Pooja Makhijani has written a piece for the New York Times about menstruation. Here are a few suggested edits for Makhijani’s piece, free of charge:
- First, the sub-head: “Young people want alternatives to disposable tampons and pads — and they’re not embarrassed to talk about it.”
Are “young people” looking for alternatives to disposable menstrual products, or are young women? (Surely the latter since only women menstruate.)
- “Still, the average menstruator can use thousands of tampons in their lifetime.”
“Menstruator”? Excuse me, but the word is woman. (Also, “their” should be her.)
- “New menstruators often turn to a parent for products and advice. . . .”
Do young women “often turn to a parent for products or advice,” or do they mostly turn to their mothers? (Or do you have a problem with that word, too?)
Here’s a crazy idea: If the story is about young women who aren’t embarrassed to talk about their periods, then perhaps you, the writer, shouldn’t be embarrassed to talk about young women.