The Period Emoji: about bloody time
Oct. 29, 2019 jess simms
It’s about bloody time. The period emoji has arrived and it’s here to stay.
Last week, Apple released 300+ new emojis which include people with disabilities, mixed-race couples and the well-anticipated blood drop emoji. This emoji has been in the making for quite some time. The charity Plan International campaigned for the period emoji to be created two years ago to normalise menstruation.
"The period emoji allows all menstruators to talk about their periods with ease amongst their family and friends."
Plan International’s campaign was backed by an incredible 54,000 supporters who submitted their vote in favour of the period emoji to the Unicode Consortium, the body that manages the library of emojis.
The emoji was then made in collaboration with the NHS, from which they created the blood drop emoji. Rose Caldwell, Plan International UK’s chief executive, explained to the Telegraph that creating this emoji, "signals a real breakthrough in the fight against period stigma". No wonder we’re so excited about it! She then went on to explain how now all menstruators could talk about their periods ‘freely’ which she and many others have campaigned tirelessly to make it a reality.
To say this a big step in the menstrual movement is an underestimation. However, there is so much more to be done. Caldwell exclaimed that this was "only one part of the solution". She then referred to how many young girls across the UK are bullied because of their periods and how many young girls in countries like Zimbabwe have dropped out of school because there is little access to period-friendly toilets.
Caldwell went on to say that the next step would be to fix the “toxic trio of affordability of products, lack of education and period shame”.
The period emoji will simply open up the conversation. We couldn’t agree more.
Having the period emoji at the touch of a button strips about the taboo and brings the topic of menstruation into the norm. Periods are no longer outside the realms of ‘normal’ conversation. Not only just for girls but also for male friends, family and colleagues. Unfortunately, part of the period stigma has to do with fear of being judged by male peers, who may think of menstruation as 'gross' and 'unattractive'. Which is totally NOT the case. Bringing brothers, fathers, boyfriends into the conversation is equally half the battle in conquering the period stigma. That's why the period emoji is so important.
With the period emoji, people of all genders can comfortably talk about periods and break the period shame once and for all. The period emoji is now a springboard for even more seismic change in the menstrual movement and how we talk about women’s health. We can’t wait to see what happens next.
Are you just as excited as we are for the period emoji?! Comment below and tell us how you rate it! Remember to share this blog on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, so we fangirl over the period emoji together.
