8 Things Women Have To Pay For
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

8 Costly Things Women Have To Pay For That Should Be 100% Free

Both financially and socially.

240
8 Costly Things Women Have To Pay For That Should Be 100% Free

Recently I posted a question on my Instagram story that asked: "What are things that women have to pay for that they shouldn't?" My inbox overflowed with responses from a lot of girls, with most of the responses being tampons, birth control, plan B, and being safe at night time. The costs that women pay for that men never even think about, need to be talked about more. Such costs are invisible to society but deeply felt by the women affected. Not only do we pay outrageous prices to manage our periods, by being female we are exposed to uncomfortable situations on the daily. These financial and social costs that women face are a large part of the reasons why feminism is so important. Our bodies are ours. We should not have to pay to maintain them and we should not have our body rights taken from us.

1. Feminine hygiene products

Did I choose to bleed for a week every month? No. Am I paying an outrageous price to take care of it? Yes. A box of a 36 pack of tampons costs around $7. $7 x 12 months = $84. Most women have their periods from around age 13 to age 60. $84 x 47 years = $3,948. We pay around $4,000 in our lifetime for a natural bodily process. Ok cool.

2. Birth control

Not only do some women have to pay out of pocket for birth control, but they also have to deal with the stresses of birth control. It's not just taking a pill every day and that's that. Women's emotions can be messed with, they may spot irregularly, they might gain weight, and much more. Not to mention that Viagra is free. Mmmm nice.

3. Safety

When I came to college, I was flooded with advice on how to not be safe. Buy pepper spray. Don't walk home alone at night. Pour your own drink at parties. If you walk away from your drink, don't drink it. You get the point. Meanwhile, men aren't flooded with advice on how to protect their female friends or how to watch over their male friends.

4. Uber

Obviously, this is a business and businesses need money for their services. I'm not saying women should receive free Uber rides. I'm saying that women are forced to pay for rides home late at night because it's more unsafe to walk alone. There's also the cost of being kidnapped in an Uber, a cost that women also face which they shouldn't have to.

5. "Taking it as a compliment"

We are told that if men holler at us on the street, make unsolicited sexual comments, or touch us in inappropriate ways, we should "take it as a compliment." Men are not told to cat-call or to keep their hands off of women.

6. Saying no

We can't just say no. Women have been beaten or even murdered for saying no. We sometimes have to make up excuses — "I have a boyfriend," "My friends are leaving soon," etc, in order for a man to leave us alone. Saying no doesn't always work.

7. "She was asking for it"

Women are told what to do to avoid sexual assault, meanwhile, men are not told how to not sexual assault. If we are sexually assaulted, we're told it's our fault. Our skirt was too short, our boobs were showing, we were wearing a thong, we were drinking, we were flirting, we accepted a drink, and so on. It's ridiculous. The ONLY things that proves we were "asking for it" is us saying "Yes."

8. Men's ignorance

If men had their period every month, they would get paid time off of work and tampons would be free. If men were the ones who got pregnant, abortions would be easier to obtain and birth control would be free. The rights of our bodies and the costs we pay should not be determined by men because they don't truly know what we go through. Simple as that.

I'm tired. I'm tired of paying for tampons. I'm tired of watching my back at night. I'm tired of worrying that my outfit will be too slutty. I'm tired of men making decisions about my body. Women deserve more than this.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
bruce springsteen album cover born in the usa

Anyone who was born and raised in New Jersey (or anywhere really) knows of Bruce Springsteen, whether or not they like him is a whole other situation. I hope that his hundreds of classic rock songs and famous high energy performances, even in his sixties he can put on better concerts than people half his age, are at least recognizable to people of all ages. Love him or hate him (I identify with the former) you have to admit that some of his songs and interviews have inspirational quotes and lyrics.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

New England Summers Are The BEST Summers

Why you should spend your next summer in New England.

1469
Marconi Beach

Three years ago, I chose to attend college in Philadelphia, approximately 360 miles away from my small town in New Hampshire. I have learned many valuable lessons away from home, and have thoroughly enjoyed my time spent in Pennsylvania. One thing that my experience has taught me, however, is that it is absolutely impossible to beat a New England summer.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Fibonacci Sequence Examples: 7 Beautiful Instances In Nature

Nature is beautiful (and so is math). The last one will blow your mind.

237688
illustration of the fibonacci sequence
StableDiffusion

Yes, the math major is doing a math-related post. What are the odds? I'll have to calculate it later. Many people have probably learned about the Fibonacci sequence in their high school math classes. However, I thought I would just refresh everyone's memories and show how math can be beautiful and apply to physical things everywhere around us with stunning examples.

Keep Reading...Show less
the beatles
Wikipedia Commons

For as long as I can remember, I have been listening to The Beatles. Every year, my mom would appropriately blast “Birthday” on anyone’s birthday. I knew all of the words to “Back In The U.S.S.R” by the time I was 5 (Even though I had no idea what or where the U.S.S.R was). I grew up with John, Paul, George, and Ringo instead Justin, JC, Joey, Chris and Lance (I had to google N*SYNC to remember their names). The highlight of my short life was Paul McCartney in concert twice. I’m not someone to “fangirl” but those days I fangirled hard. The music of The Beatles has gotten me through everything. Their songs have brought me more joy, peace, and comfort. I can listen to them in any situation and find what I need. Here are the best lyrics from The Beatles for every and any occasion.

Keep Reading...Show less
Being Invisible The Best Super Power

The best superpower ever? Being invisible of course. Imagine just being able to go from seen to unseen on a dime. Who wouldn't want to have the opportunity to be invisible? Superman and Batman have nothing on being invisible with their superhero abilities. Here are some things that you could do while being invisible, because being invisible can benefit your social life too.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments