Trans Period Pride Update

Dear Trans Period Pride Registrants, 

We’re writing with an important update about this year’s Trans Period Pride event.

Over the past week, we have witnessed an unacceptable wave of anti-trans hatred and misinformation directed at the Trans Period Pride event. This event is meant to shed light on the specific challenges, stigmas, and misconceptions that transgender people who menstruate face in an affirming, intimate community space. Given this, we are doing what we can to create an environment where all attendees, speakers, volunteers, and partners can gather safely and fully participate in our consciousness-raising conversation.

Trans Period Pride will still be held on Wednesday, June 17, from 6-8pm. The event has not been canceled, but will be hosted at a different location in downtown Boston. Information about the venue will be shared soon.

Let us be clear: we are not backing down, we’re doubling down. We are unapologetic in our commitments to supporting all menstruators regardless of their gender identity and building a world where all people can access dignity, healthcare, and community. Trans Period Pride is not just about creating a trans-inclusive space to talk about menstruation. It is about breaking down the barriers that stigma, sexism, and transphobia build between us all. Our organizations are both equally committed to trans liberation and menstrual equity because we know that advancing the rights, opportunities, and well-being of trans people is a required step on the journey to gender equity for all.

We are coordinating closely with the Boston Mayor’s Office of LGBTQIA2s+ Advancement to implement safety protocols for the event, including plans to handle any disruptions that may occur. Due to the severity of some threats that were received, the Boston Police Department will be present at the event. Our priority is ensuring that attendees can participate safely, confidently, and without fear.

For those who are unable to attend in person, or for anyone who wants to learn more, we will livestream the educational portions of the program. Details will be shared closer to the event date.

In the weeks leading up to Trans Period Pride, we also encourage you to deepen your understanding of the issues at the heart of our gathering. Below are a few resources that explore trans experiences with menstruation:

• Navigating the Binary: A Visual Narrative of Trans and Genderqueer Menstruation

• Being a Transgender Person Who Menstruates

• Six Trans Women Talk Menstruation 

• Queering Menstruation | UC Berkeley’s Division of Equity & Inclusion

• Providing Respectful Menstruation-Related Care to Transgender and Gender Non-Binary Patient Populations | Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health

• What is Menstruation? | TransHub

Moments like this remind us why gatherings such as Trans Period Pride matter. There is power in connecting the personal to the political, and in rejecting the shame and stigma that have long been attached to menstruation and gender diversity. When we are able to show up as our full selves, we strengthen our communities and create new possibilities for liberation, dignity, and belonging.

Thank you for standing with us. We look forward to welcoming you on June 17th and continuing this important work together.

In solidarity,

Mass NOW and the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition