Menstrual Activist: Cass Bliss
The period positivity movement is filled with renegades and unsung heroes who perform a huge service to their communities. Cass Bliss is one of those individuals.
Cass Bliss, or the period prince as they have dubbed themselves on Instagram, is a trans and nonbinary menstrual activist who has been putting up the good fight since 2016.
Their journey began with a coloring book they created called The Adventures of Toni the Tampon, which helped foist them into the public eye. The coloring book itself aimed to soothe menstruation anxieties and normalize periods in a fun and inviting way. While it received some mixed reviews from those who didn’t understand the message overall, it was well-received. Parents, preteens, and teens were all given the opportunity to understand and vocalize the realities of menstruation in an upbeat and engaging way.
Often, periods are treated as a delicate subject to avoid, but Cass wants to bring it to the forefront of the conversation, especially when it comes to individuals often overlooked regarding menstruation, such as trans and nonbinary folx. They started the hashtag #BleedingWhileTrans to help relate to others who have experienced the same discomfort with periods being tied to womanhood.
Their message is about inclusivity and bringing voices to the forefront of the period positivity movement that aren’t traditionally showcased. This includes trans and nonbinary folx, POC, disabled people, those facing period poverty, and many more regularly excluded people. Cass Bliss focuses a lot of their attention on what periods feel like when you don’t identify as a woman and how we should be listening to more non-white non-cis voices when it comes to topics like this.
They use their platform to highlight other movements like Code Red Collective, #HappyPeriod, Red Dot, and Operation Period. They believe that change begins with identifying even their privilege in a system that often ignores or silences people of color, women, and the LGBTQ+ community. The Linktree in their Instagram bio leads to a series of GoFundMe links and bail funds for those struggling and experiencing oppression. They know that their platform is respected and well-known, so they do what they can to highlight other activists and causes.
Ultimately, Cass Bliss wants nothing more than for the issues that are so important to our communities to be discussed and dealt with regardless of what social stigmas get in the way. While many of their in-person talks and demonstrations have halted due to the pandemic, Cass Bliss remains active online in articles, interviews, and social media platforms, spreading awareness and bringing attention to the issues they hold near and dear to their heart.