Periods don't have a gender

[Keke94LND]

This Instagram page that I follow (I have just unfollowed them) that literally has female in their name, and their bio says 'changing the equation, closing the gaps, we're on a mission to connect women around the world and achieve a gender-equal future', thinks it is appropriate on National period day to post something saying 'periods don't have a gender' .. unbelievable... if you can't state that women have periods and are discriminated against because of this fact, how exactly do they think we can have gender equality and close the gaps? Thankfully, although this post got 7k likes, all of the comments are critical, including a few from people with blue ticks. One of the comments I really liked was
'patriarchy: discriminated against women and makes them feel ashamed of having periods.
Modern day feminists: being a woman is a social construct and period has no gender. Meanwhile women around the globe: still exist, still suffer from patriarchy'

I kind of agree. Periods have a sex and gender is made up sparkly bullshit.

@Glenthebattleostrich

I kind of agree. Periods have a sex and gender is made up sparkly bullshit.

I agree with this. Women have periods. And woman is a sex not a gender.

Periods don't have a gender. They are due to the sex of the woman who has them.

I’m sure women in communities where they have to go and hide in a hut every month will be delighted with the news.

I vote we just erase the word gender, everyone wears what they like / sleeps with whom they want and we get a proper conversation going about sex discrimination and sex-based violence and how utterly crap it is to be female.

It's so frustrating that so many women seem to think that the best way to 'Smash the Patriarchy' is by letting men in to take over women.

@Glenthebattleostrich

I kind of agree. Periods have a sex and gender is made up sparkly bullshit.

This. Absolutely this.

Gender is a "guess" at someone's biological sex. Nothing more.

There is currently a nightmare articulating issues around sex because we've spent the last 100 years and more being too afraid to say the word "sex" and have fudged through with gender instead.

Completely agree with the above. As a female who has suffered with endometriosis I'm sick of this crap

I think FemaleQuotient is American? If it is, then as I understand it (from another thread) the American use of gender as a synonym for sex is much stronger. So while your approach might be have some legs if this was (is?) British, Glen, assuming it is American then it is more likely that the OP is correct that this is a direct attempt to separate the words we need to describe women from our biological reality.

Well that’s it then.. period poverty solved! Women being shamed and girls being told they can’t go to school in some places when they are on their period is all solved ladies!!!! Women and girls being sexually assaulted while attempting to see to their period hygiene due to lack of proper toilet facilities (because of period shame these women and girls just can’t be seen doing this). Yes.. you see because now. Period has no gender so it’s all ok now! Women and girls will no long suffer.. because one likely western, clueless, progressive Neo liberal so called feminist said so!

And all it took was us pretending that anyone can have a period! Periods have no gender.. wow so cool and progressive. 🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄

@Glenthebattleostrich

I kind of agree. Periods have a sex and gender is made up sparkly bullshit.

You're missing the point the OP is making.

The OP is making the point that periods have been declared "gender neutral" i.e not exclusively women have them.

@BlueSlate

It's so frustrating that so many women seem to think that the best way to 'Smash the Patriarchy' is by letting men in to take over women.

Sadly, I think many of today's girls don't think about smashing the patriarchy - instead, they think the solution is just to identify into it.

@Beamur

Periods don't have a gender. They are due to the sex of the woman who has them.

You're missing the point the OP is making by a mile.

Any analysis of menstrual flow in the lab will reveal it came from an XX woman.

Period don't have a gender, no more than bowel movements do.

However, only one sex has periods. And they have historically been disadvantaged both for the periods themselves, and for being part of that sex class.

We remain disadvantaged, for all the reasons @MarshmallowSwede has outlined.

How do we challenge those disadvantages if the language used to discuss them is erased in the name of inclusion?

@Beamur

Periods don't have a gender. They are due to the sex of the woman who has them.

Well yes you are right, it is sex and not gender, but what is the point of them focussing on that? Also in the description underneath they state : it's time to remember not all people who menstruate are women.

@PaleBlueMoonlight

I think FemaleQuotient is American? If it is, then as I understand it (from another thread) the American use of gender as a synonym for sex is much stronger. So while your approach might be have some legs if this was (is?) British, Glen, assuming it is American then it is more likely that the OP is correct that this is a direct attempt to separate the words we need to describe women from our biological reality.

Yeah, and tbf I didn't include the description underneath the photo which says 'it's time to remember that not only women menstruate'

it's time to remember not all people who menstruate are women.

In much the same way as not all multiples of two are even, if you redefine "two" or "even".

But any redefinition that ends up hiding clear truths is clearly counterproductive.

The statement is saying absolutely nothing about material reality, it's just illustrating the brokenness of the definitions.

Words that mean nothing make all statements using them meaningless.

@NecessaryScene

it's time to remember not all people who menstruate are women.

In much the same way as not all multiples of two are even, if you redefine "two" or "even".

But any redefinition that ends up hiding clear truths is clearly counterproductive.

The statement is saying absolutely nothing about material reality, it's just illustrating the brokenness of the definitions.

Words that mean nothing make all statements using them meaningless.

Good point. We can argue about definitions but fundamentally without clearly understood meanings the message is lost.

Well since “anyone” can have a period then us ladies can talk about our periods around men without fear of their embarrassment. Before we would all speak in hushed tones so as not to offend.. so now ladies speak away, and feel free to ask the big hairy burly man about how he manages his heavy flow.

Ask him how he managed his flow after giving birth… because since men can also give birth it is perfectly reasonable to talk to a man about childbirth and periods and ask how he managed.

Should I use a heavy pad after giving birth? How did you feel about the placenta coming out sir? Has your period changed at all? Did you experience any spotting while pregnant?can I go back to using my moon cup right away if I’m not sore down there? How long was your period after giving birth sir?

I would love love love to ask an experienced man all about how a period will look after giving birth so I know what to expect. 🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡

Why do they equate ‘gender equal’ with gender neutral’?

If you merrily ignore sex, then how can you spot equality?

Did our gen feminists drop the current gen feminists on their heads as babies?

I suggest we all collect examples of booklets and pamphlets like this as they will be valuable collector's items when this fantasy fever has passed through society and become history. Women can boost their paltry state pensions by selling them.

The US is way behind is for once in using sex and gender interchangeably, but the details included make it clear what's intended.

Meanwhile a girl is being taken out of school for days because she’s on her period.

Meanwhile a woman and girl are confined to their home due to period poverty and lack of funds to buy feminine hygiene products.

A bunch of self absorbed narcissistic people are so full of themselves that something that we all know only women have is being co opted because people want to play make believe.

We don’t understand how severe period poverty is. Not only in poor lands, but in wealthy lands too. There are so many women and girls who cannot find extra money for period products as they can be expensive.

But yes.. as long as we can pretend men can get periods then the world is heading to being a better place.

Funny that the solution to making the world a better place is never about solving the systemic disenfranchisement of women. Wouldn’t it be better to make it so a woman’s menstrual cycle be seen as natura and normal and nothing to be ashamed of. To stop telling women and girls that we are unclean and smelly and that our blood is disgusting. Yes.. it’s blood but it’s a normal part of being a woman. We can’t play pretend dress up and decide not to get w period! For most of our adult life it’s there with us.. but hey ho.. let’s act like it’s optional and anyone can have one.

It is fucking stupid.

I had a look at their grid and saw this from a few days ago. Given that they were applauding Laurel Hubbard back in August, I wonder if they do, in fact, think that some women should be quiet so that other people can feel comfortable and validated 🤔