In Japan, menstruation classes are becoming more commonplace across local schools and companies. As demand for honest conversations around taboo subjects increases, these initiatives are a space for people who menstruate to feel heard, while fostering greater understanding and empathy from others.

Tokyo’s Nike x SOPH pop-up blurs football & fashion ahead of the Women's World Cup – pushing for more female participation. The event ties to broader trends of equality and inclusiveness in sports by reflecting growing efforts to acknowledge women's perspectives in male-dominated arenas.

Picking up steam in the early 2010s, the period positivity movement saw women fight to destigmatize menstruation. But with period inequity still rampant in the US and trust damaged in some progressive menstrual start-ups, where should the movement go next? And how can femtech brands learn from this?