A Melbourne Café Is Taxing Male Customers to Protest the Gender Pay Gap

At Melbourne café Handsome Her, supporting other female customers comes as a priority. 

That's why they've taken a bold stance by taxing male customers an extra 18 per cent because, you know, on average they earn 16 per cent more than females in Australia. (The café is technically two per cent off, but that's not the point.)

Handsome Her's owner, Alex O'Brien, told Broadsheet Melbourne that she wanted to use the sign to start a conversation (it certainly did).

"I like that it is making men stop and question their privilege a little bit," O'Brien said. 

"We are not imposing the surcharge, it's voluntary... Men are asked if they want to pay the charge before being charged," she clarified.

Would LOVE everyones thoughts on this. My friends cafe in #Brunswick, Handsom Her - is for women by women AND an has a 18% gender tax! pic.twitter.com/tVSX3PO4q8

— Paige Cardona (@paigecardona) August 3, 2017

There's nothing like a strong political message to send Twitter into hysterics. There was, however, a wealth of positive responses.

I love it. Especially if it creates an environment where women feel safe

— Erin Riley (@erinrileyau) August 3, 2017

Highlighting wage gap in a very tangible wayand creating spaces for and by women 👌 As long as it's trans inclusive it sounds great ❤️

— Margot Fink (@margot_fink) August 3, 2017

As a man - no problem with it at all. No reason women shouldn't have their own spaces and be able to dictate what the rules are in them.

— Josh Elliott (@JoshElliott_29) August 3, 2017

No issue with it. Let's be honest there's still plenty of men only domains kicking around.

— Paul Curson (@TGR8795) August 4, 2017

But there were a bunch of pretty angry men too.

If it was the other way around there would be riots in the streets!!!

— 7th Panzer Division (@CroPanzerKama) August 3, 2017

This is the most Melbourne thing I've ever seen

— Mark Conway (@AFL_MarkConway) August 3, 2017

Your friend doesn't have a very good business model.

— Craig Davidson (@craiginundy) August 7, 2017

If your friend got a job in science or engineering, instead of cooking food, it might help close that pay gap.

— Mali (Blue tick) (@ITzMALIb) August 7, 2017

The café has since posted on their Facebook page to publicly thank all those men who happily paid the tax, the workers who've had to defend their new workplace and the customers who continue to drop in.

What do you think?

Photo: Facebook (Handsome Her)