Pinky Embarrassing

What happens when two men try to solve an invented menstrual problem was seen on social media yesterday: a shitstorm. That's what it's all about.

On Monday evening, it was time again for the show "Die Höhle der Löwen" (DHDL). The start-up Pinky, which produces a disposable glove for disposing of menstrual products such as pads and tampons, was on the show. While the founders from North Rhine-Westphalia were able to successfully conclude a deal with Ralf Dümmel, a shitstorm ensued on social networks on Tuesday, particularly under the hashtag #pinkygate.

Most people criticized the fact that the two male founders had designed a product for menstruating people without involving them in the development. "What have women been doing all these years without this invention?" asks one user under a post by Pinky on Instagram. She alludes to the fact that menstruating people have also found solutions for disposal so far. It is reasonable to assume that if menstruating people had been involved, it would have quickly become clear that the glove solves a problem that did not previously exist.

On DHDL, founders Eugen Raimkulow and André Ritterswürden explained how they came up with the idea. They were disgusted when they saw their flatmate's discarded tampons in the garbage can. While in their later statement on Instagram they talk about always being "against the stigmatization of periods", the words in the show sounded like disgust towards menstruation.

The glove "suggests that periods are unclean, unhygienic and should not be seen. Not even in the garbage can".

Kati Ernst and Kristine Zeller, founders of the start-up Ooshi

Other female start-up representatives are now taking issue with this. The glove "suggests that periods are unclean, unhygienic and should not be seen. Not even in the garbage can," comment the founders of the start-up Ooshi, which produces the menstrual underwear Ooia. The video now has almost two million views on Instagram. They are not alone. The horror in the social networks was reflected in the hashtag pinkygate, in numerous statements and posts. Activist accounts and influencers with a wide reach, such as Mirellativegal, Jana Heinisch and Diana zur Löwen, were involved far beyond the start-up scene.

Pinky's situation highlights a repeatedly criticized phenomenon in the start-up scene. Feminized topics are perceived by male investors as a successful idea, especially for male founders. Products for women, on the other hand, are often not considered to have a profitable market.

"Basically, this manifests on TV what reality is: men give money to men"

Tijen Onaran, entrepreneur and investor

Ooia was used as an example on social networks, mainly because of the statement made by the two founders. Kati Ernst and Kristine Zeller competed on DHDL two years ago with their menstrual underwear. Result: no investment. Today, the company is very successful in selling its period underwear, an environmentally friendly and practical way of dealing with menstruation. Entrepreneur and investor Tijen Onaran commented on the comparison between the two start-ups: "Basically, this manifests on TV what reality is: men give men money."

The start-up also came in for criticism because of the pink glove color and the corresponding choice of the name "Pinky". According to the critics, this confirms the outdated cliché that women love pink things and are therefore easier to win over as customers. The glove is also another product for which menstruating women have to spend money and generate more waste.

The founders themselves were quick to respond to all the criticism and apologized in their statement on Instagram: "We didn't mean to hurt anyone." They said: "Of course, menstruation is something completely natural that no one needs to or should be ashamed of." The Ooshi founders rate the statements as "authentic", but their criticism of the product remains unaffected.