Pantone’s New Shade of Period Red

©Pantone

By Sara Beck.

Pantone’s latest shade of red is inspired by the color of menstruation, and naturally, the hue has been the subject of controversy since its release.

The company has clearly stated its goal of destigmatizing menstruation, a phenomenon which is a normal part of life. In fact, the average person who menstruates will have their period for over 2,500 days, a significant chunk of time to experience a bodily process that is still often seen as taboo.

While many are supportive of Pantone’s choice to represent an unnecessarily stigmatized experience, stating that the company is doing its part in an important movement to squash the taboo around periods, others have accused the company of virtue signaling. Part of this particular accusation is rooted in the fact that the release of this new color is, at least in part, a marketing tactic. Pantone joined forces with the Swedish brand Intimina, a producer of various feminine hygiene and personal care products.

Although it is undeniable that a marketing opportunity was a part of Pantone’s decision to create their new shade of red, Pantone is ultimately a commercial company, so perhaps taking issue with this aspect of the situation is missing the point. An argument that holds more weight could be that an experience which has caused significant shame and distress for so many individuals is being co-opted by a major company in a way that trivializes said experience. In short, there has been upset among people who feel as though a menstrual period is an event of great value, and to turn it into a potential wall color for novelty’s sake is minimizing at best.

All in all, the intention behind Pantone’s new red shade seems to be simply to normalize the discussion of a life phase that has fallen victim to unmerited taboo and reactions of discomfort or even disgust. However, although this negative perspective toward menstruation certainly stems from historical misogyny, it may be that 2020 is not the year to make such a statement about periods.

There is an argument to be made that in the present day, such a forthright marketing campaign highlighting menstrual periods is bound to dredge up ideas reminiscent of a feminism which defines menstruation as a markedly female experience. This conceptualization does not leave space for women who do not menstruate and lacks sensitivity to men whose experience of menstruation is a dysphoric one. On the other side of this, however, is the question of whether or not our historical view of menstruation is coloring these perceptions.

In all fairness, Pantone did not speak about these issues at great length, and it is difficult to decide whether the simplicity of the company’s statement on menstruation is tone-deaf or refreshing. It may be that moves like this most recent one by Pantone, regardless of commercial or non-commercial nature, work to destigmatize menstruation for all who experience it and all who don’t, pushing us closer to seeing periods as a non-gendered experience.