Meta Faces Backlash Over Removal of Tampons from Men’s Bathrooms

Just a few days ahead of Donald Trump's inauguration as the 47th President of the United States, Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has made significant policy changes that are drawing attention and sparking controversy. In a move that has garnered significant backlash, Meta has decided to remove tampons from men's bathrooms in its offices, a policy that was initially implemented for nonbinary and transgender employees, the NYT reports said.

Internal Memo Reveals Broad Changes in Strategy

In an internal memo, Janelle Gale, Meta’s Vice President of Human Resources, outlined a major overhaul of the company’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. Gale explained that the changes reflect the shifting “legal and policy landscape surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in the United States.”
The company plans to focus less on DEI training and instead prioritize programs aimed at ensuring “fair and consistent practices to reduce bias across all groups.” This overhaul also includes the dissolution of the DEI team and changes to Meta’s supplier selection process.

The decision to remove tampons from men’s bathrooms has sparked widespread debate on social media. Many users on X (formerly Twitter) expressed their disappointment, with some criticizing Meta’s previous DEI efforts as “performative.” One user wrote, “Meta’s idea of inclusion was always performative. Now they’re just showing their true colours.” Others mocked the decision, with one user humorously noting, “Guess Meta’s next step is banning empathy from the office altogether.” However, some support the change, claiming it reflects “common sense policies” and aligns with conservative values. One user wrote, “Not totally supporting this decision, but I understand it.”

Meta’s Policy Change

The decision to remove tampons from men’s bathrooms is part of a larger transformation at Meta. The company also announced the end of its U.S. fact-checking program. CEO Mark Zuckerberg revealed that fact-checking would be replaced by a new community note system, inspired by the model used by X. Zuckerberg argued that traditional fact-checking efforts had become too politically biased and, in his view, “destroyed more trust than they’ve created.”