Is this going too far? Always removes Venus symbol to acknowledge transmen who menstruate

[Anonymous]

My sister-in-law is a trademark attorney and packaging expert. We often discuss packaging with her so I do not have an expertise level opinion but I do have an opinion that is probably a little bit more informed.

Packaging is designed for the lowest level of your intelligence, it’s actually designed for your toddler level of intelligence. Once somebody is attracted to a package then they might use some logical reasoning to decide if they want the product ...price, value, does the product Work, etc.

Companies change their packaging every year. They change the packaging for multiple reasons mostly it’s because they want new customers. Very few people are going to dump a product because they made minor changes to the packaging. Though they will attract new customers with the new packaging.

I can’t imagine why anybody would care of a Venus symbol is removed from the packaging. I really just want to ask what is it about removing the Venus symbol from this specific package that bother somebody. Packages. Packages are changed yearly but why all of a sudden is somebody threatened by a Venus symbol being removed from this specific package and it actually cracks me up that a man cares about packaging for a menstrual products like to me that is actually way more bizarre than removing a Venus product for a man who hasn’t completely transitioned to a man and still menstruates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't pay attention to symbols on my box of tampons - so its absurd to be "outraged" about something I wasn't even aware of. This is kind of dumb altogether -- who cares?

I DO think tampons, pads, and menstrual cups should free or at least heavily subsidized. It's kind of unfair that 50% of the population has to shell out some $$$ for something that's inherent in our DNA no matter what we do or don't do.

It’s “unfair”? Is it also unfair that only females can be pregnant, give birth and breastfeed? Newsflash: males & females are biologically different. That’s not unfair— it’s just life. We don’t need to make someone else pay for our tampons.

As for the packaging, I think it’s silly, but I really don’t care.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t care how a company chooses to market its products.

I think the demand to remove the symbol and the caving in to it is stupid, though.

And this is the real conversation we should have.

Anyone care to discuss this?

Sure -- I'll bite. Cis-woman here, btw.

My take on it, it doesn't bother me or hurt me in any way that they removed the symbol. The packaging of pads has no effect on MY feelings about MY gender identity. Therefore, it doesn't affect me that the symbol has been removed. (Note, if they added symbols I found offensive, like a swastika, I'd stop buying the product).

But, if the symbol does bother someone, then I don't care if they campaign to remove it.

Now, if I was uncomfortable with or hated the idea of transmen and non-binary persons, then maybe I'd get my panties in a bunch about this and switch to a different brand of pads. But since someone else's gender identity is none of my business, I don't feel that way.

This is all because I'm pretty lazy when it comes to outrage and generally evaluate things by doing a rough calculation of who is hurt by something. I really can't wrap my head around how someone would be hurt because Always removed the symbol from the packaging, but can understand how someone could be hurt by the presence of the symbol.

[Anonymous]

Ridiculous. If someone has their period and needs pads, I think they're fine with Venus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a woman, why should I care? If it makes them feel more included, awesome.

FWIW, I am a woman and do not care. Agree with PP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.mediaite.com/tv/watch-dennis-prager-derails-bill-maher-segment-on-trumps-lies-into-discussion-of-menstruating-men/amp/

Here’s the Bill Maher segment where Dennis Prager raises the issue of “menstruating men” under the auspices of “big liberal lies.”

Can we discuss this: Maher teased Prager for raising the issue and acted like it was a nonsensical lie that could never happen. Maher clearly missed the news about Always changing its packaging precisely bc of trans pressure. Is that going too far? Again: Maher made it seem like this could never happen...but it has.

It’s fine if the consensus is NBD.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't pay attention to symbols on my box of tampons - so its absurd to be "outraged" about something I wasn't even aware of. This is kind of dumb altogether -- who cares?

I DO think tampons, pads, and menstrual cups should free or at least heavily subsidized. It's kind of unfair that 50% of the population has to shell out some $$$ for something that's inherent in our DNA no matter what we do or don't do.

“Free”= someone else pays for it.

Free means that we’ll pay a lot more for a lesser product.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.mediaite.com/tv/watch-dennis-prager-derails-bill-maher-segment-on-trumps-lies-into-discussion-of-menstruating-men/amp/

Here’s the Bill Maher segment where Dennis Prager raises the issue of “menstruating men” under the auspices of “big liberal lies.”

Can we discuss this: Maher teased Prager for raising the issue and acted like it was a nonsensical lie that could never happen. Maher clearly missed the news about Always changing its packaging precisely bc of trans pressure. Is that going too far? Again: Maher made it seem like this could never happen...but it has.

It’s fine if the consensus is NBD.

OK, so Prager was worried about it and everyone else thought it could never happen, I'm guessing because they weren't worried about it. You think Maher spends any time thinking about menstrual products?

And now it has happened and the people who thought it never would DGAF, and Prager is certainly beating its cisgender manly chest and wailing about the end of days or whatever.

It doesn't change the need for discourse on the wrapping of a products, and that need is zero.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.mediaite.com/tv/watch-dennis-prager-derails-bill-maher-segment-on-trumps-lies-into-discussion-of-menstruating-men/amp/

Here’s the Bill Maher segment where Dennis Prager raises the issue of “menstruating men” under the auspices of “big liberal lies.”

Can we discuss this: Maher teased Prager for raising the issue and acted like it was a nonsensical lie that could never happen. Maher clearly missed the news about Always changing its packaging precisely bc of trans pressure. Is that going too far? Again: Maher made it seem like this could never happen...but it has.

It’s fine if the consensus is NBD.

OK, so Prager was worried about it and everyone else thought it could never happen, I'm guessing because they weren't worried about it. You think Maher spends any time thinking about menstrual products?

And now it has happened and the people who thought it never would DGAF, and Prager is certainly beating its cisgender manly chest and wailing about the end of days or whatever.

It doesn't change the need for discourse on the wrapping of a products, and that need is zero.

Again: the packaging isn’t the issue.

[Anonymous]

No one cares

[Anonymous]

Don't really care or have time to care. Plus lost almost all body hair, except my head hair, close to 50. Why not remove it all together, plenty of men shave too. I would be more worried that the same razor with pink on it costs more.

[Anonymous]

This is a curious change. The package also uses the color pink. I suspect there are more people who associate pink with the female gender. I also suspect there are more women who don't like the color pink than "transmen". So are they really serious about being inclusive or is this just pandering?

Regardless, it's a prviate business. They can do whatever they want with their package.

[Anonymous]

We discussed this in a FB group, and someone pointed out that maxipads have uses beyond menstruation - apparently it's a lower-cost option for people with mild incontinence who don't need a full-on adult diaper.

So that might also be in the mix - making the product less overtly feminine might be a good business decision.

I never noticed the symbol and don't really care either way.

[Anonymous]

For me (and many others I am assuming), the issue is not about removing the symbol.

It is about a product, intended solely for females, giving a nod to the concept that men menstruate.
This is insane. Sure, guys, call yourself a woman, but biologically, you are still male and cannot menstruate, give birth, or breastfeed.

[Anonymous]

Are you going to boycott their product because of this? Private company, they can do what they want.