Being a cis gender person (a person who is born in the body they identify as; not transgender), I don’t know the struggles of being transgender. I can’t imagine the hardships of it.
However, recently a topic was brought to my attention that I feel very strong about. The menstruation troubles that transgender and nonbinary men go through. There should be free sanitary products in men’s bathrooms as well as women’s. Transgender and nonbinary men face gender dysphoria each day. Going through a transition takes time, there are multiple things that have to happen before a transition is complete. It can take years for transitioning men’s periods to finally stop. Sometimes they never do.
Adding a period into the mix of a transition makes it more difficult, especially when they have to deal with it in public. Trying to conceal something that is natural feeds into that dysphoria. Having these products in men’s bathrooms can make it easy for a man who needs a pad or tampon to walk in without concealing anything. It can also help others with the idea of some men having periods and making it more “normal” and an all around safer environment for these trans and nonbinary men.
It may take time for the world to embrace the range of gender and sexual identity. However, I would hope to see changes in my high school and high schools around me.
Tatum Trentman, Sandy