To think it's odd that our first 'Period Dignity Officer' is a man?

[Bobby80]

So pretty much what the title says. The first Period Dignity Officer has been appointed and they are male. One one hand I'm thinking 'WTF' and the other I'm thinking this is a very good PR stint/opportunity to actively involve men in the conversation.
male Period Dignity Officer

I wonder if it was a man who interviewed and appointed him. Bet it was.

He's an ex-PT. He's not a doctor. He's not a gynaecologist. Why should any woman feel safe discussing something so intimate with him? What makes him qualified?

It's a Local Authority project management role. There's no need whatsoever to have a doctor or gynaecologist fill it, and I highly doubt he's going to be anywhere near any scenario that involves face to face intimate discussions with individual women about the specifics of their periods. There are other people, including women, on the team.

You say that, but...

"Jason will be employed by the project team comprising Dundee and Angus College, Perth College, Angus Council and Dundee City Council in what is the first role of its kind in Scotland.

...

The Period Dignity Working Group comprises Katie Baxter (Dundee and Angus College), Shelley Hague (Angus Council), Jill Brash (Dundee City Council) and Deborah Lally (Perth College)."

It sounds a lot like women let him walk into this role.

It’s a fucking disgrace

and the more threads about this the better so as many as possible are informed

I am aware there are women in this team

a woman and I mean a female should lead this team

what sort of man would think he is the right person to 🙄

The job was advertised for 9 days, 4 of which were weekend days. Stinks of him
being a shoe-in. Do you think he’d dare come on a mumsnet live chat!!

It would be interesting to see the shortlist of candidates and what the interview process was like for him to be chosen as the best person for the job.

Likely that any female applicant could bring at least a decade's worth of personal experience of having periods and several examples of times when she's either suffered or worried about suffering lack of dignity due to having her period.

What could he offer to beat that?

This in spades

For good reason

A great big publicity stunt. WTF do we need a period compliance officer?
Women have been having periods for billions of years.

But he doesn't need to understand

You clearly have 0 idea about what this job is

I’m pretty sure this isn’t the only part of his role

people need to get a grip

man or woman - does matter - he’s making policy and enforcing it now showing kids how to insert a tampon fgs!!!

Never heard of this role... I thought you meant in work. Like, a bloke who keeps the tampons in his desk drawer & runs to the shop for chocolate.

This

People are getting worked up over a role they have no idea about (as otherwise they wouldn't be worked up about it)

It's a glorified project management role

Period dignity officer? What the fuck is the world coming to?!

Because it's now law in Scotland that sanitary products are supplied free of charge, so there is a requirement to have someone oversee this and ensure that the law is complied with.

A lot of Scottish LA's have been supplying free sanpro for a while now in any case, but before now there has never been a legal obligation for them to do so.

This is no different to the legal compulsion upon LA's to supply any service. It requires management and oversight.

We only had a few years where women and girls were allowed to be centred in issues that apply only to females. The males have found a way to speak over and for us again.

So many blind fools cheering it on.

well he feel his gender will help with his role

and his role shall also cover dealing with the menopause

his experience is corporate and he certainly doesn’t have life experience as many women suitable for the role would

Do you actually even know what this job entails

It's a projects and compliance role

Not teaching 8 year olds how to use sanitary products

Absolutely agree

What diversity is there in periods?

This honestly makes my blood boil! The only safe spaces I have felt happy discussing periods and now menopause are female only. This just feels like nothing is sacred any more!

Oops it's dignity.

There must have been more appropriate women available for the role.

yes I have read what the role involves (or what has been in the number of articles)

why do you want think his gender will help ?

The job advert said the suitable candidate needed a "successful track record of engaging and empowering a large range of people from a diverse range of cultural and socio-economic backgrounds, in particular young people who menstruate".

he worked for the tobacco industry before

ffs people who menstruate 🙄

I think the fact he has made the comment that him being male means he will do a better job than a woman as it will break down barriers etc is a very sexist thing to say. Women have being fighting for better period and menopause support for decades and achieved so much but this dude believes he can do it better cos he's a man.
I wouldn't want anyone with that attitude writing policy and compliance that deals with a female only issue.