From food to shower gel, pain medicine, and toothpaste, you can find some pointlessly gendered products in this list. It might appear funny, but let's think about justice for a moment. Products separated by gender aren't merely a joke; they represent a widespread and forceful ideology that influences our thoughts, actions, and financial decisions.

In general, men and women lead very similar lives today. We grow up together, attend the same schools, and have the same jobs. Aside from dating and having children, for some of us, gender isn't a big deal in our daily lives. In developed countries, we increasingly focus on personality over gender. But these products push back against this idea. They keep reminding us that gender matters, even though it rarely does in reality.

Labeling products needlessly by gender isn't just about separating us into groups – it's also about dictating the roles associated with those groups. Each of these products becomes a way to reinforce these ideas.

At times, the male and female versions of a product don't have the same price tag. In such cases, the female's version tends to be the pricier option. If women aren't vigilant or if having the "correct" product is important to them, they end up spending more money. Studies by the state of California, the University of Central Florida, and Consumer Reports all find that women pay more. "In California, women spent the equivalent of $2,044 more a year," (This study was done in 1996. The sum then was $1048; the sum would be $2,044, adjusted for inflation in 2023).

This isn't just something to be upset about – it involves real money. It affects things like providing for your family, affording education, or enjoying a vacation. When women are charged more, it makes it harder to support ourselves or enjoy life as much.

Products for women often cost more than those for men because of how companies market and design them. This happens due to historical practices, marketing strategies, and how society sees things. When products are made to target women specifically and look different, they seem more valuable and end up being priced higher. People also think of women's stuff as fancier, which adds to the cost. Sometimes, old trends and what people expect also make women's products cost more to make. And when many people want something, companies might raise the price. All these things together make products for women more expensive.

Over time, progress has been made towards achieving gender equality globally. Women have gained increased representation in politics, more economic chances, and improved healthcare in numerous parts of the world. Nonetheless, the World Economic Forum (WEF) predicts it will take another century before complete gender equality is achieved. There are some factors that contribute to this persistent gender gap.

One of them is employment equality. Only 6 countries treat women and men equally in terms of work rights (Belgium, Denmark, France, Latvia, Luxembourg and Sweden). Most economies give women only 3/4 of the rights that men have. When employment is more equal, it can also help improve gender equality in other areas.

Another factor that contributes to gender gap is lack of legal protections. According to research from the World Bank, "Over one billion women don’t have legal protection against domestic sexual violence or domestic economic violence." Both of these things significantly affect how well women can succeed and live without limitations. In many places, there aren't enough legal protections against harassment at work, school, and in public. This makes these environments unsafe, and women often have to make choices that hold back their goals.

When religious freedom is targeted, women are the ones who are most affected. According to the WEF, when extreme terrorist organizations like ISIS limit religious freedom in a community, gender inequality worsens. Georgetown University and Brigham Young University conducted a study that linked religious intolerance to women's involvement in the economy. The study found that increased religious freedom leads to greater stability in the economy due to the increased participation of women.

It might not be as easy to see as some other reasons, but how a society thinks overall really affects how men and women are treated unfairly. This affects lots of things like jobs, laws, and healthcare. People's ideas about gender are strong, and even if laws and things change, there's usually a pushback.

Gender equality isn't just a basic human right – it's also the essential base for creating a peaceful, flourishing, and lasting world. By standing united for equality and fairness, we can build a society where everyone has the same opportunities. Also read our previous posts on the topic here and here.