Anti-trans trolls are losing their minds over these tampons for men

A Finnish company has been the subject of right-wing backlash since launching a tampon for transgender men and nonbinary people who experience menstruation.

Introduced last month during Transgender Awareness Week, the product from Vuokkoset comes in a simple, dark navy blue box with the words “For Menstruation” printed on it. However, the phrase is cleverly split so that “For Men” appears on one side, with “struation” continuing on another.

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“Periods aren’t just an issue for women, as trans men and nonbinary people may also have a womb and periods,” the company acknowledges on a website devoted to the product.

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“Trans men might continue to experience menstrual cycles even while undergoing hormone replacement therapy,” the site continues. “However, some men do not want hormone replacement therapy, so menstruation can continue as normal.”

According to Vuokkoset, the product is intended to raise awareness of the gendered nature of menstrual hygiene products and the anxiety experienced by trans men related to menstruation. The company cites research showing that 93 percent of trans men have experienced menstrual-related gender dysphoria.

“When I was young, menstruation felt not only strange but somehow wrong. Our culture does not really acknowledge the diversity of menstruating individuals,” explains DEI consultant Dakota Robin, who worked with Vuokkoset on the product and also appears in its ad campaign.

This isn’t the first time a menstrual product company has acknowledged that not all people who have periods identify as women. In 2020, British company Callaly launched its “Tell the Whole Bloody Truth” campaign. That same year, Tampax tweeted that “Not all women have periods” and “Not all people with periods are women.”

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 US (@Tampax) September 15, 2020

But Vuokkoset’s appears to be the first tampon ever specifically marketed to trans men. According to Newsweek, the product is currently being sold as a limited edition in Finland, with distribution widening early next year. Proceeds will benefit the Finnish trans and intersex rights organization Trasek.

Predictably, the very idea that some men have periods has driven anti-trans trolls on social media completely out of their minds.

“This needs shutting down, bunch of clowns!” one Instagram user commented on a Vuokkoset post about the campaign.

“Men don’t [sic] menstruate,” another wrote.

“If you have a period…. YOU ARE NOT A MAN,” another commented.

Yet another accused Vuokkoset of “woke marketing.”

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A post shared by Vuokkoset (@vuokkoset)

Anti-trans X account Two Genders One Truth (@2genders1truth) posted that the company hasn’t “invented something new for a bodily function men do not have.”

“They put tampons inside a box that says ‘for men,’” the post continued. “Companies like Vuokkoset perpetuate a belief in ‘transgenderism’ out of pure self interest. They profit from creating a market of mutilated, medicalized, and confused women.”

In a November 18 Instagram post, Robin addressed the backlash. “This is not a matter of opinion whether our society needs these products or not. The research speaks for itself, so we have people who need these products whether you like it or not,” he wrote.

“The campaign has aroused a lot of opinions and even open transphobia and hatred,” he continued. “By shaming, bullying, and harassing, prevailing stereotypes and norms have been and are still being maintained. Although the comments don’t hurt me, I know how it hurts my community and especially young people. We can & should talk about things because we have freedom of speech, but the conversation must be respectful.”

Robin finished up with a scathing message for anti-trans trolls. “If you don’t think I’m man enough, still I think we all agree that you need to have the balls to do this kind of move so for all the transphobes I want to send peace & love and BIG DICK ENERGY.”

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A post shared by Dakota Robin (@dakotarobinn)