The Pink Tax

Episode #39

The Pink Tax

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While there has been much discussion over the gender wage gap in this country, the fact that female shoppers are often penalized at the cash register has only recently begun to gain traction among policymakers. On this episode, we discuss what is known as the “pink tax” – the phenomenon of retailers increasing the price of products, such as shampoo or razors, once they are marketed to women – despite being identical to men’s products. This gender-based discrimination is also baked into items like tampons and other sanitary products – as they aren’t deemed medically necessary in many states – placing extra sales tax burdens on female consumers and spurring a movement to #freethetampons.  Later in the show, we break down the recent decision by the North Carolina legislature to pass discriminatory legislation that makes the state, as the New York Times editorial board put it, “a pioneer in bigotry” against LGBT people and other marginalized communities.

Follow this week’s guests on Twitter!

  • Danielle Paquette, journalist for The Washington Post’s WonkBlog: @DPAQReport
  • Kate Bahn, Economist at the Center for American Progress: @LipstickEcon
  • Sarah McBride, Campaigns and Communications Manager for LGBT Progress at the Center for American Progress: @SarahEMcBride
  • Alan Pyke, Deputy Economic Policy Editor, ThinkProgress: @PykeA