A New York pharmacy turned heads this week after introducing a 7% “man tax” to even out the gender pay gap.
Thompson Chemists announced the “new store policy”, which also offered tax-free products to women, on pink and blue posters displayed in its windows.
The price change followed an announcement from the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs that, on average, “women’s products cost 7% more than similar products for men”.
The pharmacy owner, Jolie Alony, told Gothamist.com: “We want to bring awareness on how it feels to be a woman, so the men actually get to feel it.”
The move was met with criticism on social media, leading Alony to explain that men aren’t actually being charged a tax, rather women are receiving a discount on products to reflect the gender pay gap.
“So far, the women are very, very happy,” Alony told Gothamist.com. “Men haven’t complained yet, they’ve just laughed.”