By Prarthana Mitra
In their newest advertising campaign, British based period subscription service Pink Parcel chose a transgender male model, to reduce the stigma surrounding mensuration. The ‘I’m On’ campaign aims to combat stereotypes associated with periods using slogan t-shirts.
A new face of the campaign
Kenny Jones, a 23-year-old, transgender male model has made history by being the first male model to front a campaign aimed at ending period shame.
Kenny who was 14 when he came out as trans till he started transitioning at the age of 17 faced the same difficulties all girls his age do. Jones recalls all the debilitation that comes with menstruation and acknowledges that there is a negative stereotype now synonymous with periods.
He added he believes trans men should feel more comfortable discussing periods and this campaign was helping him fight not one but two stereotypes.
Normalising periods
Fashion Designer Olivia Rubin said the idea behind the campaign was to find a new approach to the subject that encourages dialogue, rather than a campaign that shies away from the dreaded chat. Pink Parcel recently launched a new line of T-shirts with designs that started with #ImOn, followed by variations on the theme.
Rubin, the mother of two daughters, added she thinks girls starting their period are too embarrassed to discuss the subject with even family or friends and the campaign hopes to help them start afresh.
The inclusion of non-binary narratives
Research conducted by Pink Parcel reveals that just eight percent of period-related online content depicts the experience of the transgender and non-binary community. The notion that only biologically born worn have the prerogative to talk about periods is exclusionary and needs to be shattered.
By bringing a different perspective on periods, from a community whose opinions and experiences are often overlooked by our social constructs, the campaign is a thought-provoking paean to womanhood and mankind.