Always removes female symbol on pads to appease men who identify as women, women who identify as men
The Always brand of feminine hygiene products is removing the Venus symbol from its sanitary pad wrappers to be more "inclusive" of men who identify as women and women who identify as men.
Procter & Gamble did not confirm whether the company was pressured by transgender activist groups to remove the female symbol from its Always pads, but did say they made the change to “meet the needs of everyone who uses our products.”
"For over 35 years Always has championed girls and women, and we will continue to do so," the company told USA TODAY in a statement. "We’re also committed to diversity and inclusion and are on a continual journey to understand the needs of all of our consumers."
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"We routinely assess our products, packaging, and designs, taking into account a variety of inputs including in depth consumer research, to ensure we are meeting the needs of everyone who uses our products. The change to our pad wrapper design is consistent with that practice," the statement added.
The change will apply to the wrapping around the individual sanitary pads and not the outer packaging on Always products. Customers will see the product change starting in December.
On Saturday, the Daily Mail reported that a trans activist using the pseudonym Melly Boom had sent a message to the company via Twitter inquiring why they thought it "imperative" to put the female symbol on their sanitary products.
That particular tweet read: "There are non-binary and trans folks who still need to use your products too you know!”
Meanwhile, feminist campaigner and author Julie Bindel blasted the company's move.
“Removing the female symbol from sanitary towel packaging is basically denying the existence of women,” Bindel told the Daily Mail.
“We’re now moving toward the total elimination of women’s biology. The women’s symbol has been used by feminists for decades. This is pure cowardice and virtue signaling from these big corporate brands who are capitulating to the trans agenda.”
The statement from the Procter & Gamble brand Always does not specifically say the change was made due to pressure from transgender activist groups.
The announcement from Always came just days after the first-ever "National Period Day" was held on Oct. 19. The event was part of a push for “menstrual equity,” which was supported by Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J.
"Too many people don't have access to basic health needs like menstrual products. Whether due to lack of income, incarceration or gender identity, it's outrageous," he tweeted last week.
National Period Day was an initiative by a nonprofit organization called PERIOD, which organized dozens of rallies around the country, urging state legislatures and Congress to begin providing free menstrual products through Medicaid, for government employees, to women's shelters, public school students, and prison inmates.
PERIOD describes itself on its Twitter page as a "global, youth-powered nonprofit that is fighting to end period poverty and period stigma through service, education, and advocacy."
