Skeptics question Liberal MPs donning menstrual hygiene bracelets

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Period bracelets worn by some federal Liberal ministers hit the wrong note online, with Ontario MPP Goldie Ghamari pointing out the bracelets don’t “advance women’s health rights,” and she wasn’t alone.

Liberal lawmakers in Ottawa, including MPs Ahmed Hussen, Lisa Hepfner and Minister of Labour Seamus O’Regan Jr. sported the bracelets — made of a series of 23 white beads and five red beads, standing for each day of a menstrual cycle. The bracelets are “a global symbol for menstruation” and the “ultimate campaigning tool for organizations, seamlessly fitting into any situation,” according to menstrualhygieneday.org.

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The bracelets were worn for ‘Menstrual Hygiene Day’ on May 28, a day meant to destigmatize periods, according to the UN. The move led some to call it an empty gesture and to question Liberal policies around reproductive health.

“On #MenstrualHygieneDay, we commit to a future where women and girls who menstruate can realize their full potential, without unfair barriers. This means access to menstrual products, education, and advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) around the world,” Ahmed Hussen said in a post showing him and minister of Foreign Affairs Melanie Joly.

By Wednesday morning, Hussen’s tweet drew more than 300 quote tweets but garnered only 30 likes.

In a reply to the post, Progressive Conservative MPP Ghamari of Carleton said she would “tear” the bracelets off the wrist of any male caucus colleagues who wore it.

Laureen Teskey Harper, wife of former Prime Minister Stephen Harper, backed Ghamari’s comment. “What Goldie said,” Harper wrote.

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Ghamari explained in another post that she believed men wearing period bracelets doesn’t help advance women’s health rights.

“You know what would?” she went on. “The Federal government cutting the HST on feminine hygiene products, like we do in Ontario.”

Ontario, British Columbia and Nova Scotia provide a point-of-sale rebate of the provincial part of the harmonized sales tax for feminine hygiene products.

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MP O’Regan Jr. shared a photo donning the bracelet on X and noted the updated Canadian Labour code requirement introduced late last year for federally regulated employers to provide menstrual hygiene products to their employees.

“People don’t bring their own toilet paper to work, so they shouldn’t have to bring their own pads and tampons,” the post added.

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