What are tariffs and how are they affecting our lives right now?

Tariffs are taxes placed on goods imported from other countries. Since Donald Trump returned to the U.S. presidency, he has introduced a sweeping set of tariffs targeting nearly every major trading partner. American people and companies will now pay 15% tariffs (think of it like a tax) on goods imported from the EU. This means higher prices, disrupted supply chains, and shrinking business and consumer confidence. 

Why does this matter for FLINTA* people in particular?

Businesses often respond to uncertainty by scaling back production, cutting contracts, or passing on higher costs. People in precarious jobs are the first to feel the effects of those changes. These are jobs like retail, personal services, and care work – and this is exactly where there are more FLINTA* people. In other words, insecure jobs are more likely to be held by FLINTA* people. These jobs are characterized by structural inequalities: lower pay, a higher share of undervalued emotional labor, and fewer paths to decision-making positions. 

Which jobs in Europe are affected specifically?

Around the world, FLINTA* people working in textile supply chains (think of countries like Bangladesh and Vietnam), electronics assembly, and logistics are particularly exposed. In Europe, jobs in retail, especially in clothing and electronics, also depend heavily on global trade. When products become more expensive or harder to source, demand falls, and these frontline roles are often the first to be cut. Because these positions are typically low-paid and weakly protected, many FLINTA* workers have little financial buffer when the shocks come.

But it’s men in automobile production, right?

Yes, absolutely. The tariffs will definitely affect the employment of many men working in manufacturing. There are implications of this for FLINTA* people too: when men lose their jobs, it is often their female partners that bear the brunt of increased emotional labor. Domestic violence against FLINTA*s increases. When new jobs do finally get created, they are more likely to go to men. 

Tariffs also drive inflation – and that hits FLINTA* people hardest

Tariffs fuel overall inflation by reducing competition and raising production costs. This effect is already being felt in the U.S. and could spread to Europe as supply chains become costlier or less stable. Inflation disproportionately affects lower-income people, since a larger share of their income goes toward essentials like food, rent, and energy. And because FLINTA* people generally earn less, they feel rising prices more quickly and have less financial cushion to absorb the shock.