Tell me this is not real please. Scotland's first period dignity officer is a man. A MAN.

[Rainbowshit]

I just can't put into words how furious this makes me. Females are having the pis absolutely ripped out of them in Scotland.

What the fuck would a male understand about the indignity of realising you'd leaked through onto your clothes.

About the cold fear when your period is late.

About trying to unwrap a tampon quietly. Etc etc.

I suppose the only saving grace is at least they are not claiming to be a woman.

www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/lifestyle/health-wellbeing/3593497/dundee-man-leading-period-poverty-fight-how-to-get-free-products/

A doctor studies for years and gets a qualification. This gives a certain level of quality and credibility. It defines a level of skill. And therefore trust

Remind me what qualifications in healthcare this guy has? What does he bring to the job apart from being good at PR? PR doesn't produce trust. Nor does it invoke a quality reference that gives creditibility. Its just a bloke spouting hotair at women.

This is mansplaining at its finest.

I would’ve died of shame as a 13 year old if this fud had rocked up to my school and wanted to discuss periods and ask me to share my experiences with my male classmates (female too tbf).

and, as daft as it may sound - I’d have died twice because my 13 year old self would’ve been embarrassed discussing by even hearing such things from an attractive young man.

when they had their focus panels before writing up this job description- did anyone ever stop to ask some teenage girls their feelings?

I can see that might be the case but I don't think that's absolutely clear from the job description.

But even if you're right about that, I guess my question is, can a man have the necessary insight into periods to figure out how to empower and engage women on this subject? Even if it's not at grass roots level, and from a distance, how can he possibly have an idea of the nuances that girls and women struggle with? And how to overcome that for better engagement?

When I attended a breast cancer unit recently, all of the staff were women. All of them. Consultants, nurses, reception staff, cleaners etc. I don't actually have any embarrassment at all about being examined by a male doctor. Absolutely none. I wasn't expecting an all-female unit but I felt surprisingly grateful that it was. I felt very heard and understood in a way that I don't think would have been possible if the staff had been male.

By the same token, a man having treatment for prostate cancer and facing impotence etc may find it easier being treated by a male doctor. Lived experience certainly helps in some cases, even if it's not technically essential.

While Jason may well have the technical credentials to be a project manager, I just don't see how he has the insight into what engages and empowers a young woman who's struggling with her periods. Even if there's no direct contact I don't think there's any man who has better insight into the driving factors than a woman.

And even if you don't accept that, there's also the optics to consider. On an issue which is entirely female, where women should be centred, putting a man in such a prominent position is a terrible idea. It would be like appointing a male as the Minister for Women in government. Technically they could do the job but lived experience contributes to a more rounded view.

I'm trying to be even-handed and view things objectively but arguing for a man in this role seems deliberately contrary.

Good luck with him being able to enable with muslim womens' groups on that one.

I don't know if he has no idea about periods. He might have a wife, daughters and grand daughters. But that's all second hand information.

No my nightmare fuel goes like this:
I'd like to know if he was one of the social media managers for a sanpro corporate. one of those who'd insist the numbers in the excel sheet say that scented pads are in and completely not find any relationship with the rise of thrush at gp conventions. Or use blue fluid without clots for advertising because they are empowering women to not be ashamed of their periods 🙄 .

Then he'll have superbe outreach skills and no clue about the consequences.

Please do not let this be true. I do prefer to think he's just there to project manage...

It is exactly the same as having a white race relations officer lecturing others on the challenges of ethnicity.
How on earth can they possibly know what it is like to experience racism, to understand the deep rooted history of race and the impact it has on people’s lives?
It’s outrageous that men push themselves into all kinds of roles, bending them to suit with such a presumptuous entitlement- this is the very thing that needs to change in society. Men do not get access to all areas.
By default these kind of men get paid large sums to irreparably damage and ruin any real tangible benefits of the role. It is essential that one should have a deeper understanding of the issues than a days training at the local council offices.

Gosh, you've reminded me of that prize giving ceremony, I think it was in an Arabic country, where a bunch of men awarded another man, a prize related to women... Best female supporter maybe?

I need to find it again, it was hilarious. Could be what Scotland is gearing up for!

We really reach a new low when it falls to a man to empower women on menstruation!!

It would be hilarious if it was not so deeply disturbing.

He should resign immediately if he has any decency whatsoever, and hand over the role to a woman that can actually do the job and publicly give his reasons for doing so.

I didn't say it did. I was responding to a specific post by Discoverreads who is very vigourous in her defence of this hiring. She suggested I get one of my posts deleted in case the "post police" (I presume the real police really won't bother with an extradition request for me) came and arrested me for some sort of illegal activity about ... jobs... and women and stuff. very amusing.

So is this guy going to be mansplaining to all women what a period is and how to manage it?
What a joke.
If enough pressure is put on him hopefully he will quit

Quitting is a bit harsh now that he already has the job! Rapidly learning how to center girls instead of all people would be a great start. Not mansplaining periods would be even better... maybe his opening missive was just a bit of excitement...

So what if he has the job - he isn’t competent and has no hope of ever being capable of this role. Stepping aside would at least show some integrity and empathy for women.

I just went for a bit of a look on Twitter to see what else has been said.

First thing I saw was the news article in the Courier. Remember the bit in the job description that says the candidate should have a proven track history of engaging and empowering "in particular young people who menstruate."

