Always sanitary products is redefining feminine hygiene by removing the Venus symbol from
its packaging. Transgender activists publicly urged Procter & Gamble to be more inclusive with
its branding. The Venus symbol, a circle with a small cross underneath, is an astrological
symbol that is mostly used to represent the female sex.
Procter & Gamble, parent company to $23 billion brands such as Tide, Herbal Essences,
Febreze, Gillette, etc., agreed to redesign the product. A tweet shared by the Always marketing
team said the new packaging will be in stores by January 2020.
Venus, Roman goddess of love, is a symbol of femininity; her symbol has adorned Always
packaging for over 35 years. It is a symbol meant to empower women, but therein lies the
problem.
The inclusivity is aimed at transgender men and nonbinary individuals, with the main argument
being not all people who menstruate are women and not all women menstruate. In other words,
many people who get their period do not identify with the female gender.
Despite this victory for transgender activists and allies, controversy surrounds Procter &
Gamble’s decision. But there is no reason for people to be angry.
Removing the symbol simply makes an already-persecuted community feel more accepted in
society. This decision does not cause anybody physical harm, nor does it have negative
consequences for the involved parties. If this tweak allows people to feel more comfortable in
their own skin and celebrate who they are, then by all means tweak.
The News conducted a poll on Facebook asking whether the community agreed or disagreed
with the change. Out of 595 votes, 40 percent agreed and 60 percent disagreed.
Many comments under the post represent the controversy surrounding the issue. Some took
the middle ground, stating the change has no effect therefore no harm is being done. Others
voiced their opinions more expressively.
“The world is becoming more and more of a freak show everyday,” Jess Thompson said.
This contrasted with other responses.
“Imagine how hate filled you’d have to be in order to DISAGREE with removing something
from a product package that literally doesn’t change how you use the product or whether you
can buy it,” Alichia Sawitoski said.
Many people didn’t notice the Venus symbol until Always announced it would get rid of it. Had
the brand removed it without making an announcement, the majority of people most likely
wouldn’t have noticed. It is easy for people to overlook details like the Venus symbol when it
doesn’t play a role in their everyday lives.
Minorities work twice as hard to get what is given for others. Objects of debate, like the
symbol, are hardly the root of controversy. It is what the symbol is associated with that brings
about debate.
The Venus symbol might seem like an insignificant detail. Yet it is difficult for people outside
the transgender or nonbinary community to understand how these smaller details can
unknowingly perpetuate the dismissal of their community.
Procter & Gamble is following the pattern of other companies who are taking action to support
transgender equality in 2019. In May, Lyft announced it was partnering with the National Center
for Transgender Equality to offer legal support and resources to its employees who are
transitioning.
According to its website, Lyft discusses the difficult process and complexities for a person to
change their name and gender on legal documents. Drivers who have completed more than 100
rides with Lyft can apply for multiple hours of advising from NCTE and $200 in financial
assistance to cover the cost of name change fees.

In June, MasterCard announced its True Name campaign. The name on credit and debit cards
often does not reflect the true identity of transgender and nonbinary individuals. Cardholders
can swap old cards for new ones that have their preferred name on the front.
A little tolerance goes a long way.