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.

Just looked on their website- how come men are allowed shavers, incontinence pads and gift sets and women aren't allowed to be acknowledged in menopause? This makes me so 😡

At least breasts are still breast not chests (for now)

I don't think there are that many menopausal transmen or NB females that would be 'excluded' by just saying women either. It's not like we are talking about uber sensitive teens/ 20 somethings.

Why not "women and trans men"? 🤔

@Mischance

Some trans males have a vagina surgically constructed

They may well do. But they still won't experience the menopause.

The list of companies I'm boycotting is growing everyday...lush, Tampax (well, proctor and gamble), boots. Can't remember more but I'm sure there are many.

This is all getting out of hand. I understand the need to be inclusive but when that comes at the cost of excluding almost half the population who are biologically female and are proud (for want of a better word) to be that way then there is a major problem.

It almost feels like we are going back in time in terms of gender rights. Got to keep the women quiet to keep the men happy, after all they don't know any better do they

WOMAN WOMAN WOMAN

Unfortunately some TM will undergo early menopause because of 'gender affirming treatments' . They need serious medical advice not fluffy words on a commercial website.

I disagree. There are women who think they are men. They are known as transmen. That's OK. They need accessible healthcare messages that they don't find triggering. healthcare shouldn't be judgemental. It should be inclusive. leaving out the word 'women' from info about menopause is as far from inclusive as it is possible to get. But adding transmen isn't.

They can think that they're men as much and as often as they like! But they are still, biologically, women.

I just clicked on the link and it says 'Women'

Has it been updated, the link I see says women?

@Mooserp snap

Bloody hell.

Why can't they just go back to their old, clear style of information, and add caveats for trans people? Explain that it's something that happens to women, and then add something like "please note that transwomen will not experience the menopause, but will benefit from reading our information about prostrate/whatever" and then on men's healthcare pages "please note that transmen will not experience prostate problems/testicular cancer but will benefit from info about menopause". They could even have some super-helpful pages specifically for trans people to spell out what their healthcare needs are. Surely that would be inclusive and more likely to keep people well. The only people who could object to that are the ones that prefer hearing lies and putting their health in danger as a result, and why should they get preferential treatment?

Yes it says women now

There is actually no need to use the word 'people', or even the word 'women' - and the paragraph can be inclusive without excluding women or erasing the word woman.

Change it from this:

"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."

to this:

"The menopause is a natural process which occurs with age, however, sometimes it needs to be medically induced. As oestrogen levels start to drop, periods become less frequent and eventually stop altogether. Sometimes periods stop quickly, but it may take a few months or even 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 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 see they've changed the first paragraph so that it says 'women' - but it still says 'people' in the second.

They fixed the menopause page but this language is all over the Health Hub section of the website:

https://www.boots.com/healthhub/intimate-health/self-care-for-down-there

"Vaginal thrush is a common infection that most people with a vagina will experience at some point in their life."

https://www.boots.com/healthhub/intimate-health

"In people with a vagina, pain in the tummy, bleeding after sex and bleeding between periods."

"Cystitis is a urinary tract infection (UTI). It affects the bladder and can affect anyone but is particularly common in people with a vagina."

etc.

Just had a look and they are gradually changing back the offending pages

web.archive.org/web/diff/20231026074341/20231108124236/www.boots.com/health-pharmacy/womenshealth/menopause-support

^ before and after

Wow quick action Boots! Rubbish that it was badly/offensively phrased in the first place, but they seem to be responding to the presumably numerous complaints quickly. I hope they stand by it.

This is amazing that they are responding! I have just looked up my chemist (not in the uk) re vaginal thrush and they say women. Thank god.

More erasure on these pages:

https://www.boots.com/healthhub/fertility

"The number and quality of eggs decreases as people with ovaries get older, this can vary from person to person, but fertility for someone with ovaries usually starts to decline from the age of 36."

https://www.boots.com/inspiration-advice/health/fertility-and-conception/male-fertility

"Unlike people with ovaries, who have an ovulation period and can only become pregnant on certain days of their hormonal cycle, people with testicles don’t have a fertile window, as sperm is continually being formed and stored in the testicles, ready to be used at any time."

Exactly this!

Looks like this may have been escalated to someone who understands the issues raised. Hopefully they are working through the other pages now.