This is progress? Woolworths and feminine hygiene

Always found the phrase rather twee; ooh, let's use a euphemism because we can't talk about this in polite company, can we?

And YY to the 'dirtiness' implication - is that how we got to the point that young women new to their periods thought they smelled, and had to put chemicals on their privates to mask it? Yuk.

Another to say that I feel like 'period care' is better.

Feminine hygiene always strikes me as 'women need to sort their dirtiness out'

I always thought it was a Greek goddess 🤷‍♀️

Feminine hygiene covers more than periods in any case, surely? If that is an appropriate term (not sure it is).

I agree with calling period products period care.

Although I may be bitter as I never learned to rollerblade ...

What infuriates me is that, as posters have said, the companies making and selling tampons and towels have spent decades reinforcing the message that menstruation is something that needs to be hidden and is somehow ‘unclean’. They play on insecurities to sell product.

Getting rid of the term ‘hygiene’ is a start but how about they stop pushing scented tampons and towels (that can seriously irritate the skin) suggesting that we need to scent our fecking vaginas during a period. No one can smell a tampon when it’s inside you. Scent is adding a potential irritant to very sensitive area.

^^YetAnotherSpartacus

Wonder if they will add some chocolate to the aisle?

Love this! 😀

The tampon tax debacle was quite useful for puncturing that sort of regressive stupidity. I remember grinning when I heard George Osborne, probably in a budget speech, cheerfully and unabashedly referring to tampons in the House of Commons.

'feminine hygiene' implies a dirtyness.
and a 'not naming something' because it's shameful.
I think period care is appropriate and far less stigmatising than 'feminine hygiene'

But the difference here is quite simple - 'period care' or 'menstrual products' are referring tothings. They don't need gendered euphemisms. Product descriptions referring to theusersof these products, however, should have proper respectful terms referring to their users. Women, girls and whatever other 'inclusive' terms referring to female people are deemed appropriate

Thing is though that the companies have run adverts for donkeys years where the key points are all about hygiene, discretion , banging on about how you cant tell and here have a special case that no one can tell it has a tampon in it. Oh and don't forget to give yourself thrush by using our scented ranges because your vagina matters less than sone poor un suspecting bystander who might accidently smell u..

It is all centred around making you paranoid people can see something or smell something and making you feel disgusting , and embarrassed. I mean even the liquid on the adverts was blue.

And yet they worry about the language on the aisle being offensive?

My guess is the OP reacted to this because of rejecting the rise in dehumanising language such as 'menstruators'.

But the difference here is quite simple - 'period care' or 'menstrual products' are referring to things. They don't need gendered euphemisms. Product descriptions referring to the users of these products, however, should have proper respectful terms referring to their users. Women, girls and whatever other 'inclusive' terms referring to female people are deemed appropriate.

Wonder if they will add some chocolate to the aisle? :)

Another one who prefers period care. Jealous that you still have a Woolworths though.

Along with (it looks like) every single PP, I prefer period care. Hate the hygiene bit, and the feminine bit too. Feminine refers to gender role, You have periods because you’re female not because you are feminine.

I don’t like euphemisms it’s a bit like when women of past generations mouthed words that Could Not Be Said. No need to be squeamish about menstruation.

Period Care is too limited (because of other products that aren't about menstruation like vaginal infection creams, incontinence pads, pantyliners, pre-natal vitamins, etc.)

I'm sure I covered this point yesterday. All the products to protect your knickers are located in "the period and incontinence care" section of shops.

The vitamins are in the vitamins section and medical treatments are in the non- prescription medicines section.

I actually see this as a positive step - why not call a period a period, rather than hiding it behind a euphemism as if it's something shameful?

Period is a twee euphemism though!

I hate the term feminine hygiene. I'm happier if periods are referred to. I know only women have periods and calling them periods is good.

Prefer period care - or menstrual products.

'Hygiene' is all a bit Leviticus really - although I'd love a cellar with my own private Mikvah.

That overlooks entirely the overlap with inco products (can be for anyone) and looked as if the 'female' refers to the to the products.

Things like prenatal vitamins and OTC remedies are shelved in pharmacy sections, not with sanpro. And if you mean thrush cream, men and boys can catch it too.

I'd much prefer to see the word 'period' used to describe items sold for managing periods. It's time the shopping euphemism 'feminine' was consigned to the bin. And 'female' really isn't any better. Stop the shame (from which the euphemisms came) and the othering, and just call a period a period.

Period Care is too limited (because of other products that aren't about menstruation like vaginal infection creams, incontinence pads, pantyliners, pre-natal vitamins, etc.).

We keep discussing "what makes a woman?" - and the answer is being an adult human female. So why can't retailers be inclusive of all products that are only female-specific and call them:

"Female Products"

Because anything else - like makeup, nail polish (varnish), hair spray, pink razors, lotion etc. are only stereotypically products for women and girls.

Instead, be honest and fill up that aisle with products ONLY for the female body.

I can't think of any better way to argue that it is our bodies, and only our bodies, that make us female. Not our grooming products like brands love to suggest.

"Period care" is way better than "feminine hygiene"!

Yes why should buying something for periods be any more shameful than needing hayfever medication, deodorant, or something to remove hard skin on your feet? They are a normal (if inconvenient) bodily function.