General Discussion

unless they could justify it by the work required. The laws are not self-executing - the injured parties have to take the offending party to court.

E.g. if both shirts are button-down long fitted sleeve with a collar and cuffs, without bust darts, same fabric content, they have to charge the same. Part of the difference is that men's shirts tend to be plainer (both as to decorations and as to seams - women's tend to have more seams (darts included), more decorative collars, slightly to significantly gathered sleeves - all those things do require additional care in cleaning, so once there is a non-gender-based difference, they can charge more - however I'm sure there are some who are merely looking at the gender of the owner.

So when local dry cleaners get away with it, it is because no one takes them to court - an example of why class actions were invented. The amount paid for each shirt is so small that the cost of one individual litigating it makes taking it to court prohibitive. If it did happen to make national news, and it was a national chain, chances are that a class action suit would result and the practice would end.