Because of a mismatch
Vuokkoset, a Finnish company released the controversial new sanitary product earlier this month to coincide with Transgender Awareness week and International Men’s day. The product comes in a dark blue box which bears the words “For Men” on one side, but then extends this phrase around the packaging so it eventually reads “For Menstruation”. On another side of the packet it is stated that “periods are not a gender issue”.
Vuokkoset has said in a statement online that it launched the period product to “raise the issue of genderness of hygiene products and the anxiety related to menstruation in trans men”.
Yeah the “genderness” of products designed to absorb menstrual blood – why would such a thing be gendered why why I just cannot fathom it.
The company says that trans men – females who identify as male – might continue to experience menstrual cycles even while undergoing hormone treatment to change gender or may choose not to have such therapy at all and so will still have periods.
What the hell is “hormone treatment to change gender”? How is it “therapy”?
They added that studies show that 93 per cent of trans men have experienced menstrual-related gender dysphoria – a sense of unease a person may have because of a mismatch between their biological sex and gender identity.
You know, we all have a sense of unease about a mismatch between something about us and our fantasies. We’d all like to be more something or less something or a different combination of somethings. It’s the human condition. It’s not a medical issue.
feminist groups and women’s health experts on Saturday lambasted Vuokkoset for separating the idea of being female from menstruation.
Anna Melamed, a midwifery lecturer, said: “For so many girls around the world period shame and a lack of period products is very much part of the sex-based inequality they experience.
“To make out that ‘periods are not a gender issue’ is a backward step for those of us trying to educate young people and quite frankly is an insult to the sexism girls and young women suffer every day because of their periods.”
Sometimes (most of the time) it seems as if the insult is the whole point.
Senja Blomqvist, a brand manager for Vuokkoset, responded to the criticisms of the tampons “for men”, saying: “We fully acknowledge that the vast majority of individuals who menstruate are women and this is a significant part of the female experience. However, it is also a reality for some men and non-binary individuals.”
It’s not “the vast majority”; it’s all. No it is not a reality for some men. Female “non-binary individuals” are female.
“Recognising the experiences of all people who menstruate doesn’t erase anyone; it simply acknowledges and respects the diversity of human experiences.”
Actually it doesn’t. It does the opposite. Making a big fuss about bogus “diversity” just makes people not want to hear another word about “diversity.”
Look, this is easy.
Some men menstruate because a “man” isn’t necessarily male: some men — called transmen — are female. Though if they’ve undergone medical sex trait modification, they’re male. These males can menstruate because they’re not women but they’re menstruating anyhow. What makes someone a man is knowing you’re a man, which isn’t about sex or stereotypes, but an inner awareness of being a man instead of a woman. This is important because there’s a critical difference between men and women: nothing describable, but fundamental to who a person is. Men can be any way at all — but they know who they are. Period.
Let’s put the Men in Menstruation and the Period in Period.
For trans “men” whose gender identity is far too fragile to buy women’s products. Or worse, be seen buying women’s products, or even be seen in the women’s aisle at the drug store. Oh, the humiliation!
Here’s your merch, tough guy. Find it between the condoms and the beard trimmers.
I find it worth remembering the same people who believe the above, also believe ‘all lives matter’ is deliberate erasure of black people.
Well I can’t wait to see a tampon ad full of Buck Angel types.
I have to wonder what percentage of women have experienced “a sense of unease” about their bodies due to menstruation. (My anecdotal evidence indicates that it’s pretty close to 100% of us.)