Meta Employees Protest Removal of Tampons from Men’s Bathrooms
By Julio Gonzaga
Meta employees have begun to protest the recent removal of tampons from men’s restrooms across the company’s offices. This policy change, part of a broader overhaul by CEO Mark Zuckerberg, has sparked internal dissent and external debate about inclusivity and company culture at Meta.
The decision to remove tampons from men’s bathrooms was implemented in Meta’s offices in Silicon Valley, Texas, and New York, where they had previously been available for non-binary and transgender employees. This move came alongside other policy shifts, including the termination of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs and the end of the company’s US fact-checking initiative, reflecting a strategic alignment with the incoming conservative political climate under President Donald Trump’s administration.
Reports from various news outlets, including The New York Times and Fox Business, highlight that employees have taken matters into their own hands. “To protest Mr. Zuckerberg’s actions, some Meta workers soon brought their own tampons, pads, and liners to the men’s bathrooms,” according to sources cited by both publications. This subtle form of resistance has been described as a “quiet rebellion,” emblematic of a broader tension between the company’s cultural shifts and employee values.
The backlash has not been limited to physical actions. On Meta’s internal platform, Workplace, members of the @Pride group, which advocates for LGBTQ+ issues, have voiced their concerns. One employee told the Times, “No one is excited or happy about these changes. And obviously, the employees who identify as being part of the LGBTQ+ community are especially unhappy and feel the most unsupported in this.” This sentiment has led to at least one resignation announcement, with others contemplating leaving the company.
Zuckerberg’s changes have been defended by some within Meta, with Alex Schultz, the company’s Chief Marketing Officer, reportedly arguing that issues like transgender rights had become overly politicized. However, the removal of tampons from men’s bathrooms, in particular, has been viewed by many as a step back from Meta’s previous commitments to progressive themes like diversity and inclusion.
AP