The always snarky company behind Cards Against Humanity has released a new edition of their popular, if politically incorrect game, but this time, it’s marketed towards women. The “For Her” box comes in a hot pink packaging and will set customers back an extra $5. This is despite containing all the same cards as the original game, with the exact same color scheme of black prompt cards and white answer cards.
It’s a bright spanking pink slap in the face to what’s been labeled the Pink Tax, a phenomenon where products marketed towards women costs as much as 7 percent more than the same products for men.
Think pink
The prices for products and services are not dependent on hard facts like the costs of material, production, and wages alone. Other than those, manufacturers charge the maximum they think the consumer is ready to pay. Women are more likely to feel obliged to look good, and thus are ready to fork out for it.
The market benefits from this female attitude, thus arose the birth of Pink Tax, so named because of the color of products directly marketed to girls and women. Pink Tax and has many seeing red when it comes to gender inequity.
The classic examples are already well known. Razors or razor blades suddenly became premium priced because they were pink, or deodorant with the same amount of active ingredient carried a discount when packaged for men.
The point of it all is that if women really are paying more than men for nearly identical products and services on top of earning less for the same work, they will have a harder time economically throughout their lives. These include both short-term goals like getting all the bills paid for the month or with long-term goals like saving for retirement.
Cards against discrimination
The tongue-in-cheek press release announcing Cards Against Humanity For Her is a hilarity of all sorts, mocking every inch of the Pink Tax. “We decided that hey, it’s 2017, it’s time for women to have a spot at the table, and nevertheless, she persisted,” Jenn Bane, the game’s community director supposedly said.
“That’s why we made Cards Against Humanity for Her. It’s trendy, stylish, and easy to understand. And it’s pink.”
Jokes aside, the profits from Cards Against Humanity For Her will proceed to EMILY'S list to donate and help elect progressive, pro-choice women into office. Polygon reached out to Bane to ask about the company’s choice to support the committee, and she said, “All profits will go to Emily’s List because of the political mess in America.”
