Transgender artist speaks out about periods with powerful Facebook post

An artist has posted a powerful photograph of themselves menstruating to Facebook, to remind people that it’s not just women that get periods - transgender people do too.

Cass Clemmer, an activist who uses they/them pronouns, says that the taboo around periods means that dealing with the issue can be especially hard for trans people who continue to experience them.

As well as the unwelcome cramps and nausea that many of us have to deal with, the experience can be even more uncomfortable for someone who does not identify as a woman - particularly because men’s bathrooms or toiletry aisles do not accommodate for period products.

Now the artist wants to to separate the idea of menstruation and gender identification, especially for nonbinary people who still have a monthly cycle.

"Every time I get my period, I deal with severe gender dysphoria," Clemmer told Mashable. "I end up going exclusively into women's restrooms because it's honestly safer during the days I'm bleeding."

In a bid to change the experience for trans people everywhere, Clemmer decided to pen a poem about their personal story, posting it to Facebook alongside a powerful picture of themselves during their period, holding a sign that reads: “Periods are not just for women #BleedingWhileTrans”.

The poem, in which Clemmer describes navigating a “happy, scary middle ground” in which periods are “pretty traumatic”, has been shared over 2,000 times on the social media platform, with many people applauding the bravery of speaking out for trans people everywhere.

“This poem is really powerful,” wrote one commenter. “Being a man but having to be reminded every month that you were born into the wrong body can cause the worst kind of gender dysphoria.”

“From one dysphoric trans dude, your bravery and honesty displayed here is astounding,” added another.

Clemmer told The Evening Standard that they posted the photograph in the hopes of “encouraging people to think about the harms in equating periods to femininity or womanhood.”

“Not all people who menstruate are women, and not all women menstruate,” Clemmer continued. “When we forget that, we erase others' identities and experiences in a way that can cause direct harm to already marginalized populations.”

Clemmer says that they hope that the striking image will help to move the conversation along when it comes to gender and periods - particularly to make the the product design and marketing of period products more inclusive.

Clemmer concluded: “I hope that people will start thinking of shifting their language when it comes to people that menstruate, and consider specific barriers trans and/or non binary menstruators face during their cycle like bathroom safety, access to tampons, and gendered product design/advertisements."