Vuokkoset Tampon for Men, an initiative aimed at reducing gender dysphoria in the transgender community.

• Finnish hygiene product company Vuokkoset has released “Tampon for Men”, aimed at reducing gender dysphoria in the transgender community.
• The tampons are available in a navy-blue box with a simple and sleek design, standing out from other period products, which often include advertising and designs that are “strongly feminine”.
• The product was launched on 15 November to coincide with National Transgender Awareness Week. 

A Finnish company is targeting gender dysphoria in the transgender community by introducing the first-ever “Tampon for Men”.

In a statement shared with the press, hygiene product company Vuokkoset announced that the Tampon for Men would be launched on 15 November to coincide with National Transgender Awareness Week. 

“With a tampon designed for men, Vuokkoset aims to change perceptions of menstruation and reduce the distress it causes to transgender men,” the statement read. 

With a simple, sleek design, the Tampon for Men box is navy blue with the words “for men” printed on the front. When the box is turned toward the right side, the word “men” links up with more letters to create “menstruation”. 

“For men who have periods too,” reads a slogan printed at the top of the web page. 

In a Q&A shared with the media, Vuokkoset explained how its Tampon for Men differs from traditional tampons on the market: “While the primary function remains consistent, the design, packaging, and branding of our tampon for men are consciously developed to not reflect traditional feminised imagery, making it more inclusive and reflective of the diverse menstruating population.”

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Speaking about the initiative, Sanna Karhu, CEO of Delipap Oy, the company that manufactures Vuokkoset products, said: “Menstrual products – from visuality, advertising to store location – are strongly feminine. The discrimination spans to men’s bathrooms that lack waste bins for menstrual products. It’s time to acknowledge the diversity of menstruating individuals.” 

While undergoing hormone replacement therapy, some trans men will still experience a period. In some cases, individuals may also choose to forego hormone replacement therapy. The product also takes into consideration people who identify as non-binary, as they can have a period, too.

What is gender dysphoria?

According to the UK’s National Health Service website, gender dysphoria is described as a feeling of unease that an individual may have because their assigned sex does not match their gender identity. The feeling of unease may be so intense that it causes anxiety and depression, negatively affecting the person’s life. 

A study cited by Vuokkoset revealed that “most gender diverse patients assigned female at birth reported dysphoria associated with menses and desired menstrual suppression.”

According to researchers, 93% of the 129 participants reported menstrual-related dysphoria. 

Tampon for Men is available as a limited-edition product in Finland, with wider distribution planned for 2024. Sales from the product will go to Trasek ry, an organisation with a focus on gender diversity and sexual health.