California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill last month intended to press pause on the "pink tax."
The pink tax refers to the higher prices women often pay for virtually the same products as men, such as razors, shaving cream, and deodorant.
The new law makes it illegal to price similar items higher based on the gender they are geared toward.
From toiletries to toys, the pink item tends to cost more than an identical blue item. They’re small price differences that could go unnoticed on a day-to-day basis, but the dollars and cents start to add up.
AB 1297 eliminates the “pink tax” by prohibiting different prices for goods based purely on what gender they are marketed to.
"I kind of noticed I always saw that the girl's deodorant and razors were more. I just thought they were better but now that I think about it, that’s messed up," said David Valadez, San Luis Obispo resident.
“The “Pink Tax” is a sexist penalty based purely on gender,” said Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, the author of the bill. “Paying a financial cost for being a woman is unjust and only adds to the gender wage and wealth gaps."
According to a study from the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs, more than half of women’s products cost more than the same product marketed to men.
"I do notice it when I go shopping day to day, especially when the grocery bill comes out. Compared to my male housemate, I have more stuff to pay for," explained Vi Xuong an international student in San Luis Obispo.
The bill does allow for price differences when there is a significant variation in the cost or time to produce a particular good.
If retailers or businesses violate this law, the attorney general could take action and prosecute in court.
