Age Related Ovarian Wastage Syndrome headquarters, Monday, 21 October, 2019

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“If you have had a period, worried about a missed period or one that came when unexected, there should be no doubt that you are a woman.”

Dr. Nuckols, Executive Director of the Women’s Bioethics Center for Age Related Ovarian Wastage Syndrome (AROWS) made this statement at a press conference today.

As your reporter was the only media representative in attendance, Nuckols suggested that I sit with her as she kicked off her low healed pumps, donned a pair of fuzzy slippers she pulled out of a large totebag, and put her swollen feet up on a chair

Fanning herself with the notebook she whipped from my hand, the flushed E.D. wiped tears – or possibly persperation – from her cheek and said that her organization was formed to increase the visibility of peri-AROWSal women in bioethics:

AROWS has attempted to increase awareness about the silencing of women of a certain age and our challenges. Little did we know when we began our work how relevant our voice would become just a few short years. Its not just pre-, post- and AROWS-al women who are being silenced, anymore.

This past week, NPR, National PUBLIC Radio, made a distinction between “women and people who menstruate!”

“Women” are disappearing in public discourse and out of a fear of offending the trans community.

As evidence, Nuckols produced a screenshot from of a Tweet by Eric Weinstein and the article published at WBUR, which spoke of “people” who menstruate. The article has since been edited, without notation, to read “women and people.”

“Even our symbols are being erased from public view, with decisions like that to remove the female emblem from packaging of period products by the Always Brand.

More and more “people” are claiming the identity and functions that were once considered female. Others deny that they are female altogether. AROWS wishes to support the struggles of our intersex and trans sisters, even when they are encouraged to use the estrogen we are denied. Surely there’s plenty of the hormone to go around.

However, we must object when such appropriation is at the expense of our opportunities and very identity.

In light of these injustices, we are hoping to see the adoption of the term, “women-struation” to replace the obviously inacurrate term, “menstuation.”

Men don’t have periods. Period.

If you have ever had a period, worried about a missed period or had to deal with one that came when unexected, there should be no doubt that you are a woman.

That’s as ridiculous and unscientific as claiming that someone who has given birth is a father.

Refusing to comment on this last statement or the ongoing controversy about transgender athletes, Dr. Nuckols returned my notebook, replaced her fuzzy slippers with her pumps, and carried her large bag out of the conference room.

The printing on the side of the bag read, “AROWS – Taking our place in the big tote bag of Bioethics.”

HT to Twitter users Eric Weinstein and Bergereau de Cynerac