Boots — “period products”

[Startinganew07]

Apparently the change happened a while ago but I have only recently noticed Boots has changed its “feminine hygiene” section to “period products”, presumably because periods are no longer the preserve of females?

"Feminine hygiene" is very Victorian and implies that periods are unhygenic. I am glad people aren't upset by the lack of reference to "women."

Much better description - feminine hygiene infers that our vaginas and vulvas should all smell like rose gardens - which they don’t - and anything else is dirty/unhygienic.

I agree it’s better and may stop some trans women from thinking, “I’m a laydeeee now I must need feminine hygiene products” (except for the gross fetishist ones 🤢)z

This. Feminine hygiene makes me think of those scented pads which must surely be thrush inducing.

Period products is fine

I agree, can't get worked up by it.
"Feminine hygiene?" 🙄 It makes it sound flowery and twee, why not just call it what it is.
Period products.

I used to work on this sort of things with retailers, it will have been decided by shopper research, so will be what our fellow women have asked for. Hooray!

@Startinganew07
you are right! I don’t really care — it is instructive to learn what others people (presumably younger) think

Don't think age has anything to do with it, it's not just youngsters who think period products is a better term, I'm certainly not young 😁

Well toilet paper keeps you clean and is just called toilet paper. I personally feel feminine hygiene was too middle of the road, I'd like either period products or Aunt Flo Condiments

And you used to be able to get sprays that ensured you did smell like a rose garden (possibly you still can).

Exactly - and scented pads as mentioned. These tend to contain irritants eg perfume which can cause issues like infection, itching and soreness especially when older and we have vaginal atrophy.

How did they keep you clean? They're just for absorbing tissue and blood, it's soap and water that keeps you clean. Do you think periods are unhygienic?

Good!

What exactly is a feminine hygiene? It was just a way to sanitise actually saying period, the same way the adverts use blue water.

Facts are facts. This is a period product. Nothing feminine about it!

Ah yes if course, blame it on the young. It must be because of young people, not just because it's a more sensible thing to call them.

Love this. Straightforward, not all this wishy washy stuff.

Period products, what they are.

Yuk, "feminine hygiene" is an awful phrase. I can't quite articulate what's so awful. "Hygiene" implies that periods are unhygienic and they were all need dousing with antiseptic. "Feminine" is a way of saying women in a really twee, euphemistic way to emphasise that this terrible state of affairs only occurs in the nether regions of women.

Dads and partners might stand a chance of locating them now instead of standing bewildered and eventually bringing home incontinence pads (or those awful scented panty liners).

Who? Who is buying the scented thrush inducers? Own up!

Back in the dark ages “sanitary towels” which which were by and large ( large being the operative word , they were HUGE) the only period products available , were sold in discreetly labelled packets so that you weren’t shamed into having to advertise to any passing man in the chemists that you were a woman having her period.

Now thank goodness, there is a huge range of period products from mooncups to period pants so that most women have choice to buy what suits them and their body.

I don’t shop in Boots ( long story) but well done them for fixing their signage.

Completely agree, and think "period products" is a much better term

This change, I like. I've always hated 'feminine hygiene'. 'Period Products' is miles better.

I think its better. Feminine hygiene aisles used to have Femfresh etc there too like everything to do with women's genitals needed a separate area. Now the Femfresh is in the shower gel bit, where it makes sense to be, and it's just period products.

“Hygiene” always carried the connotation that periods were dirty. It always felt to me like it was still linked to shame around menstruation. I much prefer the term “period products”. The ronseal of descriptions.

I love this change. Feminine hygiene was bad enough but I once got genuinely confused in a shop (can’t remember which one) which had sections marked “monthly hygiene” and “daily hygiene” instead. I fully thought daily hygiene would contain things like toothpaste, deodorant etc that we use every day. No, it was pantyliners. Funny how things men use aren’t called “hygiene” despite the incredible mankiness of some blokes.

I prefer the term period products. Periods are not unhygienic. They are a perfectly normal part of life for around half of the population for a large proportion of Thier life.

A few years ago I contacted BodyForm to ask WTF their new perfume-y ingredient was because I had such a strong allergic reaction to their pads I needed prescription steroids.

They refused to disclose on the basis that I could be a spy from a marketplace competitor.

Still angry now.

Good re: the aisle change name tho!