Feminists have slammed sanitary towel-maker Always after their decision to remove the ‘Venus’ symbol, the female sexual identity mark, from their wrapping.
The brand made the decision after pressure from trans activists, who claim that the female symbol is inappropriate as not all people who menstruate identify as female.
The decision, prompted by 18-year-old trans activist Ben Saunders, has been slammed by women, who fear the choice is ‘erasing’ females and one has deemed the decision ‘nonsense’.
One angry user wrote: ‘Women are quite literally being erased from sanitary products now. Is there anywhere we are allowed to be visible!? @Always.
‘I have bought your product since the age of 10. Stop erasing the people who use your product from your product. Or you erase my purchase power too.’
Sanitary towel-maker Always have sparked an online debate after removing their ‘Venus’ sign following pressure from trans activists
![18-year-old trans activist Ben Saunders - named young campaigner of the year by LGBT charity Stonewall in May after making a documentary about being transgender ¿ contacted the sanitary pad makers in June complaining about the sign](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/10/20/16/19959114-0-image-a-71_1571587106900.jpg)
18-year-old trans activist Ben Saunders – named young campaigner of the year by LGBT charity Stonewall in May after making a documentary about being transgender – contacted the sanitary pad makers in June complaining about the sign
Another wrote: So that’s ‘Always’ boycotted in my family where there are 5 females. Men cannot have periods. Stop erasing women.’
Several users felt as though the decision was disregarding femininity, and many raged the brand was bowing to the whims of’ woke’ Twitter users.
One commented: ‘Well @Always, since you seem intent on erasing women because you must of course genuflect to the woke cultists on twitter. I shall be switching all of my sanitary product needs to @bodyform or another company that isn’t made up with women erasing melts.’
Another fumed: ‘This complete nonsense from Always. Seriously what on Earth is this world coming to when a product specifically, and only, for women removes the sign for a woman because it’s been deemed offensive?’
However some users agreed with the activists, and felt that it had ‘no impact’ on women, who should not insist that menstruating is ‘only for females.’
One wrote: ‘Why do you feel erased? Do you not know you are a woman unless you see a female symbol on your sanitary towel? Does it now confuse you to the point that you don’t know whether this product is for you or not?’
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![The choice has been slammed by women, who fear the choice is 'erasing' females and one has deemed the decision 'nonsense'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/10/20/16/19959702-0-image-a-73_1571587115586.jpg)
The choice has been slammed by women, who fear the choice is ‘erasing’ females and one has deemed the decision ‘nonsense’
A second wrote: ‘Many people need sanitary towels and pads for a variety of reasons. Maybe respect that rather than insisting it’s only for menstruation and women.’
Trans activist using the pseudonym ‘Melly Boom’ had tweeted in July asking Always why it was ‘imperative’ to have the sign on their sanitary products.
The tweet said: ‘There are non-binary and trans folks who still need to use your products too you know!’
Saunders – named young campaigner of the year by LGBT charity Stonewall in May after making a documentary about being transgender – contacted the sanitary pad makers in June with a similar complaint.
The Always marketing team replied with a comment that Saunders, 18, posted on Twitter, reading: ‘We are glad to inform you that as of December we will use a wrapper design without the feminine symbol.’
![](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/10/20/16/19959952-0-image-a-77_1571587197905.jpg)
![However some users agreed with the activists, and felt that it had 'no impact' on women, who should not insist that menstruating is 'only for females](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/10/20/16/19959688-0-image-a-75_1571587121681.jpg)
However some users agreed with the activists, and felt that it had ‘no impact’ on women, who should not insist that menstruating is ‘only for females
The message stated that sanitary towels with the new packaging would hit the stores by January 2020 and added: ‘We are absolutely grateful for having people like you voicing their opinions.’
Some outraged women are even boycotting the leading brand after the decision by makers Procter & Gamble (P&G) to kowtow to trans activists who were born female and still use sanitary products.
Feminists warned that the concession is a chilling move towards the ‘elimination of women’s biology’.
Leading feminist campaigner Julie Bindel told The Mail on Sunday: ‘Removing the female symbol from sanitary towel packaging is basically denying the existence of women.
‘We’re now moving towards the total elimination of women’s biology. The women’s symbol has been used by feminists for decades. This is pure cowardice and virtue signalling from these big corporate brands who are capitulating to the trans agenda.’
Women on social media continued to air their fury at the decision by P&G.
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![More women and men took to Twitter to slam the decision with one going as far as saying the choice is a 'move in elimination of women's biology'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/10/20/17/19959692-0-image-a-81_1571587365435.jpg)
More women and men took to Twitter to slam the decision with one going as far as saying the choice is a ‘move in elimination of women’s biology’
Maya Forstater, a women’s rights advocate who lost her job as a think tank tax expert for saying transgender women are not women, tweeted: ‘The venus sign in biology is used to represent the female sex (you know, the ONLY people who will ever need these products). It does not represent gender identity.’
Another objector, Lizzi Watson, said: ‘Biological women should just boycott the brand, then they might realise real women have feelings too, which they have somehow ignored.’
A third woman tweeted: ‘Guess I will also be boycotting @always for throwing females, the ONLY sex that menstruates regardless of clothes or other superficial gender expressions, under the bus.’
It is the second brand this month to face a boycott from women for bowing to pressure to trans lobbyists.
![P&G, the American company that owns the Always brand, has confirmed that the new sanitary pad packaging without the venus symbol would be introduced across Europe](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/10/20/16/19959118-0-image-a-72_1571587110692.jpg)
P&G, the American company that owns the Always brand, has confirmed that the new sanitary pad packaging without the venus symbol would be introduced across Europe
The cave-in by P&G comes after Flora margarine stopped advertising on Mumsnet following accusations that the parenting website is transphobic, which also sparked a boycott as reported by The Mail on Sunday last week.
It was reported that the manufacturers of Flora, Upfield, decided to cut ties with the site after transgender rights campaigners complained it had become a ‘platform’ for ‘trans-hostile’ posts.
Mumsnet founder Justine Roberts rejected these claims and said it was important for freedom of speech that its users be allowed to debate transgender issues – such as the growing number of children declaring a wish to change sex.
Dozens of mothers who use the website publicly pledged to stop buying Flora or any other products made by Upfield.
P&G, the American company that owns the Always brand, has confirmed that the new sanitary pad packaging without the venus symbol would be introduced across Europe.
A spokesman for the firm said: ‘For over 35 years, Always has championed girls and women, and we will continue to do so.
‘We’re also committed to diversity and inclusion, and we realise that not everyone who has a period and needs to use a pad identifies as female.
‘That is why we wanted to ensure that anyone who needs to use a period product feels comfortable in doing so with Always.