{"id":15888,"date":"2021-07-03T19:15:00","date_gmt":"2021-07-03T11:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.runsociety.com\/?p=15888"},"modified":"2022-12-27T01:23:06","modified_gmt":"2022-12-26T17:23:06","slug":"in-singapore-running-is-far-more-expensive-for-women-than-for-men","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.runsociety.com\/opinions\/in-singapore-running-is-far-more-expensive-for-women-than-for-men\/","title":{"rendered":"Do You Know Running is More Expensive For Women?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If your mum told you repeatedly that \u201clife isn\u2019t fair,\u201d<\/em> you\u2019d better sit down while reading this article because you\u2019ll discover that she was more than right!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Think about how much more women spend on clothing, health care, their children and parents than do men, and you can conclude that financial inequality is everywhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To prove a point, we\u2019ve investigated the notion that running is more expensive for women than men. If you\u2019re a woman<\/a>, you\u2019re probably saying \u201cWhat else is new?\u201d<\/em> If you\u2019re a man<\/a>, you may just feel lucky!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dare We Start With The Wage Gap?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

American women may be the loudest when it comes to complaining that, statistically, they continue to earn only about 78-percent of what their male counterparts earn, and the topic has become so heated, a new term has been coined to describe the conundrum: the woman tax.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Throughout their lifetime, it costs more to be a woman than a man, according to multiple sources, so in a society where women\u2019s salaries are inferior to men\u2019s it’s going to take both social and legal pressure to make things right eventually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the Ministry of Manpower Labour Force\u2019s 2015 report, there is equal distribution of salaries in Singapore for women in the 25 to 29 age range, but once women celebrate their 30th birthday, that changes dramatically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Men\u2019s incomes markedly exceed wages earned by their female counterparts, even if both have exactly the same education and credentials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Ministry report reports that \u201cthe price to pay for being a woman is almost S$500,000 over a 40-year career.\u201d This means every woman in Singapore works from five to ten years longer just to wind up with the same pay as men over the years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"In
Photo Credit: 123RF<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

How Do Women Runners Spend Their Money?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In western societies, the list of goods and services on which women spend more than men offers a few surprises. Women pay more for a home mortgage (0.4-percent more) than men. Speculators believe this happens because women are less likely than men to seek refinancing or negotiate for better terms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A more mundane comparison would be personal grooming expenses and it\u2019s no secret that haircuts for women cost more than for men.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A great example of product inequality is found in the deodorant and antiperspirant market. Not only do women\u2019s deodorants cost more, but men\u2019s antiperspirant packages are larger, so they get more product for less money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s the irony: With the exception of fragrances<\/a>, there\u2019s no difference between the formulations of odour-busters for women and men and you can apply the same logic to body washes and bath and grooming products runners use in great numbers since they\u2019re constantly showering and reapplying products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can you stand more irony? The same amount of fabric is used to produce a pair of women\u2019s running shorts, t-shirts and jogging pants (sometimes less) than comparable menswear, yet prices attached to women\u2019s athletic garb are usually higher, even when items are made using the same patterns, by the same workers and sewn on the same machines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"In
Photo Credit: 123RF<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Truth is Irrefutable: Women Pay More!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A New York City Department of Consumer Affairs (NYCDCA) article broke a story comparing nearly 800 gender-specific items, and while male and female versions were virtually identical, gender-specific packaging hyped the retail price of the feminine versions by 7-percent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact, the NYCDCA produced a document comparing items active consumers use most often and found that women pay 48-percent more for shampoo than men. You’d think shaving gear would be exempt from this equation, but in fact razor cartridges for men cost US$15 while women paid US$18.50 for blades produced at the same factory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re shaking your head and saying, \u201cOnly in America,\u201d the truth is that UK markups for the same products show the same disparity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A study conducted by \u201cThe Independent\u201d proved that female shoppers spend \u00a312 on the exact same white Topman t-shirt that sells for \u00a38 in the men\u2019s department.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spend a little time comparing running staples at your favourite Singapore department store and you could walk away shocked and dismayed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Do Women Buy That Men Don\u2019t?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n