The official Miss Universe Twitter account is advocating “inclusive language” when it comes to menstruation, and some followers are not amused.
“Inclusive language is important, especially when speaking about periods,” they shared during Pride Month. “Thinking menstrual health is only a niche topic for woman excludes transgender, non-binary and gender-nonconforming people who have periods from the conversation. #menstrualequity.”
Inclusive language is important, especially when speaking about periods.
Thinking menstrual health is only a niche topic for woman excludes transgender, non-binary and gender-nonconforming people who have periods from the conversation.#menstrualequity pic.twitter.com/b37JcUDxgQ
— Miss Universe (@MissUniverse) June 14, 2022
The tweet included graphics of which words to use and not use. The “How to talk about periods” slides recommended replacing “women’s health” with “reproductive health” and “women who have periods” with “people who have periods.”
“Not all women menstruate and not all people who menstruate are women,” the final graphic says.
Followers were confused by the virtue signaling, especially by an organization like Miss Universe.
“CLOWN WORLD GETS A TIARA,” one person replied, posting an image highlighting how their profile says, “@missuniverse exists to advocate for a future forged by women.”
“I promise you that Susan B. Anthony, Alice Paul, Lucy Burns and other suffragettes didn’t struggle for women’s rights so that the term ‘woman’ could be summarily erased from our language,” another person responded. “Notably, I have yet to hear anyone refer to ‘people with prostates.’”
Another critic wrote, “Are you that organisation that parades young females wearing all sorts of clothes & swim suits in front of mostly male judges & audiences? And now you are lecturing what they should and should not say?”
Inclusive language has become a hot issue, with multiple brands including feminine product companies jumping on the bandwagon. NPR was mocked recently for their tweet about national tampon shortages.
“Tampons, a necessity for many, are becoming harder and harder to find,” the outlet wrote. “People who menstruate are saying it’s hard to find tampons on store shelves across the U.S. right now, as supply chain upsets reach the feminine care aisle.”
Tampons, a necessity for many, are becoming harder and harder to find.
People who menstruate are saying it’s hard to find tampons on store shelves across the U.S. right now, as supply chain upsets reach the feminine care aisle.https://t.co/p5mAPlSwPM
— NPR (@NPR) June 13, 2022
“They’re. Called. Women,” Piers Morgan tweeted in reply.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) also got slammed in September for using the phrase “menstruating person” while complaining about Texas’ pro-life legislation and claiming it encouraged “rape culture.”
“None of this is about supporting life,” AOC claimed, according to The Daily Wire. “What this is about is controlling women’s bodies, & controlling people who are not cisgender men. This is about making sure that someone like me as a woman or any menstruating person in this country cannot make decisions over their own body.”