Calendar An icon of a desk calendar. Cancel An icon of a circle with a diagonal line across. Caret An icon of a block arrow pointing to the right. Email An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of the Facebook "f" mark. Google An icon of the Google "G" mark. Linked In An icon of the Linked In "in" mark. Logout An icon representing logout. Profile An icon that resembles human head and shoulders. Telephone An icon of a traditional telephone receiver. Tick An icon of a tick mark. Is Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes. Is Not Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes with a diagonal line through it. Pause Icon A two-lined pause icon for stopping interactions. Quote Mark A opening quote mark. Quote Mark A closing quote mark. Arrow An icon of an arrow. Folder An icon of a paper folder. Breaking An icon of an exclamation mark on a circular background. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Caret An icon of a caret arrow. Clock An icon of a clock face. Close An icon of the an X shape. Close Icon An icon used to represent where to interact to collapse or dismiss a component Comment An icon of a speech bubble. Comments An icon of a speech bubble, denoting user comments. Comments An icon of a speech bubble, denoting user comments. Ellipsis An icon of 3 horizontal dots. Envelope An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Home An icon of a house. Instagram An icon of the Instagram logo. LinkedIn An icon of the LinkedIn logo. Magnifying Glass An icon of a magnifying glass. Search Icon A magnifying glass icon that is used to represent the function of searching. Menu An icon of 3 horizontal lines. Hamburger Menu Icon An icon used to represent a collapsed menu. Next An icon of an arrow pointing to the right. Notice An explanation mark centred inside a circle. Previous An icon of an arrow pointing to the left. Rating An icon of a star. Tag An icon of a tag. Twitter An icon of the Twitter logo. Video Camera An icon of a video camera shape. Speech Bubble Icon A icon displaying a speech bubble WhatsApp An icon of the WhatsApp logo. Information An icon of an information logo. Plus A mathematical 'plus' symbol. Duration An icon indicating Time. Success Tick An icon of a green tick. Success Tick Timeout An icon of a greyed out success tick. Loading Spinner An icon of a loading spinner. Facebook Messenger An icon of the facebook messenger app logo. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Facebook Messenger An icon of the Twitter app logo. LinkedIn An icon of the LinkedIn logo. WhatsApp Messenger An icon of the Whatsapp messenger app logo. Email An icon of an mail envelope. Copy link A decentered black square over a white square.

EWAN GURR: I helped campaign for period dignity in Dundee – it’s time for men to step aside

Jason Grant, left, has been appointed period dignity officer for Tayside. Ewan Gurr says it's no job for a man.
Jason Grant, left, has been appointed period dignity officer for Tayside. Ewan Gurr says it's no job for a man.

There’s been widespread outrage over the decision to appoint a male to the role of period dignity officer in Tayside.

And although I am a man, this is an issue close to my heart.

As head of a national charity in Scotland in 2016, I started to work closely on this with Scottish Labour MSP Monica Lennon.

Monica and I were two of the early cheerleaders campaigning back then for the cost-free provision of sanitary items for women and girls on low or restricted incomes.

Over a decade ago, when I was managing Dundee Foodbank, I encountered several women and girls who were supplementing the use of sanitary items with towels and toilet paper.

I even met one lady who clearly felt safe enough to inform me, when I delivered food to her home, that she was using newspaper.

I promptly drove to the Asda store a quarter of a mile from her home and drove back with a healthy supply of sanitary items to ensure she was stocked up.

My attempts to bring dignity to period poverty debate

Over the last six years, I was called upon by various UK media outlets to comment on the issue.

Ewan at the Trussell Trust foodbank store in Dundee in 2015.

I spoke privately to women and girls experiencing what is now known as “period poverty” who sought to remain anonymous.

On one occasion, when BBC cameras came to Dundee Foodbank, I introduced the presenters to three women – two of whom had just arrived for food – who were willing to speak about period poverty only if their faces were blurred.

The concept of dignity was at the forefront of their minds.

This week, as legislation passed in the Scottish Parliament in 2020 came into effect, I spoke to Kaye Adams on BBC Radio Scotland about the process we have gone through to arrive at this place.

Period dignity officer Jason Grant speaking to mother and daughter Rosie and Angel Gilbert from Arbroath and Euan Smith from Broughty Ferry.

I told Kaye: “I am a bloke, I didn’t really want to be talking about this and I think it would be great to amplify the voices of women, particularly women on low or restricted incomes.”

In short, I feel my work here is done.

And this is precisely my point when it comes to Jason Grant’s appointment as period dignity officer.

Has the time not come for men like me to stand aside?

Time to raise up women’s voices

I stood in the gap when women told me they did not want to speak publicly, despite having zero experience of what it is to menstruate or gestate.

Monica Lennon MSP joins supporters of the Period Products bill at a rally outside Parliament in Edinburgh.

And while Jason Grant has as much right as anyone to apply for the role, I was surprised by his appointment.

I could possibly grasp the rationale for a male period dignity officer performing an administrative function, like overseeing the provision of sanitary items.

But this is not what the job entails.

The job description specifies an “outreach and community based” role.

In other words, this man could be talking to our young female relatives in school about an experience he will never know.

The last few years tell me the taboo around periods is on its way out.

I’m glad that is the case.

And I think it is time for men to get out of the road too.


Conversation