Medically reviewed by Sophia Yen, MD, MPH – Written by Pandia Health Editorial Team
Periods, bloating, menopause, and breastfeeding are just a few of the processes that people with uteri feel on a daily basis. It’s easy to categorize this group of people as women, but it’s crucial to be inclusive of everyone who goes through these conditions.
At Pandia Health, we understand that a person’s anatomical systems may not align with their chosen identity. We’re here to talk about how some male-identifying people experience the same processes as women do and how we at Pandia Health can help.
Individual Testimonies
Clue is a menstruation tracking app that helps people with uteri remember when their next period is due. On its website, there are testimonials from several individuals who were interviewed about their experiences with menstruation.
Trans men, nonbinary, and gender queer people already feel a heightened level of gender dysphoria compared to cisgender folks. When it comes to menstruation, the emotional effects are almost always just as bad – or worse – than the physical symptoms. One person submitted a comment noting that “it’s so stressful because so many people refuse to see me as the gender I am already. If they knew I menstruated I would never be able to gain their acknowledgement and respect.”
Physically dealing with menstruation as a non-female identifying person can be really difficult as well. “Finding sanitary bins in male toilets is very hard in most places,” one person wrote. Further, they continued, “who is going to wash out a mooncup in the sink of a men’s toilet? No one.”
Gender dysphoria is aggravated by the issues stated above along with the emotional and (literal) taxation of dealing with feminine underwear, tampons, and pads. Chest binding, a procedure performed by trans men to decrease the appearance of breast tissue, also becomes harder during menstruation due to the breast tenderness.
So, how can we all work to combat this issue?
Across the board, the individuals who shared their stories expressed frustration that menstruation was seen fairly universally as a “women’s problem,” even though so many people that don’t identify as women go through the same process.
Hormone therapy for trans men, such as testosterone injections, is an option – but this is often expensive, inaccessible, and shamed. Plus, one can still become pregnant and menstruate on testosterone so individuals often look to forms of contraception to combat this.
Birth control is also a viable option to help decrease both the emotional and physical toll that menstruation has on non-binary individuals. By getting rid of menstruation, not only do you remove the physical symptoms that come along with a period, you can also avoid the body dysphoria and discomfort that comes with a period every month.
At Pandia Health, one of our mantras is #PeriodsOptional. We understand the pain caused by periods – bleeding one out of every four weeks for half of your life is no walk in the park. And regardless of gender or identity, everyone with a uterus experiences this phenomena – we’re here to change that for those who are interested.
Birth control not only prevents pregnancy but it gives you more freedom and control of your body. Don’t want the bleeding, bloating, cramps, and emotional toll of menstruation? Skip it!
How Does Pandia Health Work?
Here at Pandia Health, we do everything we can to be inclusive of every individual that comes to us for assistance. Our expert doctors talk to you about the best medication for your situation regardless of whether we offer it or not; after all, your involvement in the process ensures that you are in control of your body! Confidentiality and comfort are at the forefront of our patient care as well – if you don’t feel comfortable talking to your doctor in person, you can submit your information asynchronously and we’ll take it from there.
If you already have a prescription and you’d like to transfer it over, we can work on that with you as well. At the end of the day, our team is here to help you every step of the way – we want to make your life easier in every way we can.
Are you interested in learning more about people’s experiences with birth control, menstruation, and overall reproductive health? Throughout the week, we host events on our Facebook and Instagram with our doctors and leadership team; our YouTube channel is also a great tool to use to learn about other women’s health issues and answer any FAQs. On our blog, we’re currently featuring articles on reasons to consider birth control other than pregnancy prevention as well as information on comprehensive and inclusive sex education.
The above information is for general informational purposes only and is NOT a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor/primary care provider before starting or changing treatment.