Gender Tax Targets Men Only

Binyam A.
Binyam A.
Aug 9, 2017 · 2 min read
Men charged a gender tax at Australian based cafe {Google Images}

Are you serious? Really? It’s 2017, give it a break! Because I’m a male, I have to pay an 18% tax for coffee? This is ridiculous. How ironic; Where’s the equality?

-Blithering Idiot

“Handsome Her is a space for women, by women”

Handsome Her is an Australian Café opening on Thursday that made its purpose to prioritize women’s rights and gender/social equality. In its list of rules provided above, the one rule that caused the most conversation was the one stating that men will be charged a gender tax of 18%. That rule, initially, may come off as a bit aggressive but they’re logic is quite intriguing.

On average, men make 17.7% more than women per full time position, according to an Australian government report. The tax and any excess money the cafe receive get donated to 2 women’s service.

“All we really wanted was to raise awareness and start conversations about the gender gap,” Belle Ngien, the café’s manager told CNN reporters.

Controversy does sell. However, outrage surfaced social media. Why? I’m not sure. In a society of “checks and balances,” doesn’t it always seem “divisive” or “exclusive” when it’s an act initiated by the oppressed or the underprivileged?

Now, it’s easy to look at yourself as an individual, and question why you are looked at as a person with privilege. This isn’t about proving the fact that the girl, Mary, at your office gets paid higher than you. It’s about a system in place, world-wide, that you reap the benefits from every day you wake up, whether you acknowledge it or not. More often than not, it’s the implicit bias that does more structural damage to our society than outright and blatant misogyny or racism.

It’s an interesting dichotomy of two perspectives. One of whom can see the world beyond themselves, and the other whom simply cannot.

The anger stems from an ignorant mindset of one person’s gain being equal another’s loss, better known as the zero sum theory. This theory makes sense if you are 4 years old and have no sense of history whatsoever.

Although there is no foreseeing of the success of this business, you have to respect the conversation derived from it. Women across the world have been slighted and underprivileged due to archaic standards.

Even though, as a man, I’d rather be just given less coffee, money to a good cause is always fulfilling.

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