THE appointment of Jason Grant as regional period dignity officer for the Tay region in Scotland has provoked a backlash on a scale simply representing the anger, frustration and hurt long endured by women and girls who have decided that they have had enough. 

The role, the first of its kind, was established through groundbreaking legislation which saw Scotland become the first country in the world to provide free and universal access to period products when it passed the Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act 2021, which came into effect recently on August 15. 

Why, then, would a coveted role, so important in destigmatising periods and supporting women and girls, be given to a man?

Theories have been plentiful since the appointment, with one particular thread on Mumsnet taking precedence over others. 

According to the Mumsnet diggers, Katie Baxter of the Period Dignity Working Group involved in hiring him has appointed Grant to his last three job roles. 

He has been a personal trainer, a college support worker (when colleges were closed) and now magically a period dignity officer! I wonder what she has next for our fantastic multitasking chameleon?

The Mumsnet diggers continued to dig and found that the advert for the job was not posted where it ordinarily would have been. As a community development post the Mumsnet digger believes this should have been posted in the section under “community learning & development.”

In fact, it was posted under the “teachers/lecturers” section. What this did was stop those women appropriate for the job role from applying for it. Some would call me cynical or even suspicious. Some would call that underhand dirty tricks. 

Fast forward to our new period dignity officer, “the strongest candidate,” according to a spokesperson for the Period Dignity Working Group. 

Well, he would be wouldn’t he, if no-one suitable had an opportunity to apply? 

Ask a teenage girl what the “strongest candidate” should look like. Ask a mother with three daughters what the “strongest candidate” should look like. I bet it wouldn’t look like Grant.

There is no doubt that public discourse around menstruation is changing, but women’s voices are still being crowded out or silenced from the discussion. 

Scottish Labour MSP Monica Lennon is correct when she says: “Inclusive period dignity is at the heart of the Period Products Act. 

“Actively promoting universal free access to period products and investing in menstrual health and wellbeing will help eradicate stigma, misogyny and inequality.” 

So why did the powers that be think that placing a man at the heart of this was the right thing to do? How will a man help eradicate misogyny and inequality when men are the cause?

Menstruation is something that most females on this planet will experience. Menstruation is something that ONLY females on this planet will experience. 

Inclusivity does not mean including males, who will never menstruate. Inclusivity means ensuring women and girls of all ages, all abilities, all faiths and none, all sexualities, all backgrounds and ethnicities are consulted with in discussions about female anatomy and bodily functions. 

Inclusivity means consulting about what barriers would stop women and girls from participating in this new legislation. 

As a woman, one of the biggest barriers for me accessing a period dignity service would be having a man at the helm. As a girl, I wouldn’t have gone near it. 

The sheer arrogance of a government which expects a teenage girl at a vulnerable stage of development and embarking on an often difficult and complicated journey into adulthood, to discuss issues about her changing body with a man is beyond belief. 

Without lived experience of being female and all that entails, how will Grant ever know the indignity of blood leaking through his pants pooling onto a plastic school chair.

The indignity of boys pointing and laughing, the indignity of having no money to buy sanitary products so having to roll up school toilet paper until you got home. 

The indignity of being crippled with pain while trying to participate in the school play, the indignity of having to wash your underwear in the school toilets. 

I could go on and on. A period dignity officer should at least know what the indignities of a period are. For women these things are routine. 

Periods can make or break a girl’s participation in school and community life. Emerging evidence shows clearly that girls are suffering when they have a lack of sanitary protection. 

They can’t participate in sports and other activities. They take time off school. And ultimately their education and social accomplishments suffer.

In a press release announcing his appointment, Grant said: “I think being a man will help me to break down barriers, reduce stigma and encourage more open discussions. Although affecting women directly, periods are an issue for everyone.”

And “I believe I can make progress by proving this isn’t just a female topic, encouraging conversations across all genders and educating and engaging new audiences.”

And here lies the problem. It is staggering that men think they can be the mouthpiece for women’s bodies. That they can decide how best to include us in any policies and legislation. And ultimately that they know what’s best for us. 

Well, Mr Grant, as a woman I don’t particularly care for a man telling me that my bodily functions are men’s business. 

The fight for bodily autonomy is now starting sooner in girls’ lives than ever. I want to normalise talking about periods too, but with my female friends first, not among men I may or may not know. 

We are not at the stage yet where girls know enough about periods to talk among themselves, never mind chatting with the boys in school about it. It is no exaggeration to say that the appointment of Grant is a big mistake. 

Reducing structural inequalities and stigma around periods is not going to be done this way. There are wider discussions taking place across Britain around young people and consent, boundaries and healthy relationships. Can’t the Scottish government (and anyone else foolish enough to think of employing a man) see the risks in this?

Don’t get me wrong. I think periods do affect many people, apart from the girl or woman who is menstruating. From her mother who has to show her how to use products and give her tips on pain relief etc, to male siblings who need to know why she might unable to participate in a family event. But this should be done on terms that women and girls agree to. We are talking about her body and her experiences. 

This plays into the wider narrative where we are seeing the erasure of women and girls’ voices and experiences and ultimately of women and girls themselves on a governmental scale. The Period Products (Free Provision) Act 2021 talks about “people” who menstruate, and “students and pupils.” 

This is an ill-advised attempt at being inclusive. Not only are girls being left to work out for themselves if this Act applies to them (as girl isn’t mentioned), but they also have a man at the helm to remind them that it doesn’t matter. So much for Scotland’s inclusive and groundbreaking legislation, which becomes meaningless if it can’t even name its intended recipients. 

This situation in Scotland is a reflection of what is happening in Wales. The Welsh government’s Period Dignity Action Plan also erased women and girls by not naming them — another ill-advised attempt at being inclusive and inadvertently excluding the very people who need the support. Welsh women and girls aren’t happy either.

Clear, accurate health advice is crucial if women and girls are to benefit from any government health message. Women and girls need to see themselves in any legislation that is aimed at them, so to exclude words that name them is foolhardy. 

This is even more important for girls whose first language isn’t English or have a learning disability or other vulnerabilities. To employ a man to roll out such important sex specific legislation is downright arrogant and dangerous. 

Tennis star Martina Navratilova’s response on Twitter was most probably the closest to what most people are thinking. “This is just f****** ridiculous,” she said, adding: “Have we ever tried to explain to men how to shave or how to take care of their prostrate or whatever?!? This is absurd.”

It is a shame that Grant’s appointment to the post makes a mockery of this important and life-changing legislation. 

But men’s ignorance and arrogance runs deep. How can it not when a period dignity officer is to work with “people who menstruate” “students and pupils.” 

The Scottish government needs to do better for its women and girls and the first step would be to allocate the new job role to a woman. 

Ali Morris is Wales VAWG lead for women’s rights charity FiLiA. FiLiA’s Conference takes place in Cardiff from October 23-25. For more information visit www.filia.org.uk.