Transgender Male Model Kenny Jones Fronts Pink Parcels New Campaign To End Period Shame

Kenny Jones has just made history as the first transgender male model to front a campaign around period shame. Pink Parcel’s 'I’M ON' campaign aims to combat the negative stereotype of periods using slogan t-shirts that promote discussing periods and attack the idea that they are inhibiting.

The t-shirts, made by a collective of fashion industry figures and activists including Olivia Rubin, Natalie Lee, Pandora Sykes and Dolly Alderton, include slogans like ‘I’m on it’ And ‘I’m on. Period.’

Kenny, 23, appears alongside Brair Rouge and Megan Simpson, and was chosen to front the campaign after Pink Parcel found that only 8% of period related content online depicts the experience of the trans community. He stated:

‘During my transition, I did have to deal with experiencing periods each month and many of the negative stereotypes that can come along with it.

‘I always found the fact that no one seemed to openly talk about periods quite difficult and made me want to hide mine even more.

‘Sparking conversation is the first step to normalising periods within society.’

This comes in the wake of recent studies which found that 34% of British adults see periods as a taboo and 25% have felt shame around their period. Even further, 50% of Brits have never spoken to their partner about their periods, according to survey of 2000 people.

The brand is therefore highlighting the use of the euphemism ‘I’m on’ to describe being on your period, which unnecessarily shy’s away from simply saying the word ‘period’. Encouraging discussion around periods is just the start, the brand also aims to attack the ideal that periods are always inhibiting. Kenny continued:

‘Assuming periods are inhibiting to people tends to perpetuate period shame even more, and makes people even more reluctant to talk about them.’

Pink Parcel is therefore including slogans like ‘I’m on and I’m strong’ and ‘I’m on the up’ in their collection. A portion of the profits (£5) from the sale of each t-shirt or sweatshirt will go to Bloody Good Period, which donates menstrual products to asylum seekers and refugees.

Alycia Haynes, senior brand manager at Pink Parcel said:

‘By putting Kenny at the forefront of I’M ON, we’re highlighting the important fact that it’s not just women that experience menstrual bleeding and period shame can affect any of us. I’M ON is about empowering people and encouraging, open, honest and inclusive conversations around menstruation,

‘We need society to stand up and recognise periods as a normal part of everyday life, not something to be embarrassed or ashamed of.’

I’m On t-shirts are available to buy here.

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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.