Some transgender men need period underwear like this
Underwear brand THINX launched two summers ago with the tagline "Underwear for women with periods." The briefs have an insert in each pair that is absorbent, moisture-wicking and antimicrobial, so wearers can avoid leakage.
But after the brand's launch, CEO Miki Agrawal encountered some feedback from the transgender community: Women aren't the only people with periods. Many transgender men menstruate as well.
Along with her team, Agrawal admits she didn't think twice about the transgender experience and was struck by how right these individuals were to be so passionate about the issue. "We hadn't give a lot of thought to it, which is not super surprising given the lack of trans male visibility even now," she says.
After much research, Agrawal decided to offer underwear for everyone. She learned just how necessary it was to develop a brand of underwear for transgender men; since many choose not to take hormones or undergo sex reassignment surgeries, they may still have periods.
Depending on the person, that monthly experience can be a traumatic reminder of a physical body that does not coincide with their gender identity.
One transgender teen explained the feeling this essay on Sex, Etc: "Basically, getting my period was a reminder that my body did not match my gender identity getting my period was a reminder that my body did not match my gender identity. This sense of disconnection between body and mind led to depression, mood swings and negative coping mechanisms, like self-harm."
A study by the Youth Suicide Prevention Program found that more than 50% of transgender teens in America have attempted suicide by their 20th birthdays.
Inclusive underwear, like these from THINX, may help transgender individuals feel more comfortable about their own physicality.
"If our goal is to break this taboo and eliminate the shame associate with periods globally, we've got to do that for everyone," she says.
One fan of THINX is Sawyer, a 30-year old transgender man from Brooklyn, who became a consultant after being discovered on his Instagram.
"I experienced with five-ish years of identifying a man but still having my period…and would wear multiple layers so I didn't leak anywhere and no one knew I had my period," he says in the film. "Even if I'm a transgender male, I still have it in my head that men aren't supposed to have their period, because that's what society has taught me. In the trans community no one is talking about men with periods because it's a source of shame."
After months of testing and polling, Agrawal introduced a more traditionally masculine style, "something without lace." The outcome was a boxer brief-type boyshort catered to transgender men. The product took over a year of development to insert the brand's period technology. The underwear allows any wearer to hold up to one tampon's worth of fluid for light days. It retails for $34.
After months of testing and polling, Agrawal introduced a more traditionally masculine style, "something without lace." The outcome was a boxer brief-type boyshort catered to transgender men. The product took over a year of development to insert the brand's period technology. The underwear allows any wearer to hold up to one tampon's worth of fluid for light days. It retails for $34.
The brand, Agrawal says, ultimately wants to make a difference in the way people view the transgender community.
"[We want to] make people accept and understand trans men as menstruating people, by being open and honest about it and unafraid of people's judgments," she says. "We have to support the trans community as part of ours."
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