As a woman, I have always known when it came to my period, I had to wear panties. No big deal. I like wearing panties, if I do say so myself.

My sister, on the other hand, doesn’t like to wear panties. She’s more of a boxer briefs type of girl. But when it came to her period, she would have to switch to panties. But here’s the thing- what if you don’t like wearing panties? What if you’re like my sister, who likes wearing boxers? What if you’re not like my sister and you’re a transman, and wearing panties makes you feel uncomfortable and embarrassed? There are a lot of people who enjoy wearing boxer briefs, but there hasn’t been a pair of underwear made for periods, and not gender. Why is that? Why hasn’t anyone ever thought that a person with a period might enjoy wearing boxers during that time of the month?

I’m sure a pad with no wings could be put in a pair of boxer briefs, but I know as well as anyone who has a period that the pad will move a lot. And if you’re a person with a period, you also know that you leak on the sides so you need wings (anyone who doesn’t wear a pad with wings, God bless you!). Anyway, this is why we often switch back to panties…because we know that panties are reliable, where boxers are not. There is no securing the pads in place. As I said before, not everybody likes to wear panties, some people just don’t like wearing them. Others, like people in transition, are forced to wear something that is deemed as particularly female.This is a set back, and makes them feel like they are taking a step back.

I personally have never thought of wearing panties as an uncomfortable or a bad thing, because like I said, I like wearing panties. My sister, though, was sick and tired of having to wear panties for one week out of the month, and felt that complaining about it, and not doing something about it, meant that she was compliant. So she took the initiative to make a product that no one else saw a need for.

Her recently launched company, Pyramid Seven, has designed an underwear line for periods, not gender. Founder and co-owner of Pyramid Seven, Zipporah Jarmon, and her designer and co-owner business partner, Michelle Janayea, have designed an underwear of “boxer briefs” for periods. I bet you're asking, "How the heck did they do that?" Well, the underwear are boxer briefs, which are made by adding additional fabric in the crotch area. Which would allow the person wearing them to be able to wear their pad in place and not be afraid of movement. I myself own a pair and what can I say, they work. Although I am a pantie girl, I like having the option to wear boxer briefs while I’m on my period.

I know what you’re thinking; did she just write this article to promote her sister? No, of course not. But my sister is amazing for creating this product. And because this needs to be talked about. We were born and raised to think of two types of gender, and nothing else, whether it's clothes, lotion, soap, names, hair-styles, books, etc.

We put labels on everything, instead of thinking that maybe men love the smell of cotton candy strawberry delight perfume, but society says it's only for girls (which you know shouldn’t stop him). But the fact is, that it’s labeled for girls. Really? I personally love men’s cologne, especially the one my dad wears, Acqua Di Gio. Let me just tell you, it smells amazing. But it’s technically for men. Which shouldn’t stop me from wearing it, but it gives me pause. Because I automatically think, well it’s for boys, I need to find a girl version. Which there is. Still, something like that, or whatever, should say Acqua di Gio for men or women (not gender specific.)

Hmm, I totally went on a tangent there.

But it relates, nevertheless. We as a society need to put a stop to gendering or genderlization. And make items for everyone, and not gender!

Please feel free to check out my sister's new line of underwear for periods, not gender!