Always sanitary products removes 'female' symbol from packaging to be inclusive: 'Not everyone who has a period... identifies as female'

Always sanitary products found itself at the center of a social media firestorm after removing its female symbol from packaging.

What are the details?

The "Venus" sign denotes the biological sex of "female."

Procter & Gamble announced it would be removing the symbol from packaging in order to be more inclusive to its customers.

The company insisted that the symbol was not inclusive enough toward transgender females, or biological males.

The company was prompted to make the change after an 18-year-old transgender activist from the United Kingdom, who was named campaigner of the year by an LGBTQ charity, complained. Other transgender activists followed suit, and demanded the company comply.

One activist, called "Melly Boom," on Twitter wrote, "There are nonbinary and trans folks who still need to use your products too you know!"

Procter & Gamble released a letter acknowledging its decision to remove the symbol from packaging.

"We listened to you and our marketing team worked a solution!" a portion of the letter read. "We are glad to inform you that as of December we will use a new wrapper design without the feminine symbol."

"Please just be ware that you might find products with the old wrapper design in the store for some weeks after December, as the distribution of the new package might take some time — the new designs should be in store Jan/Feb 2020."

What was the reaction?

While many in the transgender community lauded the company's move, just as many people voiced their opposition to it.

One woman, feminist activist Julie Bindel, told the Daily Mail, "Removing the female symbol from sanitary towel packaging is basically denying the existence of women. We're now moving towards the total elimination of women's biology. The women's symbol has been used by feminists for decades."

Bindel added, "This is pure cowardice and virtue signaling from these big corporate brands who are capitulating to the trans agenda."

Procter & Gamble released a response to the outcry against the company's decision in a statement.

The statement read, "For over 35 years Always has championed girls and women, and we will continue to do so. ... We're also committed to diversity and inclusion, and after hearing from many people across genders and age groups, we realized that not everyone who has a period and needs to use a pad identifies as female.

"To ensure that anyone who needs to use a period product feels comfortable in doing so with Always, we updated our pad wrapper design," the statement added. "Our mission remains to ensure no girl loses confidence at puberty because of her gender or period."