Mail Online

Girls are ‘erased’ from new guide to periods

By Sanchez Manning

A LEADING brand of sanitary products has been accused of ‘dehumanising’ women by referring to girls as ‘ bodies with female sex organs’ in a pamphlet explaining puberty to children.

The guidance produced by Always also faced charges that it was attempting to ‘erase’ women by avoiding the use of the word ‘girls’.

The pamphlets are included in ‘puberty kits’ containing period pads and panty liners the brand sends to schools to give to pupils.

The 22-page booklet, entitled a ‘Puberty and Confidence Guide for Everyone’, details both female and male puberty developments but at no point mentions ‘boys’ or ‘girls’, instead using ‘people’ or ‘person’.

In a section on the menstrual cycle, the guide says: ‘Every month, bodies with female sex organs prepare for pregnancy.’

A teacher who recently received the puberty kits, and who asked to remain anonymous for fear of accusations of transphobia, said the leaflets were likely to prove ‘very confusing’ for young women.

‘I think girls will struggle to understand how this relates to their own body and their own experience,’ the teacher added.

‘“Bodies with female sex organs” may not be immediately identifiable as a girl according to a child’s understanding, particularly if English isn’t their first language or a child has additional learning needs.’

Milli Hill, author of a bestselling book on female puberty called My Period, said: ‘“Bodies with female sex organs” could not be more dehumanising and offensive.

‘Sadly, this is yet another example of companies attempting to erase women and disregarding their needs in a rush to appease trans activists.’

Procter and Gamble, the firm behind the Always brand, failed to comment on the criticisms.

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