The period emoji has finally arrived

By Maddison Leach|

Apple has released more than 350 new emojis, including what some have branded the long-awaited 'period emoji', but others aren't so sure.

Included in the new collection of emojis, which include new gender neutral emojis, is a new red 'blood drop' emoji that some groups claim will normalise menstruation.

But some iPhone users aren't are saying that a drop of blood does not a period emoji make.

The period emoji has arrived. (Twitter)

The emoji's arrival comes on the back of a campaign run by girls' rights charity Plan International in 2017, where more than 54,000 people voted in an online poll asking what 'period emoji' they'd like to see.

The campaign hoped to normalise periods and encourage more open discussion of menstruation among women and girls.

Their first emoji proposal – a pair of 'period undies' – was rejected, so the group later joined with the NHS Blood and Transplant agency to push for a blood drop emoji instead.

Now the emoji has been released, Rose Caldwell, Plan International UK's chief executive, is "thrilled" with the "breakthrough in the fight against period stigma."

"Girls, women and other menstruators told us this emoji would help them talk more freely about their periods, which is why we campaigned so hard to make it a reality," she told Stuff NZ.

But some people aren't convinced, pointing out that the blood drop emoji is not period-specific and given that the NHS Blood and Transplant group also campaigned for it, it's unfair to claim the emoji as specifically relating to periods.

"I mean, it's just a red drop. Not really a full period in my opinion," one woman tweeted.

Others worried that men would use the emoji to make fun of women on their periods or joke about PMS, one of the more common instances of period stigma.

"[This is] 'damn she must be on her period' but in emoji form', the boys [are going to] have a lot fun with this one," one woman wrote.

"Women - are we really going to use this emoji? or are guys just going to use it when their wives are in 'a mood'," tweeted another.

Others felt that there are more important women's causes to focus on than the inclusion of a 'period emoji'.

"Women: we want equal pay and the right to our own body," one tweeted.

"Society: let's give them a blood drop emoji to show sympathy about their period."

Meanwhile others wondered if the emoji would really have any impact on the stigma surrounding periods, several asking if the emoji was "really necessary."

However, others were supportive of the new emoji and praised Plan International for working for two years to have it introduced.

"So proud of the amazing communications team @PlanUK playing a huge part in the period emoji coming to our keyboards today," one wrote.

"Let's break this stigma together."
