In recent years, with the increasing awareness of social progress and affirmative rights, people have become more and more sensitive to all kinds of irrational things. As consumers, we expect to be treated fairly with the same standards and prices when purchasing goods and services. But inequality persists.
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A case of a college student suing a well-known cosmetics company has attracted widespread attention. The incident started when the college student discovered that the company often charges extra when female consumers buy the same type of products, and the price is significantly higher than the male version. This is known as the "pink tax". After investigation, the court upheld the student's claim and ordered the company to refund the difference.
The incident sparked widespread controversy and resonance. Many consumers said that they also found many times when shopping that the women's version of the product is not significantly better than the men's version in terms of function and quality, but the price is much higher.
In addition, women from all walks of life unanimously said that they are often discriminated against and treated unfairly in different forms in the workplace and in all areas of society. For example, for the same job, there is a big difference in the wage standards between men and women; Under the same product functions and configurations, the version of the female consumer group has slightly worse functions but higher prices; and all sorts of invisible "women's taxes" in everyday life.
In the automotive industry, for example, many manufacturers in mainland China usually have fewer body colors and simpler interiors and equipment designs for the same type of models. However, the pricing is somewhat higher. It's hard to argue that this is entirely due to production costs. In contrast, the male consumer segment has more flexibility in terms of choice and pricing strategies.
For example, in the field of home appliances or daily necessities, the price of women's daily necessities is often 10%-30% higher than that of products of the same brand and specifications. Part of the reason for this is that manufacturers do not take into account the real needs of female users in the design process, and only stay at the superficial level, and on the other hand, they also lack attention and thinking about gender issues.
The essence of the problem of inequality lies in long-standing gender stereotypes. The various unspoken rules and implicit discrimination derived from this have led to women's insufficient rights and interests on many occasions. This is also the fundamental reason for the persistence of superficial behaviors such as the "pink tax".
In the face of such problems, it is particularly important to jointly uphold fairness and justice. On the one hand, all walks of life should pay attention to gender issues and avoid unconscious biases in design and production. On the other hand, as consumers, we should actively defend our rights and not take spending lightly, and manufacturers will only take each consumer group seriously when their economic interests are affected.
To a certain extent, this incident penetrated the atmosphere of egoism that permeated the usual atmosphere and aroused a collective consciousness of upholding fairness and justice. It also reminds us that we should pay close attention to the injustices that continue to arise around us, both as individuals and as members of society, and work together to create a more equitable and inclusive society.
The growing inequality in the area of consumption stems from a long-standing discriminatory attitude towards gender at all levels of society. Only by increasing the importance of gender equality, eliminating all kinds of hidden stereotypes, and fairly respecting the needs of each consumer group, can we move step by step towards a truly fair and just society.