This is progress? Woolworths and feminine hygiene

[IrishMumInLondon2020]

I despair. Feminine hygiene has now been renamed ‘period care’.

Because boys and men can have periods too.

Is this meant to be progress?

I'm also (surprisingly) ok with this as to me, feminine hygiene I associate with someone who can't quite bring themselves to say period.

Now if Woolies start removing the words woman/lady/girls/female from packaging and replacing with "person", then the shit will proper kick off at the Pick n Mix.

I quite like the change. It's also good if it normalised talking about periods instead of twee euphemisms to hint at what everyone knows most women have each month.

It has been renamed 'period and continence care' which also covers things such as tena lady

So a description which of exactly what these products are for? No problem with that.

Squirrel yes, you make a good point. Their statement is a refreshing one however maybe we need to watch a bit longer. Most of those issues you list are unique to women.

I worked in this area for a while, it was all to do with removing shame from periods by calling a spade a spade. There wasn't any woke intent behind it, just removing the oh so shamefull womanly issues type of wording. Same with continence care

Sorry all I should really RTFT before sticking my tuppence in ....

Absolutely agree it's a big step toward removing the god awful stigma around periods. It's something people need to be able to talk about and affects women and girls detrimentally very day all over the world. This needs to be talked about in a way which centres the female sex and, all things considered nowadays, I think the statement is a strong one.

Excellent. I always felt that ‘feminine hygiene’ was an insulting and unnecessary euphemism.

I think this is great. "Feminine hygiene" always made me shudder. It only ever referred to pads and tampons anyway and it was like the word period was shameful, which it obviously isn't.

@MedusasBadHairDay

I'm good with calling it period care rather than the twee euphemism feminine hygiene, especially as the hygiene part suggests it's to deal with something unhygienic.

This

I agree with most on here

Loathe the fact that its known as feminine hygiene

I much prefer "Period Care". Says what it is. If you're a teenager in a shop you'd know exactly what section it was.

@Aspiringmatriarch

I prefer period care. Feminine hygiene always struck me as unnecessarily prissy. It is period care, surely?

Yeah I agree, this one doesn't bother me at all

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.

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

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.

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.

Prefer period care - or menstrual products.

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

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.

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!

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.

@YetAnotherSpartacus

Prefer period care - or menstrual products.

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

Yes.

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.

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.

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

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

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.