Boots menopause advice for "people with a vagina"

[Givemepickles]

On their menopause support page, where apparently they want to normalise the menopause...

https://www.boots.com/health-pharmacy/womenshealth/menopause-support

"The menopause is a natural process which people with a vagina go through as they get older however, in some cases, is medically induced. As oestrogen levels start to drop, periods become less frequent and eventually stop altogether. For some, their periods stop quickly, but for others, it can take a few months or a few years. Everyone is different.

Menopause signs and symptoms are different for everyone and usually begin between the ages of 45 and 55, with the average age for people in the UK being 51. Whilst some choose to seek treatment plans from their GP, others will look for other solutions to help manage signs & symptoms."

I'm so sick of this. I'm not defined by having a vagina! I am a woman. Piss off Boots.

They’ve done it on the men’s health section too. Except it’s just “people” rather than “people with a penis”.

they still have Men’s Health and Women’s Health headers. 🤔

https://www.boots.com/healthhub/mens-health/erectile-dysfunction-service

I had a look at the men's health section to see if they were being consistent. Under 'erectile dysfunction' they don't call men 'people with a penis' just 'people' then go on to use the word 'men' at the end. So double standards as usual.

Well, Boots can get to fuck, then.

Good luck to them appealing to 'people with a vagina'.

This woman will go elsewhere.

But of course.

I came on to say this exact same thing! Any hospital or organisation that uses people with a womb etc still has men referred to, not people with a prostate/penis when talking about screening!

They’re twats. I wrote to the previous CEO who was an old acquaintance after they featured a (white, middle-aged, middle class) transwoman on Mother’s Day: classic white upper class public school boy response of ‘look how inclusive we are, well done us’.

Fuck this shit. I'm just done.

Thanks for the points re ovaries etc.

A 'transwoman' who has a surgically constructed 'vagina' will not go through the menopause.

Garbled, offensive pish from start to finish. They can go fuck themselves, and then when they've done that, they can fuck themselves to a standstill and back again.

And .. our local Boots closed down a few weeks ago.

Good

I’m going to email them with that very point.
Plus the point that the language used is less clear than saying “woman” in the normal way and therefore less accessible for women who don’t speak or read English fluently.

The phrase 'people with a <female body part>' always gives me Buffalo Bill in Silence of the Lambs vibes.

Rough template letter, feel free to add/adjust/fix:

I write to note the erasure of the word 'woman' from your website, particularly in the Menopause section:

'The menopause is a natural process which people with a vagina go through as they get older'

Reducing women to their vagina is offensive, dehumanising and nonsensical.

In addition, this is neither 'inclusive' nor accurate.

If a trans identifying male has a surgically constructed 'vagina', he will still not go through menopause. Women who have had a hysteroctomy often still retain a vagina, but will not go through menopause. The scientifically accurate term would be 'people with ovaries'. This would still be dehumanising and offensive, but at least it wouldn't be so misleading.

In addition, women with low literacy levels or English as a second language will struggle to understand these phrases.

The word 'woman' is necessary. Attempts to erase or avoid it are pointless, misleading, offensive and misogynistic. Women are half the population, and only women go through experiences that pertain to having a female body.

Of course not. It's only the identity of WOMEN that is being phased out. Men have always trumped women with everything.

EG; even when I book flu jabs or covid appointments for me and DH (and book mine first, so like I am 1.05pm and he is 1.10pm,) he always gets called first. If I have been to the GP for anything and they refer me to a specialist, it takes 6-8 months before I see them. When DH goes, he is seen within several weeks.

When they started giving covid jabs back in early 2021, the GP was doing them, and they called HIM first (on the phone,) and booked him in. I was called a week later. Basically anything that involves us both, HE always seems to be prioritized above me.

Even when I was in labour in hospital, they asked him if he was OK/warm enough/comfortable, and if he wanted something to eat. Gotta keep the poor little man comfy and fed while his woman births his child eh?!

There are many more examples. I think every woman on here have experienced them!

If ‘people with a vagina’ supposed to include women who identify as men? Because men who identify as women don’t have a vagina even after a sex change (vagina being the ‘birth canal’ which connects vulva and cervix).

@ArthurbellaScott

The word 'woman' is necessary. Attempts to erase or avoid it are pointless, misleading, offensive and misogynistic. Women are half the population, and only women go through experiences that pertain to having a female body.

100% this! ^

Anyone know any journos who can publicly shame Boots?

If women have to be erased, then their bottom line and reputation can be erased.

Don’t let biological fact get in the way of the woman erasure movement. They don’t like it you bigot.

Sick and tired of this BS

I even noticed in Sainsbury's where their signage used to say "feminine care" (where all the tampons/pads are etc) it now says "period care"

But it’s all so pointless. Because men, however much eyeliner they may load on, don’t have a vagina or any other female physiology, so they can’t have a menopause.

On the other hand, it would be respecting their chosen gender to stop all oestrogen intake to mimic, sorry, properly experience transition to middle aged womanhood. We women (TWAW) should be inclusive in all the glorious experiences of womanhood, shouldn’t we?

Unfortunately, that would rule out a lot of late transitioners ,which would be….tragic.

This has absolutely enraged me. Email sent to CEO of Boots. I wonder if I'll get a reply...

Offensive and ridiculous. The thing about Boots having more woman customers than trans customers - honestly, how many trans men with a vagina will be so horribly offended by this and expect the word woman to be replaced by people. There will be some, but most will be pragmatic about the fact that 99.8% of people with a vagina are, in fact, women and it’s not something to expect to change just because they’re not.

I know what you mean about Superdrug, our local one just promotes products donating to LBT (fine) Q+ (not fine) constantly...

And their cold and flu sachets are half as much again as Morrison's (£5+ Vs £3.50) and they don't have enough people on the tills so you have to queue for ages.

Boots is owned by Walgreen, an American prescription chemist with an interesting history concerning opioid supply.