By Why the #IfMenHadPeriods Ad Campaign Matters So Much For Women
Ladies, it’s time to talk about what the world would be like if men had a menstrual cycle.
A video campaign from WaterAid UK imagines a different kind of world #IfMenHadPeriods. Unlike the flowery, sensitive commercials for women, that time of the month is envisioned as “not leaving anything to chance” with Manpons, tampons for men. And, of course, manpons are “engineered” and “super charged” with a formula design specifically made by NASA scientists.
There’s also a video of men on their periods in the office, munching on chocolate bars at the copy machine, and another that features what soccer would be like if the players were synced up together (shown below).
Men on their periods, as WaterAid UK explains, would be bragging about their monthly cramps, hashtagging #imonmyperiod with their tweets on Twitter, and having major action star celebs as the spokesmen for Manpon advertisements.
“The world would be a radically different place if men had periods…”
I know what you’re thinking: where am I, or WaterAid for that matter, going with this? It’s actually extremely important to talk about what the world would be like #IfMenHadPeriods because it brings awareness to the fact that 1.25 billion women around the world do not have access to a toilet during their menstrual cycle. That number again is 1.25 billion.
Suddenly, I’ve never been more thankful for running water and ready access to several toilets 24/7 in my entire life.
WaterAid has established a #MakeItHappen petition for users to sign with the intention that getting taps and toilets to everyone, everywhere, is made possible by the year 2030. This September, world leaders are slated to agree on a new set of international development goals for the next 15 years after three years of negotiations. One of those goals is for clean water and safe toilets.
image via watertaid
As stated on the website, change will not happen on its own, but it will with the help of collecting 100,000 signatures. WaterAid plans to present the signatures to the UK Government to and make sure that the Sustainable Development Goals has included a target to reach everyone with taps and toilets.
The world would be a radically different place if men had periods for sure, but by signing this petition we can ensure that the world does become a radically different place in the future too. A place where everyone has clean water, sanitation, and women are allowed to manage their periods safely.
