Man appointed to oversee Scotland’s menstrual health group

Some residents in Scotland are seeing red after officials appointed a man to serve as the regional leader for a menstrual health group.

Jason Grant, a former tobacco sales rep and personal trainer was hired earlier this week to head the nations’ Period Dignity group, an agency dedicated to ending period poverty through education and distribution of hygiene products. His responsibilities will include leading regional campaigns across schools, colleges and wider communities to raise awareness about Scotland’s new law on free period products as well as ensuring that government funding is being properly dispersed, according to BBC News. He will also discuss issues surrounding menopause as part of his role.

Scotland became the first country in the world to mandate free and universal access to period products when it passed the Period Products Act 2021. The law went into effect on Monday.

Grant’s hiring almost immediately triggered backlash, with many suggesting the job should have gone to a woman.

“This is just f—— ridiculous,” former tennis star and women’s rights advocate Martina Navratilova tweeted. “Have we ever tried to explain to men how to shave or how to take care of their prostate or whatever?!? This is absurd.”

Susan Dalgety, a newspaper columnist and women’s rights campaigner, echoed the sentiment.

“I have no idea why anyone thought it was a good idea to appoint a bloke,” she wrote on social media.

An advertisement for the gig listed requirements for suitable candidates that include a “successful track record of engaging and empowering a large range of people from a diverse range of cultural and socio-economic backgrounds, in particular young people who menstruate.”

Despite the fierce criticism, the Period Dignity Group has defended the hiring.

“The role builds on some fantastic work which has been gathering speed across the Tay region for several years, led by a passionate group of people of all genders, ages and backgrounds,” it said in a statement.

“By changing the culture, encouraging debate and removing the stigma around periods, we look forward to supporting the delivery of this important work across the region.”