On Tuesday, I had a haircut for the first time in nearly three years. And it got me thinking. How is it that hairdressers are allowed to price their services based on the gender of the customer?
Now, I can see how women’s haircuts would typically be more expensive than men’s. Women’s hairstyles are often more elaborate than men’s, and so require more work. But while more elaborate cuts do often cost extra on top of simpler ones, even the most basic cuts are priced differently for men and women. Had I been a woman, it would have cost over 50% more to get the exact same haircut as I did.
I can also see why, from a business perspective, a hairdresser would charge women more. Society still has a far greater expectation of vanity for women; there is far more expectation of women to look good and to appear well-groomed. Consequently a haircut is, for a lot of women, a more valuable and important service than it is for men. What puzzles me, though, is how it can be legal in the modern age to provide an identical service at differing prices depending on the gender of the customer.
I’ve often had the same question about auto insurance for young drivers. Sure, I understand the business reasons for charging males more than females, but it still seems unfair that having a Y-chromosome, something that was decided before you were even born, dictates that you pay so much more.
I had a friend in high school that had a perfect driving record, yet his insurance still cost more than that of a girl down the street of the same age who had caused three accidents and gotten five traffic tickets.
Pics or didn’t happen!
Curiosity strikes, however; could women go to the barbers instead? I know guys who go to hairstyley places, and are charged as much as the ladies (which is fair, if extortionate)
*MY* haircuts cost £1; YAY COLLEGE!
Why would you doubt me?
I didn’t have it cut short or anything; just a bit off the ends to tidy them up. You probably wouldn’t notice the difference even if I did supply pics.
See, I was desperately hoping for a buzz-cut, or some such thing. Trims don’t count as hair cuts!
If I were going for a buzz-cut, I’d just get a set of clippers and do it myself.