away with stuffing things in their unfairly-sized pockets. Purses are expensive while pants are required, and that just doesn't seem right.
Sure, a lot of women, myself included, enjoy buying many of these items. They add a little flair to our lives. But, it's kinda how much more money women have to spend to reach a social level of equality with men. Food for thought.
