UK Company Under Fire For Asserting ‘Men Can Have Periods’newsbhunt

Hey Girls, a UK company specializing in period products, is facing controversy for its marketing techniques that some critics argue are “going too far in the name of inclusivity.” The company has come under fire for its promotional materials aimed at pre-pubescent schoolgirls, asserting that “men can also experience periods,” according to a report in the New York Post.

Despite being a major supplier of period products to the Scottish, Welsh and Australian governments, Hey Girls is facing criticism for its recent shift in marketing language. The company encourages the use of terms like “people who have periods” instead of exclusively referencing women. The controversy was first reported by the Daily Mail, which highlighted the company’s booklet containing a “gender and diversity” section featuring cartoons of individuals carrying bisexual, pansexual, LGBT, and non-binary flags.

Hey Girls has also produced videos where terms like “woman,” “women,” “girl,” or “girls” are absent. This shift in language has prompted concern among some customers and businesses associated with Hey Girls. Heather Finlay, the owner of Luxury Moon, a reusable menstrual products firm, expressed her discontent and severed ties with Hey Girls over its new ordering protocols, the NY Post added.

Finlay shared a photo of a Hey Girls menstrual cup from 2021, indicating it was for a “girl or woman in need” and profits went “directly to help girls and women in need.” In the current packaging, there is no mention of women and girls. Instead, it states that they aim to improve everyone’s period experience, accompanied by a pledge to donate a box for each product purchased.

Finlay criticised the company’s shift, attributing it to a “new woke language” adopted by a younger generation within Hey Girls. She told the news agency, “It just seems like gobbledygook. How is that supposed to be of help? I don’t think it’s appropriate.” She further commented, expressing her belief that the majority of parents wouldn’t approve of their children receiving such messaging. According to her, [women] feel dehumanized, attributing it to a growing trend of inclusivity that avoids mentioning women or girls altogether, consequently excluding a significant number of them.

Lucy Marsh, a spokesperson for the conservative non-profit The Family Education Trust, voiced concern over Hey Girls’ approach. The news agency quoted her stating, “Telling them that boys have periods is confusing and wrong. It also affirms the idea that girls can be ‘born in the wrong body,’ which is incredibly harmful, especially for those girls who are already feeling distressed about how their body is developing.”

In response to the criticism, Hey Girls co-founders Celia Hodson and Kate Smith defended their company’s stance, stating, “Hey Girls is an inclusive social enterprise working to eradicate period poverty in the UK. They emphasised that the shift in language within their materials is a direct response to feedback from their customers.” According to them, this change is rooted in their strong belief that period education and access to products should be inclusive for all individuals who menstruate, irrespective of how they identify.