A ‘Period Dignity Officer’ seemed like a good idea. Until a man was mentioned.

LONDON – Scotland received global praise when it passed a groundbreaking law, making tampons and pads legally free and instructing schools to make them available in every building. One region even instituted a ‘period dignity officer’.

Then the role was given to a man.

The appointment of Jason Grant, a former personal trainer, as menstrual dignity plan coordinator in the Tayside region of Scotland, north of Edinburgh, has sparked dismay and widespread criticism. The role was dropped on Monday.

“Given the threats and abuses made against individuals in recent weeks, the role of the Period Dignity Regional Chief Prosecutor will not continue,” said a spokeswoman for the Period Dignity Working Group, the team responsible for the initiative, in a statement.

Mr. Grant was hired earlier this summer. The job was announced as the first of its kind in Scotland when it was announced, and his duties included leading a campaign in schools, colleges and the region to raise awareness and understanding of the Scottish Period Act. The groundbreaking bill came into force in August and required municipalities and schools to make period articles available free of charge.

Free tampons and pads were largely available in various parts of the country, but Scotland is the first country to have a law requiring universal free access.

The law did not specifically provide for a role as an “officer to the dignity of the period”, but stated that local authorities could designate an individual to perform the duties required by law. The position, with a salary of around $40,000 a year, was created by a group of colleges and local authorities in Tayside, as part of a project funded by the Scottish Government.

Mr. Grant’s job, according to the function was also to ensure that Scottish government funding was properly allocated. The requirements for employment were “a successful track record of engaging and empowering a wide range of people”, including “particularly young people who are menstruating”.

Prior to taking on this position, Mr. Grant had also worked for a tobacco company and as a student welfare officer at Dundee and Angus College, one of the colleges involved in the hiring process, according to a statement from the Period Dignity Working Group. The group said Mr. Grant had no comment.

But in an earlier statement, the group had explained: “Hiring Jason was a no-brainer” due to his vast experience in project management of both the private and public sectors, “coupled with his passion to make a difference to the people in our community, period!”

In the statement, Mr Grant said he had planned performing arts workshops in schools and colleges to improve education around periods.

“I think being a man will help me break down barriers, reduce stigma and encourage more open discussion,” he said said“While women are directly affected, menstruation is a problem for everyone.”

Not everyone agreed.

“A man will be mansplaining periods,” Nicola Murray, who runs a support group for women who have lost babies to domestic violence in Scotland wrote on Twitter.

“Wonder if he’s ever experienced the horror of a bloodstained dress in public, or the heartbreaking fear of a missed period? No, I didn’t think so,” said Susan Dalgety, a newspaper columnist and women’s rights activist, wrote on Twitter.

Former tennis star Martina Navratilova joined the online backlash.

“Is he menstruating?” she wrote. “I somehow doubt it.”

Menstrual poverty is a global problem, with at least 500 million women and girls worldwide lacking access to menstrual products and adequate menstrual hygiene facilities, according to the World Bank. security and human development.

Monica Lennon, a member of the Scottish Parliament and the law’s leading advocate, said she had discussed the Scottish model with non-profits and other governments around the world, and hoped Scotland’s example wasn’t overshadowed by the debate surrounding Mr Grant. She expressed disappointment that such a useful initiative had ended amid anger and hostility.

“If we want to tackle stigma and create a culture change that takes away the embarrassment around periods, I think we need to have an inclusive approach,” she said, adding that the issue around periods was about mental health and wellness, but also education and the community, and that no one should be excluded from those conversations.

“I’m relaxed about appointing men to these roles,” Ms Lennon said. “They also have to take their responsibility.”