Tampax, a tampon brand owned by Procter & Gamble, shared a now viral tweet on September 15 that is now the center of social media uproar as gender non-conforming people and their allies face a slew of transphobic backlash.
The tweet read:
"Fact: Not all women have periods,"
"Also a fact: Not all people with periods are women. Let's celebrate the diversity of all people who bleed!"
Tampax added supportive hashtags: #mythbusting, #periodtruths and #transisbeautiful.
Fact: Not all women have periods. Also a fact: Not all people with periods are women. Let's celebrate the diversity of all people who bleed! 💙🎨: @gobeeharris #mythbusting #periodtruths #transisbeautiful pic.twitter.com/5s1416cZBw
— Tampax (@Tampax) September 15, 2020
The tweet prompted some science denying social media users to boycott the brand calling the inclusivity an offense to cisgender women.
Disrespecting their main target audience..... which is people who menstruate.... the same as it's always been? They're just publicly acknowledging their entire core customer Base - anyone who menstruates, no matter who they are!
— Naterrrliee 🍕 (@Naterrrliee) October 24, 2020
ur a cisgender man, why are u here? u have absolutely no say in this situation.
— ⌞marth⌝𖧵// 生IN (@xxmrtha) October 26, 2020
Lovely as always to see bigots absolutely bewildered that the world has left them behind and science didn't permanently freeze during their 5th grade biology class in 1983.
— Ghosts 'n Goblynns (@PangaLynnM) October 25, 2020
lol imagine thinking women who bleed are alienated by the concept that transmen also bleed
— ⟭⟬ ᴮᴱɉȺmȺɨs vᵾ⁷⟬⟭ (@dietotaku) October 26, 2020
Ben Shapiro, not one to waste an opportunity to be offensive himself, also weighed in.
Fact: all people with periods are women https://t.co/cAd48HwIh1
— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) October 25, 2020
Others lauded the brand for including and validating the experiences of transgender men and non-binary individuals who also need mensuration products.
Fact: I am not a woman, as my organs don't define my gender. Also a fact: transphobes are ridiculous.
Nice move.
— Sucker for Idiots 🩸 (@slorenz_author) October 24, 2020
Thank you for this inclusive campaign and advertisement, it's beautiful to include everyone 💜 I seriously question the people in this thread who are angry, why are you so bothered about what other people have in their pants and what gender they identify as? Grow up
— Elmo (@ElmoMasey) October 24, 2020
Consider: this tweet was not in fact meant for trans women, but for trans men and non-binary people. People who are not women, but MAY still experience menstruation.
— Lauren 🏴🏳️🌈🐻🐀 (@BestOmens) October 24, 2020
Females get periods. Women and men can be female at birth. Nonbinary people can be female at birth. Intersex people can be female at birth. :/ The ✨cisgenders✨ need to chill
— Alex_thetranny🌱 (@AlexParras5) October 25, 2020
I'm a trans man who experienced periods for 13 years; thank you!! I may not need your products anymore, but this makes me feel good for everyone who still does.
— 🦄 (@savhenan) October 24, 2020
i'm non-binary, i'm not a woman. i experience periods and i am glad you're inclusive of non-binary and trans people. :)
— mykie (@ThiccBoySoldier) October 25, 2020
More hygiene product brands are making efforts to be inclusive. Validating others is important.
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AMC