Why should I use gender-inclusive language to talk about menstruation?

Do only girls get their period?

A lot of the time, people assume only girls and women menstruate. But this isn't entirely accurate!

Not all people who menstruate are girls or women. Using gender-neutral terms such as "menstruators" and "people who menstruate" will help you be more inclusive of transgender, intersex, and non-binary menstruators.

Cis is short for cisgender, pronounced like "sis" and "sis-gender" respectively. A cis-woman is any person assigned female at birth who continues to identify as a woman. Their anatomy aligns with the “woman” side of the binary gender system. Growing up, they're comfortable with the gender assigned to them at birth. 

Short answer? Nope! There are people who are assigned female at birth but grow up to realize they don't identify as women. They could identify as men or nonbinary, genderqueer, or gender non-conforming. Or they might not use labels at all!

The bottom line: they don't identify as women. However, they still get their period.

The way many people talk about periods at the moment, there's a heavy emphasis on periods being a womanly or feminine experience. This excludes people who menstruate but aren't women. For transgender people, this can be uncomfortable and trigger gender dysphoria.

Gender dysphoria refers to the distress caused when a person’s gender identity doesn't align with the gender they were assigned at birth.

Watch the video below to get a transgender man’s insights on gender dysphoria.

What can you do to stop the cycle of misinformation around gender and menstruation?

Check out these additional resources:

• How to talk about periods in a more inclusive way (Moxie)

• Talking about periods beyond gender (Hello Clue)

• How to alter your language around menstruation to be more inclusive (Patient)