The Blue Residue

From death stares at the checkout, to being caught by surprise and expected to conjure up a quarter out of thin air (seriously, who carries around loose change?), to the hushed voices in which we ask one another for spares, period stigma – unfortunately – is still very much alive in America today.

Leaps and bounds have been made in more recent times, but menstrual product commercials are always an interesting gauge on the stigma in a society. It was only 2017 when the first ever menstrual product commercial actually showing blood aired.

Up until that point, various liquids were used to demonstrate the absorption capacity of these products. Interestingly, these liquids were usually blue. If they wanted to avoid red (the first issue), these companies could have landed on any color. Why blue?

The United States of America, along with a few other countries, have linked the color blue with males since the 19th century. To this day, it is very common for children to view blue as a “boy color” and pink as a “girl color”. Out of the various colors and infinite hues that Pantone has provided us, I find it very unlikely that blue – literally the opposite of red – was simply the best option.

It seems unlikely that any woman or menstruating person would watch a commercial for a period product featuring red liquid and be disturbed. Is it possible that these companies chose blue in order to cater to men? In that case, why cater a product that men cannot even use, towards their comfort?

By censoring the color red, one of the only naturally occurring colors in the body, these companies have contributed to the shame and stigma associated with menstrual cycles. By excluding red, and therefore reality, from the picture – these ads perpetuate the idea that menstrual blood is something to be hidden, to be ashamed of, to be sanitized with hygienic, unnatural blue.

The Goddess Project celebrates the fact that we are now seeing more and more menstrual product ads actually catered to people who menstruate! Let’s get rid of the blue residue!