Transgender man becomes first to front campaign about PERIODS

A transgender man is making history by being the first in the world to front a campaign about periods, in groundbreaking new photos to break the stigma around that time of the month.

Kenny Jones, 23, a model, from north west London, admitted he struggled with his periods as he began to transition from female to male as a teenager.

He came out as trans at the age of 14, shaving his head and changing his name at 16, but before he began to take hormone blockers, he still had periods every month.

In an exclusive interview with FEMAIL, Kenny, who was christened Kelsey, revealed how he felt ‘shame’ and ’embarrassment’ about having a period while living as a man.

He is now fronting the I’M ON campaign by Pink Parcel alongside female celebrities like fashion designer Olivia Rubin and writer Dolly Alderton, to try and end the stigma around having periods. 

Kenny Jones, 23, from north west London, is the first transgender man to front a campaign about periods

While transgender matters are finally being spoken about more openly, Kenny says he has never discussed periods with other transgender men, even though it’s an issue that many have to deal with. 

He explained: ‘It’s something that’s not talked about. I’ve never had a discussion with another trans man about periods and it’s quite weird to think that considering it’s a normal thing to go through at the end of the day. 

‘It’s a very strange stigma that we shouldn’t talk about it and I think that’s a bad thing. It should be put in a positive light and say it’s OK to talk about things. It’s just a natural part of who we are, a normal body function.

‘During my transition I did have to deal with experiencing periods each month and the embarrassment and feelings of shame that can come with it.

Kenny was referred to a psychiatrist at the age of just 11 when he refused to wear a school skirt to his all girls school, and was later diagnosed as transgender at 14

Kenny was referred to a psychiatrist at the age of just 11 when he refused to wear a school skirt to his all girls school, and was later diagnosed as transgender at 14

 The model says he felt embarrassment and shame when he had periods during his transition

 The model says he felt embarrassment and shame when he had periods during his transition

‘That’s never easy, for a man or woman, to have to deal with. Periods are something that women often struggle to talk about, and growing up while I was transitioning, I often felt like if they couldn’t talk about it, I definitely couldn’t.’ 

Kenny was referred to a psychiatrist at the age of 11 when he refused to wear a skirt to his all-girls school, and was later diagnosed as transgender at 14.

At 16 he shaved his head and changed his name by deed poll, and at 17 he began taking blockers that stopped the production of estrogen and halted menstrual bleeding.

As a child he didn’t understand what gender was, and would dress in an androgynous way, he played on the boys’ football team and changed in whichever changing room he wanted.

The I'M ON campaign sees Kenny and female celebrities modeling empowering slogan t-shirts to break the stigma about periods

The I’M ON campaign sees Kenny and female celebrities modeling empowering slogan t-shirts to break the stigma about periods

Kenny, who was christened Kelsey, said he didn't feel comfortable with his body until his beard grew

Kenny, who was christened Kelsey, said he didn’t feel comfortable with his body until his beard grew

His friends were accepting of his transition, and he even chose his male name thanks to a nickname he’d been given him before he came out, because he acted and dressed so much like a boy.

After he began to live as a boy, he dropped out of school in year nine and was sent to college with older students.

He said: ‘It was a lot more open. I think that was to do with the age, because everyone was older and a bit more mature. 

‘Whereas when you’re young, people don’t really understand what’s going on. It got easier as a I got older.’

It would take him six years to finally feel comfortable with his body, when he was 20-years-old and his facial hair started coming through.

He wants to fight the stigma amongst trans men over periods as he says he's never even discussed this matter with other trans men

He wants to fight the stigma amongst trans men over periods as he says he’s never even discussed this matter with other trans men

He said: ‘I think people are so caught up with the aesthetic of how somebody should look rather than how they feel. Although I felt like a man, my beard only came through then. 

‘Looking like a man ultimately determined how people looked at me and perceived me. I wanted to be represented and seen as a man, so up until then everything was kind of up and down and going through all these mixtures of feelings; kind of being confused for a while then coming out the other end content and being able to participate especially in campaigns like this.’ 

The I’M ON campaign sees Kenny and female celebrities modeling empowering slogan t-shirts to break the stigma about periods.

He is prepared for any backlash the campaign receives, saying people who don't like it are 'not living in today's century'

He is prepared for any backlash the campaign receives, saying people who don’t like it are ‘not living in today’s century’

The campaign, run by subscription service Pink Parcel, found that over a third of British people see periods as a taboo subject. 

Kenny says he is prepared for the backlash as a trans male fronting a campaign about a very feminine issue, but says he only wants to spread positivity.  

He said: ‘I like making history. I want to encourage people to have open conversations about these kind of things and it think the reaction from the public will be quite funny.

‘If you have a negative comment or you don’t think transgender people are worth or should be a party of this then you’re not living in today’s century.’



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