The Pronoun of Periods
Menstruation, more commonly known as ‘periods’ is a bodily function that has been unjustly assigned to just one gender for centuries altogether. Women have borne the burden of the title ‘menstruators’ and have been mercilessly shunned and shamed for it too, from the beginning of time. Periods are messy, painful, expensive, and stressful, but they are not feminine, and they are not shameful. The quote “Menstruation is the only blood that is not born from violence, yet it disgusts you the most,” as said by Maia Schwartz portrays aptly the light under which periods are viewed. The constant isolation of periods to one particular gender has proved to cause a wide variety of issues, for both women and other menstruating people as well.
As a result of this, absurd questions and beliefs related to periods and period products are asked. It is certain that every menstruating person has been pushed into a corner with an awkward, doubt from someone who does not. When twitter user ‘brownandbella’ tweeted “Women, what is the dumbest thing a man ever said to you about sex, reproductive health, menstruation, etc?”, the forum saw a slew of hilarious and ridiculous answers. They included beliefs that every menstrual cycle was a miscarriage, that every woman menstruated at the same time because of the moon, those menstruating folks could choose what fluid they could bleed, and even that period blood was blue as shown in commercials! In fact, according to a survey, 40% of Republican men believe that every menstruating person gets or might get their period on the same day, the start of the month according to the modern Gregorian calendar. Can you imagine people in positions of authority being so unaware?
This severe lack of knowledge can be attributed to how only young girls are taught about the female reproduction system, and how periods are such a gendered concept. Harmless, funny questions, however, are just the tip of the iceberg. Equating womanhood to periods and periods to womanhood is reducing gender to a biological function; it is inhumane and can cause body dysphoria. Saying that women by default are menstruators delegitimizes these women while also placing periods at the center of their identity as women. It is inaccurate to say all women have a shared biological experience, even all menstruators do not go through the same symptoms or issues as caused by their periods. Assuming that all experiences are similar or the same leads to invalidation of the pain and illnesses that menstruators can go through.
Fortunately, the aforementioned issues are being talked about, at a growing rate, and there are steps being taken to ensure that everyone is educated about the functionality of periods, and the taboo around it is diminishing. However, it is often forgotten that gender is a spectrum and not a linear concept. There are more than two genders, and menstruators can be of any of these on the spectrum. It includes transgender, trans-feminine/masculine, non-binary, and gender-fluid people, etc., and various others as well.
The term menstruator, as used in context here, goes back to 30 years ago, when trans people were beginning to be accepted into the LGBT+ community and society. Unfortunately, although this term is more common now, it is not as popular and commonly used as it must be. Refusing to acknowledge and use this terminology delegitimizes trans people and folks of other genders, by reducing them to their anatomy. This implicit association of gender through biological sex leads to violence against trans people discrimination in availing healthcare and erasure of non-binary/gender fluid folks. These associations of menstruation to women not only make it difficult for others to feel love for their bodies but also prevents them from availing of period products without facing backlash and stigma. For trans men, it could be a safety risk as well — using a menstrual product in a men’s bathroom could incite violence against them; their health and hygiene could be compromised as washrooms are not made inclusive.
When trans people were asked about this issue, one man answered that although he did not feel dysphoria while viewing content that made menstruating exclusive to women, he did express that he wished it would be more inclusive, and less taboo making it an easier topic to navigate. That was one of the less worrisome answers, unfortunately. A woman said she wishes she could menstruate simply so that others would stop questioning the existence of her identity. She also mentioned that she felt hurt when she was exposed to such gendered content. And as mentioned earlier, a gender-fluid person said that they felt body dysphoria when they menstruated during the time that they were non-binary or masculine. They attributed this feeling partially towards mainstream media and its constant portrayal of periods as a feminine characteristic. A few nonbinary people who responded had similar, disheartening experiences to share. They stated that although they did not feel too much dysphoria, they did feel incredibly under-represented and invalidated.
In 2020, a year that marks the start of a new decade, it would be extremely queerphobic and hateful to continue to gender periods. To ensure that we provide a more inclusive environment to everyone, regardless of their gender or orientation, the first step would be to stop assuming that only women menstruate, and instead term them as menstruators. ‘Always’, the menstrual product brand, has taken the leading step, stating that they will be removing the Venus symbol that is commonly used to denominate femininity, from their products. The next would be to acknowledge that people are worth more than their physical bodies — how they look does not define them wholly, and not every single body functions the same way.
Additionally, education about menstruation and the various identities and genders should be made mandatory to every student in institutions, regardless of their gender. Facilities such as sanitary products, trashcans, etc., must be made available in all washrooms. A better solution would be making restrooms gender-neutral and thus more inclusive. Advertisements and promotion of these products must be un-gendered, and more realistic. Period leaves, when the functionality has been figured out, must be granted to all menstruating folks, not just women.
Thus, a few small changes in our ways of behavior and speech can make a large difference in the lives of others. Everybody deserves to be validated, supported, and given access to healthcare resources as they navigate their biological realities, no matter what their gender or identity might be. Essentially, periods have no pronouns.
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Written by Sumaiyya
Designed by Dheeraj
