Why it costs more to be a woman (gag this airhead with a spoon, please)

msn money ^ | 1 Jan | MP Dunleavey

[flowerplough]

From haircuts to health insurance, moisturizers to mortgages, women are charged more than men for essentially the same stuff. There's only 1 way to fight this bunk.

The January issue of Consumer Reports just came in the mail, and what I found on Page 8 shocked me. There were two bottles of Nivea body wash: one for men priced at $5.49 and one for women costing $7.49.

Why the 2-buck difference? Nivea's reason, according to Consumer Reports senior editor Tod Marks, is that the women's product is made with "skin-sensation technology," which makes it more expensive.

I tried to imagine a bigger load of bunk. I failed.

[flowerplough]

" ...tried to imagine a bigger load of bunk. I failed."

Or did she? 'Cause just a few paragraphs later, she starts the predictable whining about earnings:

"on average, a woman still earns about 78 cents to a man's dollar (or $78,000 compared with $100,000 paid to a male colleague with the same level of experience). And women with children are less likely to be hired and are offered lower salaries than are fathers or women without children, according to Stanford University researcher Shelley Correll."

At least the big load of bunk she brings says "earn". Which makes it true, even though she's trying to give the impression that womens' lower earnings are unfair. But anyone who compares same-job earnings to same-job hours worked sees it my way, which is the right way. See: Why the Earnings Gender Gap in Business? Women Work Less

New York Times By ALICE PFEIFFER Published: April 29, 2009

PARIS — The worlds of finance and big business are notoriously dominated by middle-aged men. But recent research suggests that this may not be for the usually suspected reason — a glass ceiling molded from male prejudice. The research, by Marianne Bertrand, a professor of economics at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, and two Harvard economics professors, Claudia Goldin and Lawrence F. Katz, provides a statistical explanation: women with children fall behind because they work less, the study says."

Dunleavey also wails, "Many insurance companies charge women higher premiums and/or impose harsher terms (by rejecting claims or curtailing coverage), especially for those of childbearing age. Examples ranged from 22% to 50% higher, depending on age and state."

And women get those higher premiums because, what with childbearing and plumbing/drainage trouble, and lack of false bravado and denial, they use the medical services provided more often. Old dad, retired dairy farmer, usually didn't hafta pay overmuch for his privately-purchased health because, as one agent told him, farmers will work until they're almost completely dead, and then they might go to the doctor, if they make it all the way to his office, and don't die on the way.

[flowerplough]

oops. MSN Money story from 15 December. Hope mine ain’t a repost. I searched.

[central_va]

Women drink free, guys spend all their dough? Not. The “hook up” culture is on us now....

[MIchaelTArchangel]

Hey, MP, if the products are the same, but cost more for women, why don’t women just purchase and use the products made for men? What? You never thought of that? I guess that might be because you are too enraged by your “agenda”.

[BullDog108]

Valley girl
Shes a valley girl
Valley girl
Shes a valley girl
Okay, fine...
Fer sure, fer sure
Shes a valley girl
In a clothing store
Okay, fine...
Fer sure, fer sure
Shes a

Like, oh my god! (valley girl)
Like - totally (valley girl)
Encino is like so bitchen (valley girl)
Theres like the galleria (valley girl)
And like all these like really great shoe stores
I love going into like clothing stores and stuff
I like buy the neatest mini-skirts and stuff
Its like so bitchen cuz like everybodys like
Super-super nice...
Its like so bitchen...

On ventura, there she goes
She just bought some bitchen clothes
Tosses her head n flips her hair
She got a whole bunch of nothin in there

Anyway, he goes are you into s and m?
I go, oh right...
Could you like just picture me in like a leather teddy
Yeah right, hurt me, hurt me...
Im sure! no way!
He was like freaking me out...
He called me a beastie...
Thats cuz like he was totally blitzed
He goes like bag your face!
Im sure!

Valley girl
Shes a valley girl
Valley girl
Shes a valley girl
Okay, fine...
Fer sure, fer sure
Shes a valley girl
So sweet n pure
Okay, fine...
Fer sure, fer sure
Shes a
Its really sad (valley girl)
Like my english teacher
Hes like... (valley girl)
Hes like mr. bu-fu (valley girl)
Were talking lord God king bu-fu (valley girl)
I am so sure
Hes like so gross
He like sits there and like plays with all his rings
And he like flirts with all the guys in the class
Its like totally disgusting
Im like so sure
Its like barf me out...
Gag me with a spoon!

Last idea to cross her mind
Had something to do with where to find
A pair of jeans to fit her butt
And where to get her toenails cut

So like I go into this like salon place, yknow
And I wanted like to get my toenails done
And the lady like goes, oh my god, your toenails
Are like so grody
It was like really embarrassing
Shes like oh my god, like bag those toenails
Im like sure...
She goes, uh, I dont know if I can handle this, yknow...
I was like really embarrassed...

