Sanitary Product Brand Always To Remove Feminine Logo To Be More Inclusive To T*ans People

Always announced it will remove the Venus symbol from its
menstruation products packaging following calls by transgender
advocates, who said its parent, Procter & Gamble, was
alienating trans and gender-nonconforming customers by not
acknowledging that they, too, can experience menstruation.

“Could someone from Always tell me why it is imperative to have
the female symbol on their sanitary products?” Twitter user Melly
Bloom, one of those advocates, tweeted over the summer. “There are
non-binary and trans folks who still need to use your products too
you know!”

The company announced it would be removing the female signs from
its packaging starting in December and aims to have a new design
distributed worldwide by February 2020.

“For over 35 years, Always has championed girls and women, and
we will continue to do so. We’re also committed to diversity and
inclusion and are on a continual journey to understand the needs of
all of our consumers,” Proctor & Gamble’s media relations team
told NBC News in an email Monday. “We routinely assess our
products, packaging and designs, taking into account consumer
feedback, to ensure we are meeting the needs of everyone who uses
our products. The change to our pad wrapper design is consistent
with that practice.”

LGBTQ health experts said the decision is an ostensibly small
change that may have significant consequences for trans and
nonbinary people.

“This is a great move,” Dr. Jack Turban, a resident physician in
psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, said in an email. “First of
all, the symbol is unnecessary. Second of all, it sends a message
to transgender and non-binary people who need these products that
their identities are embraced and supported by the company,”

Steph deNormand, the Trans Health Program manager at Fenway
Health, also championed the design adjustment, stating that seeing
“female-coded” imagery can not only exacerbate gender dysphoria for
trans and gender-nonconforming people, but can also prevent them
from purchasing or accessing sanitary products.

“For folks using these products on a nearly monthly basis, it
can be harmful and distressing to see binary/gendered images,
coding, language and symbols. So, using less coded products can
make a huge difference,” deNormand said. “Trans and nonbinary folks
are constantly misgendered, and a gesture like this can broaden out
the experiences and open up spaces for those who need the
products.”

While a number of transgender advocates and LGBTQ health experts
applauded P&G’s decision to redesign the Always packaging, the
company’s announcement sparked criticism online, including a bounty
of transphobic commentary.

The Daily Mail, which has a history of publishing anti-LGBTQ
stories, accused P&G of “kowtowing” to the “transgender lobby”
and reported that women in the United Kingdom are now boycotting
the leading brand. The site also used a picture of teenage trans
activist Ben Saunders to accompany its story. Saunders, like Bloom,
was reportedly among those who had reached out to Always regarding
its Venus symbol.

I’ve been buying @Always^[1]
since I started my periods, over 20 years ago.

I won’t be buying them again. #boycottAlways pic.twitter.com/OOlKBa70f0^[2][3]

— That Big Old Moon ? (@Bigoldsupermoon) October
18, 2019^[4]

While some critics accused the company of trying to “erase
women,” much of the criticism appears to be rooted in the
misconception that transgender and nonbinary people cannot
experience menstruation — a claim medical experts have
debunked.

“Menstruation can occur for anyone with a uterus,” Turban wrote.
“There are many medications that stop or lighten periods (used by
both cisgender and transgender people), but these do not completely
stop menstruation for all people.”

DeNormand also noted that not all trans and nonbinary people
take hormones that can affect menstruation.

“While for a lot of people who take testosterone, the bleeding
often decreases or goes away, for some it doesn’t,” deNormand
explained. “And for others, taking hormones does not affirm their
gender and is not the goal, so they may have a regular menstrual
cycle.”

While some are now calling for a boycott of the brand, Turban
said Always’ decision uplifts trans and gender-nonconforming
people.

“The greatest predictor of good mental health among transgender
and nonbinary people is feeling that they are accepted,” Turban
said. “The company is showing that it accepts, respects, and cares
about this population, which is a powerful statement for a
community that is so often marginalized and rejected.”

Always’ announcement came right before the first National Period
Day, which took place Oct. 19 — a day of protests elevating the
issue of “period poverty” and demanding an end to taxes on tampons
and pads.

Culled from NBC News

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