Leave it to Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop to cause a stir with a new product launch, a bejeweled disposable diaper that made its way across our Instagram feeds causing confusion and a resounding, “Is this real?” reaction. At first glance, we said the same thing, why a diaper, why jewels and why an exorbitant cost like $120 for 12 nappies?
In the past, Goop has made headlines with a sexual wellness jade Yoni egg, vaginal steaming recommendations and the This Smells Like My Vagina candle that of course sold out right away. We thought for a split second that this new launch was in line with those other notable releases, but upon further inspection it turns out that Paltrow may be trolling us—for a good cause.
In a recent Op Ed for CBS, Paltrow spoke about the “Joys and Stresses of Motherhood,” and in the piece she reflects on Apple turning 18, Moses’s birth and the good fortune she had during those early mom days to not have to worry essentials like so many other mothers do worldwide. “I never had to think about the cost of diapers, never once, until recently when my team at Goop brought it up,” said the actress. “We were talking about the diaper tax. Despite the absolute necessity of diapers, in 33 states they’re taxed like a luxury good.”
By presenting an unaffordable luxury diaper on their site, Goop’s message is not lost on us. “Depending on the state, this sales tax can add between 1.5 and 7 percent to their cost,” she explained. “This makes diapers the fourth highest household expense for many low-income families.”
Once she had our attention Paltrow clued in followers who were upset at the ridiculous cost or thought the post was a joke. “There was a lot of outrage—good,” said the star in a follow up video posted on Goop’s social media. “It was designed to piss us off because of treating diapers like a luxury it makes you mad, so should taxing them like a luxury. The Diapér is a fake product meant to shine a light on a real problem. Despite the absolute necessity of diapers, in 33 states they aren’t treated like an essential item. They’re taxed like a luxury good. This leaves one in three families struggling to afford them.”
As she notes in her video, doing away with the tax is not a total solution, but it help provide at least a one month’s supply to families who need it. She urges her Goop followers to visit the site or baby2baby.org to donate and help provide millions of diapers for those in need.
