Ways in which being a woman is shit cause is costs so much money.
1. Cosmetics. Societal expectations not only have an impact on our self-esteem, but our wallets as well. Almost all american women have at least experimented with make-up at some point, many buying quite a lot. People think a woman without make up is unintelligent and a woman with too obvious makeup is unintelligent. There is no winning there.
Make-up is expensive, especially if you want good quality. I don’t even wear make-up generally, unless it’s really obvious that it’s there using bright colors. I still have a bunch in my bathroom. It’s for special occasions or when I get into costume but all of it cost at least $100 total. I wear lipstick regularly and the MAC brand lipsticks I bought cost $18-19 after tax, each.
2. Feminine Hygiene and Health. I’m not just talking about tampons and pads (see which states tax you for being a woman), I’m also speaking about soap and cleansing wipes for vaginas. Also lube, which you’ll probably need if you’re on any sort of medication, since vaginal dryness is a side-effect of several medications. Not to mention what I hope is a stereotype of men not buying condoms and insisting that if women want that kind of protection they have to buy it themselves. Also birth control (supposedly now free under the Affordable Care Act, but I’m still paying so…) and morning after pills, the former of which is vital for the mental and physical health of some women. Oh and the costs for the extra special doctors GYNECOLOGISTS only women need to see.
3. Bras. Just bras. If you have boobs of any size bigger than an A, you probably need a ‘proper’ bra. Back when I was in puberty, until I hit B-cup, all I needed was one made of elastic/spandex. That was super comfortable I miss those days. A good quality bra will cost between $30 and $100 dollars. The lower figure is only if you catch a sale by some miracle. No matter how much you spend, bras, like all clothing, also wear out over time. Even if you had it fitted correctly, which is unlikely, many women don’t bother getting fitted every time they buy bras. You have to really get the right person to help you (I find Nordstrom quite reliable, but then they give you bras to try on as they fit you). About 10-20% of my female friends get fitted every time. As bras wear out or your weight changes, they will stop having the correct fit. I’ve had the same bras for years, and I know I need to replace them, but I simply can’t afford to buy 7 new bras every year. And yes, of course you need multiple bras, you wouldn’t own one pair of underwear, would you? I own enough underwear to last more than two weeks, including ones I’ve already ruined with menstruation. YEAH I SAID IT ‘PERIOD’ IS A TERM COUCHED IN METAPHORS THAT DEGRADE WOMEN.
TMI? honestly, not talking about these things–no matter how uncomfortable they make us–only perpetuates these problems.