Valley girl
Shes a valley girl
Valley girl
Shes a valley girl
Okay, fine
Fer sure, fer sure
Shes a valley girl
And there is no cure
Okay, fine
Fer sure, fer sure
Shes a valley girl
And there is no cure

Like my mother is like a total space cadet (valley girl)
She like makes me do the dishes and (valley girl)
Clean the cat box (valley girl)
I am sure
Thats like gross (valley girl)
Barf out! (valley girl)
Oh my God (valley girl)

Hi!
Uh-huh... (valley girl)
My name?
My name is ondrya wolfson (valley girl)
Uh-huh
Thats right, ondrya (valley girl)
Uh-huh...
I know
Its like... (valley girl)
I do not talk funny...
Im sure (valley girl)
Whatsa matter with the way I talk? (valley girl)
I am a val, I know (valley girl)
But I live like in a really good part of encino so its okay (valley girl)
Uh-huh... (valley girl)
So like, I dont know (valley girl)
Im like freaking out totally (valley girl)
Oh my god! (valley girl)

Hi - I have to go to the orthodontist (valley girl)
Im getting my braces off, yknow (valley girl)
But I have to wear a retainer
Thats going to be really like a total bummer
Im freaking out
Im sure
Its like those things that like stick in your mouth
Theyre so gross...
You like get saliva all over them
But like, I dont know, its going to be cool, yknow
So you can see my smile
Itll be like really cool
Except my like my teeth are like too small
But no biggie...
Its so awesome
Its like tubular, yknow
Well, Im not like really ugly or anything
Its just like
I dont know
You know me, Im like into like the clean stuff
Like pac-man and like, I dont know
Like my mother like makes me do the dishes
Its like so gross...
Like all the stuff like sticks to the plates
And its like, its like somebody elses food, yknow
Its like grody...
Grody to the max
Im sure
Its like really nauseating
Like barf out
Gag me with a spoon
Gross
I am sure
Totally...

[ReneeLynn]

What’s yer point? Women do get charged more for things. Sometimes it’s better to trot off to the men’s department if you’re just looking for a t-shirt for summer. Same stuff, different price.

As for more doctor visits. There are some women so busy with family they barely have time to take care of themselves. Except for that oh, so fabulous trip to the gynie. Yeah, we just can’t wait to overuse the insurance on that! Not that you could if you wanted to. There are limits on visits.

[hinckley buzzard]

two bottles of Nivea body wash: one for men priced at $5.49 and one for women costing $7.49.

I can tell this idiot how to make it cost $7.49 less to be a woman..

[PrincessB]

Hmm... I saw what 3 beauty products in this? And uneccessary ones at that? I don’t get charged any more for food, soap, gas or any other daily necessity.

I am sure one of the lotions I have costs a little more, but do men want shimmer and sparkle lotion?

[DJ MacWoW]

Several years ago, Fox news in NYC did an investigation on this. A womans white tailored shirt cost more retail and to dry clean when they were essentially the same shirt.There were other examples but it’s been awhile and I’ve forgotten them.

[Onelifetogive]

women are charged more than men for essentially the same stuff.

Like auto and life insurance? Oh, wait, those cost more for men...

[flowerplough]

“What’s yer point? Women do get charged more for things. Sometimes it’s better to trot off to the men’s department...”

My point is that women often pay more, for fancier stuff, by choice, and earn less, because they work less, by choice, and then logic-free women news-writers whine about paying more and earning less, just because they are women.

Load of bunk.

[doodad]

I always tell my wife that especially with haircuts it costs more for women because they complain more.

[Zeddicus]

When women start getting treated the same as men in family court for issues of divorce, custody, and child support, THEN we can talk about skin cream, kmay?

[sr4402]

It's called Supply and Demand plus Marketing. The market is not pure platonic logic (I.E. the ridiculous idea that men are the same as women) or that everyone does the same thing at all ages. This NYT article is worth of fish wrap and to be burned in the fireplace. It makes women out to be heartless automatons and men out to be fools. It is just Postmodernist at it's slimiest.

[Zeddicus]

When women start getting treated the same as men in family court for issues of divorce, custody, and child support, THEN we can talk about skin cream, kmay?

[Minn]

The answer to her question is simple. When it comes to things like beauty and hygiene products, girls are suckers. I live in house full of them. It's amazing that the only shampoos that really work, or don't cause allergic reactions don't say Suave or White Rain, or Walpoo (I made that one up, but I wouldn't be surprised if there is such a thing) on them.

It's just simple, and perfectly ethical, price discrimination. The seller has identified two groups (wasn't very hard) that have different spending characteristics, just like business travelers and leisure travelers do.

If women are willing to pay $5.50 for a bottle of something, and the comparable man is willing to pay $3.00, and he is completely unconcerned with how it's packaged or whether he saw a glamorous ad for it, well, you'd be in idiot not to exploit the market as it presents itself to you.

[thefactor]

My haircuts are $15.

My girlfriend just colored her hair and we have spent the last 2 days talking about it. Please help me.

[McLynnan]

A womans white tailored shirt cost more retail and to dry clean

This is true. My personal policy is not to buy clothes that have to be dry cleaned. I never feel deprived when I shop. I have a few wool winter coats that make the trip to the cleaners once a year, but that's about it. Saves me a bundle. Men who have to wear suits and ties to work don't have that option.

[driftdiver]

So the real point is that price controls are needed to ensure there is no discrimination.

[ReneeLynn]

Not completely a load.

Well, I guess we’ll leave out the ‘fancy’ stuff and just dress and do our hair like you guys. That’ll be cheaper. You won’t like it, but it’ll be cheaper. We’ll all be Ellen. Maybe some of those butch lesbians don’t really like women at all. Maybe they’re just cheap.