The "Pink Tax" is a phrase commonly used to describe the extra money that women are required to pay for things that simply say "For Her" or are pink and have flowers. These "female" versions of products such as razors and deodorants are made of the EXACT same materials in the EXACT same way, and yet because the packaging is pink I have to pay more? I don't think so.

Quite simply, it costs more to be a woman. In fact, it costs about $1,351 more a year for a woman, just simply buying necessities. To make matters worse, women are ALREADY paid less than men. So not only are we coerced into paying more for the same products, but we also don't have as many means with which to buy said overpriced products. Plus, men's deodorant works better anyway.

Most products which indicate that they are for specifically females are mass produced in some conjunction with the color pink. There is absolutely no need for us to pay more for a color. For these products, the packaging and advertisements are the same, along with the facts on the back that tell us what they are made out of. Literally, the only difference is the color of the stupid plastic packaging, and I don't know about the rest of you ladies out there, but I am sick of unnecessarily paying more for items that I use on a daily basis.

Okay, so we're paying more for the same products, and arguably paying more for ones that aren't as effective as they claim to be. So what? Well, since we're making less, we shouldn't be required to pay more. That's just common sense, but this is also capitalism we're talking about here.

It isn't even just self-care products either, the pink tax also exists for CHILDREN. Picture this: you give your kids, one boy and one girl, each $10 to buy a brand new bike helmet. Your son wants the one with superheroes, and your daughter wants the one with blue and purple flowers on it. Your son finds his for $9, but the only ones your daughter can find that she likes are $14. How do you explain this to them? From this young age, we are TEACHING our daughters that they can't have as much as boys can, that they have to work harder to be able to afford the EXACT! SAME! THINGS!

Frankly, it's ridiculous that we even need to discuss this, but most people don't even notice the pink tax. Sometimes it such a small amount that it's only noticeable if you're looking for it. However, the pink tax exists on everyday products that we use often enough to make it all add up.

I calculated the approximate amount that the pink tax has taken from me, and it came to $26,051. TWENTY. SIX. THOUSAND. DOLLARS. And I am only 19 years old. The amount of money that the pink tax will steal away from me in my lifetime could be enough to buy an entire house or go on an extravagant world vacation for a month or two.

What I'm trying to say is that the pink tax is stealing our money and our lives right out from under our noses, and no one is doing anything about it. For big things to happen, it takes a village. And y'all, this village is sure as hell tired of paying more for a pink bottle of shampoo.

Since the beginning of the history of time, women have always been the inferior sex. It's time we stomp this out and make a move to do something. Boycott the flowery pink and purple packages, so we can all #AxThePinkTax!