Rhiannon Ingle
Anyone who has taken the London Underground in the past few weeks may have seen a very attention-grabbing advert declaring 'men get hormonal too'.
Massive banners have been plastered all over tube stations across the capital, complete with phrases like 'men get hormonal too', 'are your men hormones getting the better of you?' and 'it's not him, it's his hormones', and it's sparked quite the heated discussion online.
It's no surprise the campaign has had an explosive response, given the fact that pretty much every woman has been patronised at some point in their lives for being 'too hormonal'.
As many as 80 percent of women live with some form of hormonal imbalance, according to a 2018 study published by Nordwell Health, with many struggling to be taken seriously for their PMS, PMDD, PCOS, endometriosis, perimenopause and menopause.
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And, even if you're lucky to get diagnosed, the contraceptive pill can often be pushed out as some sort of one-size-fits-all response.
Women have come out in their droves, branding the new campaign 'incredibly annoying' and 'misogynistic'. FGRLSCLUB founder, Chloe Grace Laws, also went viral after giving her take on the issue in an Instagram post.
The adverts in question are from the brand Voy, a UK-based health tech company which sells weight loss treatments like Mounjaro and Wegovy, as well as testosterone and menopause treatments.
Voy's official website advertises 'life-changing treatment for low testosterone', telling customers they will 'feel healthier, happier and stronger with a tailored testosterone treatment plan designed by our expert TRT doctors'.
The company also claims 'one in four men suffer from low testosterone (age 30-79)', which appears to be citing figures from a 2007 study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, which suggested 'that one out of four men over 30 have low testosterone levels, but only one out of every 20 men have clinical symptoms linked to such a deficiency.'
Voy adds: "Your doctor will design a personalised treatment plan that’s tailored to your lifestyle, which may include medication, lifestyle advice or supplements.
"Our monthly subscription includes medication, monitoring blood tests, follow-up reviews with our doctors, doctor’s letters, referrals, and ongoing support from our TRT specialists, plus postage," the website outlines, with the priciest treatment plan costing between £129 and £169 a month.
"I did a double-take because it was so glaringly jarring, and so obviously trying to intentionally rage-bait people," Chloe, who wrote her now-viral post after recovering from endometrial surgery following a PCOS diagnosis last year, explained.
Providing some personal context, she explained: "I needed surgery because of my hormones. I also spend, on average, ten days of every month not feeling fully like myself because of my hormones. My cycle is 28 days long. For a quick science refresher: a cisgender man's hormone cycle lasts 24 hours."
Chloe broke down the advert's main taglines, starting off with the most 'rage-baity' being 'Men get hormonal, too'.
"The 'too' here implies that men's hormones have not been sufficiently considered, that enough time has already been spent on women's hormonal cycles, and that men now deserve attention 'too'," she wrote, pointing out that women have spent centuries without the autonomy or power to investigate their hormones, to speak about them openly, or to share information.
"That has only recently begun to change due to the hard work of thousands of women. And just as we start to gain an inch of what we deserve, companies like Voy decide it is time to centre men in the conversation," Chloe explained.
"Talk about male hormones, by all means, but do not replace women's conversations. Do not 'too' us."
Sharing her thoughts on the 'Are your men hormones getting the better of you?' / 'It's not him, it's his hormones' tag, Chloe highlighted that 'women are never afforded this kind of grace'.
"We are not given free passes because of our hormones. No one says, 'It's not you, it's your hormones'. Instead, we are branded hysterical, dramatic, unhinged," she said, adding: "Our hormones are weaponised against us as a means of subjugation.
"Take, for example, the long- standing claim that women cannot lead countries because they would be 'too emotional' on their periods."
It's not just Chloe who has taken issue with Voy's campaign, as thousands have chucked in their two cents over the ad.
One social media user lamented: "'It’s not him it’s his hormones' is actually gonna send me over the edge."
Another chimed in: "Also 'he might have low testosterone, get an at home test' the wording of that one suggests it is for the partner to organise for said man. Nah, he's an adult, he can organise that shhh himself."
And a final user added: "I saw this ad on the train and just side eyed. If men had endometriosis or PCOS or even fluctuating hormones like us - the amount of research and solutions there would already be, not to forget the policies on free days off to manage."
Responding to the backlash, a Voy spokesperson told Tyla in a statement: “As a clinically led digital healthcare provider, Voy is dedicated to supporting the improvement of people’s lives across men’s and women’s health - from hormonal health, to weight loss and hair loss.
"We aim to bring awareness to typically stigmatised and unspoken about health topics - in this instance, our focus was men’s hormonal health.
"This is the first in a series of campaigns to tackle the health stigmas that we know can stop individuals from recognising signs or seeking the right support."