The Flo App, what on earth is this!?

[Talliaaaaaa]

I know this subject has been done to death. But what an earth is this?!
I use Flo to track my monthly cycle as many other women do, and I sometimes get daily insights that come up which can be interesting to read. The topic that came up and I clicked on it and it started with 'people with vaginas.' And it just enraged me.

We are now merely people with vaginas.
I understand that but everybody with a vulva identifies as female, but to take a female app and change the wording for a TINY minority so they feel comfortable, is so wrong. Why can't they say 'women and people with vaginas?' Why do we get taken out of the equation? Women are being so discredited and we are now seen as people with vaginas.

Another thing to boycott.

Has anyone got any better apps to log my cycle with that doesn't discredit women also?

Bump - keen to hear others thoughts.

So, cervical cancer charities think the word vagina is 'triggering' for trans men, so use the charming 'bonus hole' instead, yet period apps think the word woman is triggering for 'trans men' (or is it that men want to steal that word for themselves), so use 'people with vaginas' instead. It's all triggering me and they can all fuck off!

Oh but it doesn't matter if it triggers you Charley50 for you are not a most vulnerable and marginalised part of population!

I deleted Clue for similar reasons, OP.
I have been using PinkLlama for the past year and find it really great for tracking. It doesn't shy away from mentioning women.

Thanks for this I'll check it out.

I know it's probably utterly pointless but I've contacted Flo to complain.

Utter utter madness.

Why not direct your anger to an actual issue.

The linguistic erasure of women is a pretty serious issue.

Can you just track with a 'p' or similar on a calendar app. All of these apps are just harvesting your data and it's creepy.

Well, what I've posted is precisely part of the issue? Where do you suggest I direct my anger to?

"Doesn't shy away from mentioning women."

What a time to be alive.

Well I've sent a formal complaint. Apparently someone will get back to me via email..

Why can't they say 'women and people with vaginas?'

The whole thing hacks me off. If you have a vagina, you are a woman. If you think otherwise you are deluded.

I got rid of a tracking app (maybe Flo but can't be sure) when the helpful hint of the day was about how to give your boyfriend a good blow job.

It is an app that I downloaded for my 12 year old daughter who had just started her periods. The app age guideline was 12+.

I never got a response to my complaint.

Can we just let girls and women get on with looking after our bodies without centring men in the conversation and sexualising everything?

I just use the Apple health app now which is fuss free and doesn't try to sell me anything.

I deleted Clue for stuff like this. Really don’t want to have to change it again

Oh my goodness I didn't realise it was advertised for 12+! That's horrific!

I frequently see 'sex tips' but tips for a bloody blow job? And they think it's okay for 12 year old children to see that? Jesus Christ.

Well I've cancelled my subscription and sent in a complaint on their social media and on their contact us form. Vile.

I know! The poor kid was horrified the idea of tampons. She really didn't need the association of start periods = have to think about sex

I just draw frowny faces in my planner. When dating my last woman partner, I would draw faces and use initials so I could differentiate between our cycles. I don’t trust the web with that sort of info. People who menstruate are women, not people with vaginas.

This!

This!

Thing is it would be easy in an app like this to have a button when you set it up for the first time, where you could choose between options like "I'm a woman" and "I don't believe I'm a woman but I want to track my periods" or whatever. And you could then see text that talks about women or about people with vaginas as you prefer. (Maybe you could even have an option whether you want blowjob advice or not).

But it has to be forced on everyone for some reason.

There's WomanLog, for now. fingers crossed they don't change their name!

Can I ask why people (women!) are tracking their cycles on an app? TTC? Interest in the Rhythm method?

It keeps me on top of my cycle. I suffer from PPMD so when I start to get really irrational, it’s nice to know it’s because I’m due on and not because I’m in a cross mood. It just gives me that peace of mind knowing.

Not TTC or using rhythm method (DH has had the snip) but I struggle to remember exactly when I’m due on. Even more so now I have 2 small DC and a FT job. Pre-smartphones lots of women tracked their cycles in written diaries/calendars, this is just a progression of that.