This non-binary artist is reminding us that periods aren’t just for women
By Ross Semple
A transgender non-binary artist has shared images themselves menstruating to remind us that periods aren’t just something that women experience.
Cass Clemmer, who is trans and identifies as non-binary, created the character Toni the Tampon who they use to raise awareness to help affirm ‘menstruators of all genders’ on their social media accounts.
One of the most eye-catching images Cass features them menstruating through their trousers while holding a sign reading ‘periods are not just for women #bleedingwhiletrans’. They also shared a poem about their experiences.
Cass spoke to Metro about the inspiration behind Toni the Tampon, telling the newspaper: “As an activist in the menstrual health space, I have been working for the past few years to help push the movement towards more gender inclusivity,
“But though we have been making internal strides in the language we use when we talk about people that menstruate, there is still not a lot of discussion about trans menstruators in the general public.
“Getting your period while not identifying as a woman can feel like a monthly battle both with your own body and with a world that continuously tells you that your identity isn’t real.
“I also specifically wanted to share the #bleedingwhiletrans photo to help people start thinking about the very real access and safety issues we face when we menstruate, including bathroom use, access to period products, fear of being outed due to leaks, and the lack of disposable bins in men’s restrooms for our used products.”
Cass hopes that Toni “will serve as a fun and humorous jumping off point to help us talk about periods free of stigma and taboo, while also recognizing the diversity within the community of those who menstruate.
“I dream of a day when we are able to talk about our periods without being worried about who is overhearing us or feel like we’re discussing something dirty.
“Periods aren’t always the greatest experience, and for a lot of people they can be traumatic and painful, but as a biological function, menstruation is pretty magical.”
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