Period products have long been ultra-feminized in one way or another, more often than not in terms of packaging and advertising.

Beyond the obvious pushing of sexist stereotypes that uphold the patriarchy, this also presents a problem for gender-nonconforming people, trans men, and other people who have periods and suffer from gender dysphoria.

The often-times pink and froofy packaging can result in a triggering of many people’s gender dysphoria. The overflow of this packaging can cause more than simple discomfort.

To make it worse, these individuals tend to be not only the most socially oppressed, but they are also the most economically oppressed, making the high price of period products salt in the wound in some sense. And when they are free, they are rarely made available to people who have periods.

Creating gender-neutral packaging and advertising for all period products, including period trackers (one of the best examples is Clue), websites that discuss periods, and anything and everything else that has to do with menstruation, will allow the conversation to open up to include men and gender-nonconforming people who experience periods. It will make them feel safer to use those products in places where they may not currently feel safe (PUBLIC BATHROOMS!) and lift the stigma further from periods.

It will also increase the idea of inclusive feminism - feminism focusing on gender equality for all, and one allowing the conversation to open up to include gender issues that perhaps cis women don’t face and gender issues that cis women and more face.