Making Women’s Periods Commercial-Chic (Who Benefits?)

Is there nothing that escapes commercialization?  A U.K. company called Pink Parcel is hawking “Period Subscription Boxes” to deliver to your home each month tampons, pads, tea, chocolate, beauty products (like tweezers! hand cream!).  Goodies come in recyclable and biodegradable boxes.  The website includes gushing endorsements such as these:

  • “That time of the month can be tough, and having a little box of goodies arrive each month to make it a little easier can only be a good thing – it’s the perfect excuse for a little extra pampering time.”
  • “Let’s not beat around the bush; your er, time of the month, is never a walk in the park. But this where Pink Parcel steps in. Perfect for those who really get it bad around that time, or just to make Mother Nature’s visit a little more palatable.”

Really?

But that’s not all.  Pink Parcel has its own PR firm (see here) that aims to raise the company’s profile and “engage Pink Parcel in relevant conversations surrounding the abolition of the [U.K.] ‘tampon tax’ (where VAT is imposed on sanitary items).”  And the company’s blog includes (laudable) posts against body-shaming (see here). So maybe we can point to Pink Parcel as an example of a company trying to capitalize on a certain female-positive activism-chic?

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