Jubilation is followed by ridicule: The Tayside region of Scotland received sardonic and outraged reactions by naming a man as the first representative of menstrual articles. The Regional Council tasked Jason Grant of Dundee with promoting access to free toiletries in schools and universities.
Grant’s appointment as Dignity Officer for the period came shortly after Scotland was internationally acclaimed as the first country in the world to have access to free toiletries. Since Monday, city administrations and educational institutions have been legally required to provide menstrual items such as tampons and pads free of charge.
“Just Ridiculous”
“It’s just ridiculous,” former tennis star Martina Navratilova commented on the nomination on Twitter. “Have we tried to teach men how to shave or how to care for their prostates?” she asked. “This is absurd.”
Gina Davidson of Radio LBC said the appointment of a man to the position was “the epitome of mansplaining” – situations where men, despite their lesser knowledge, feel they need to explain something to women. Davidson was responding to a photo of Grant talking to a woman and her daughter about menstrual products.
Newspaper columnist and suffragette Susan Dalgety tweeted: “I don’t know why anyone thought it was a good idea to nominate a guy.” Grant said of his appointment that he could help “break down barriers” and encourage more open conversations. “Even though women are directly affected by menstruation, the problem affects everyone.”