This is his experience: "Jason comes to the role with varied background and experience. As well as a former role as an account manager with Imperial Tobacco, Jason then trained as a personal trainer setting up his own fitness business. Most recently, he’s worked as a student wellbeing officer with Dundee and Angus College."

I fail to see how any of that relates directly to menstruating women, young girls just starting out with their periods. A personal trainer, working in accounts at a tobacco firm, and a stint in student welfare at a college. Literally nothing there at all that's specific to female health, and certainly not menstruation. Absolutely nothing to qualify him for this role as an expert in menstruation.

And turning to the question of whether it's purely an administrative role - it's very clearly not. Photo here of Jason and another beardy man delivering information about periods to a mother and her daughter. This is not a distant project manager role. This is hands on delivery of information to service users. From a man who used to work in accounts at a tobacco firm.

The more I read, the angrier I feel.

Why not celebrate that Scotland has jsut become the first country in the world to introduce free period products?

Yes, would have been nice to have a woman in the role - but whether or not the male appointee acheived this or was brought in after the fact to manage it, it sounds a v positive step.
The chief executive prostate cancer uk is female - are you about to start harping about that?

Presumably a chief executive doesn't have a hands on role teaching men about their prostate though....

A similar comparison would be a female Erection Officer, whose role is to visit young teens and men in the community to educate them about their penises. Not sure many young men would feel happy discussing that openly with a woman. Same applies to girls being willing to open up to Jason about their fears over periods.

Photo in the article shows Jason working directly in the community talking to a young girl about periods, and that role is backed up by the job description. The role is nothing like a detached chief executive.

There's also the issue of women constantly being spoken over by men. Historically we haven't been allowed to have a voice about our own issues, so there's much more sensitivity about not being able to find a single suitable woman to get out in the community and talk about periods to girls.

It really does just beggar belief. Some random man with an uninspiring CV to empower women as regards periods? What lunacy is this?

Also, the period products are not “free” any more than the other supposed SH freebies. We pay for them.

You missed my reply then which specifically answered your question 🙄

He will no doubt ensure period product availablily is inclusive regardless of biological sex, and will instruct schools on how tampons should be available in the boys toilets too. As we all know, 'people who menstruate' are incapable of functioning without government intervention and thank goodness someone has finally come along to save the day after thousands of years of menstral chaos!

I’m ‘living the dream’ with the menopause at the moment.

The one and only time I had to chat with a man about period worries, he told me my pain was ‘a nonsense’ that I was exaggerating how bad and how lengthy the bleeding was and that of course I could find sanitary protection to cope with it and that I was ‘hysterical’.

If he’d have applied and got this position, he would have told me to I had no place whining because the sanitary protection was free….

I haven’t been to a doctor much since then.

If you read the article he's been appointed ti implement and promote the distribution of free tampons and pads in his district in Scotland so that schools, and businesses access the service.
He is not teaching females how to use the products, his gender is irrelevant.
For the doubters among you I was show how to put a condom on a banana by a female sex Ed teacher. Her not having a penis or ever using one was not relevant either.

But even if you're right about that, I guess my question is, can a man have the necessary insight into periods to figure out how to empower and engage women on this subject? Even if it's not at grass roots level, and from a distance, how can he possibly have an idea of the nuances that girls and women struggle with? And how to overcome that for better engagement?

This. How the hell is he to lead the team that will be talking to the girls and women when he doesn't have a clue himself? Why would any of the team take the lead from him? That's assuming he's not doing any of the 'engaging' himself which is far from clear from his comments.

www.theonion.com/man-finally-put-in-charge-of-struggling-feminist-moveme-1819569515

The news articles would seem to contradict your understanding. He's working directly with young girls and women to educate on periods.

Anyone can learn how to put a condom on a banana, even a chimp.

Are you really suggesting that a) menstruation is comparable to putting a condom on a banana and b) that the complex and nuanced subject of female menstruation, and all its subtleties, can be fully understood by a man who's never experienced any of it, including the societal difficulties of managing them? A man who has a background working as a personal trainer, and in accounts at a tobacco firm? Certainly no specific training about menstruation, or how to educate young girls about period products.

His remit also covers menopause, by the way. A subject so convoluted that some GPs don't even fully appreciate its complexities. And this is a man with no medical background.

His role is not confined to allocating funding while sat at a desk like a regular project manager, he's actively involved in teaching girls and women. And that's the bloody issue - excuse the pun.

I remember how I felt when I started my periods.

The horror and embarrassment of it all.

I would have not spoken to a man about it.

Women I trusted as they had experienced before me.

I can't believe you are equating this to a condom on a banana.

Both sexes use condoms. One needs to wear it, the other needs to know how to control for correct usage or put it on. In very intimate settings.

There's only one sex that menstruates and goes through menopause. Gaining experience in something that personal is tricky as a third party. The regular intimacy angle is missing for your comparison to work.

Like most things to do with being female, it seems quite difficult to find the apples and oranges to compare.
And I think there's been some glossing over things which aren't quite the same.

There's promotion for a free product and then there's placing yourself for your messaging . I think his self placement is in direct conflict with the community he should focus on.

I'm fairly hopeful that one-on- one period class was a photo op which doesn't repeat itself often.

I think I've woken up and I'm desperate for this to be a dream or something.

I don't mind either sex just doing a job. I do detest it when men cross that boundary and start teaching you how to woman.