It might surprise some to learn that not all people who have periods are women — and not all women have periods. Sunny aims to create a more gender-inclusive narrative around menstruation by achieving 2 main goals:

1. Changing the way retailers label period products in their aisles and on their websites
2. Having the gender-neutral term “menstruator” added to the Merriam-Webster dictionary

Popular retailers like Walmart, Target, CVS, and Walgreens normally place period products under labels like “feminine hygiene” or “feminine products'', but this type of language is not inclusive to all menstruators. We need to see more inclusive labeling like “period care products” or “menstrual products”.

For menstruators who identify as trans, nonbinary, or other gender expressions, this type of language can create feelings of gender dysphoria around their monthly flow. Also, most transfeminine women don’t menstruate and some cisgender women don’t menstruate either due to hormonal or biolgical reasons. It’s time that we separate menstruation from gender identity and address it solely as a biological process.

Additionally, the Merriam-Webster dictionary can help us advance our mission of creating a more inclusive, gender-neutral narrative around menstruation by adding the word “menstruator” to the dictionary.

Menstruator (n.): a person who menstruates or has a period

Join Sunny in degendering menstruation by calling for:

1. Retailers to use more inclusive labeling such as “period care products” or “menstrual care products” in place of traditional, gendered language.
2. The Merriam-Webster dictionary to officially adopt the gender-neutral word “menstruator”.

If you are a trans, nonbinary, gender-nonconforming, or allied menstruator who would like to help raise awareness for this cause, we invite you to share your unique feelings, experiences, and perspectives on how using gendered language when talking about periods can have a negative impact on gender-nonconforming menstruators. If you wish to participate, please use the hashtag #WeAreMenstruators on TikTok or Instagram. Sunny is donating $10 for the first 500 uses of the hashtag to the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE).