Menstrual products have modernized, so why hasn’t the rhetoric surrounding the products?
Since the beginning of time, mammals have been menstruating. As time progressed, and individuals worked to minimize the inconvenience of monthly menstruating, all different types of items were used to halt menstruation. Before the time of pads, tampons, IUDs, and other products, menstruators used items such as rags, knitted pads, sheep’s wool, and even grass. According to an article published by Femme International, the first disposable pad was not produced until 1888, inspired by French war bandages.
The history of menstrual products is quintessential to the name references of the products because, throughout the times, they were never items specific to individuals who identify as female. So when did we start calling them that? Just like most of American history, the story behind the name can be traced to a direct capitalist regime. It was not until 1896 when Johnson & Johnson produced a menstrual pad called “Lister’s Towel: Sanitary Towels for Ladies” that menstrual products were explicitly marketed towards “ladies.”
These pads, constructed mainly of cotton and wool, were suddenly specified for an audience of identifying women. The absence of non-binary, trans, and intersex individuals in the late 1800s and 1900s when these products were being constructed has played a significant factor in the lack of empathy and correctness in branding.
However, just as the products have modernized over time, so should the diction and marketing surrounding these products. It is important for organizations producing menstrual products to develop an empathy for their consumers. With large menstrual product corporations like Kotex and Always displaying statements like, “ [Kotex] is a brand of feminine hygiene products,” is repressive.
Labeling menstrual products, “feminine products” is out-dated and incorrect. It is important to recognize that not all menstruators identify and relate to the commercialized names that corporations are labeling their products. Not all women menstruate and not all mensturators identify as women. It’s just that simple.
If you are interested in learning more about women-run reproductive care organizations and menstrual product producing companies, refer to https://hellogiggles.com/lifestyle/health-fitness/menstrual-hygiene-products-women-run-companies/
