Other is a menstrual product that does not assume gender identity of the person using it. Regardless how you identify: as a woman, man, neither, or other, the OtherCup is a new menstrual experience. The Other Cup is designed to minimize the interaction with menstrual fluid, both physically and visually. The Other Cup comes in a two cup pack. The Other Cup is inserted with an applicator, then opens to collect menstrual fluid once inserted, after twelve hours the cup is removed with the same reusable silicone applicator, the cup closes to seal the menstrual blood inside, and a new clean cup is inserted. You never need to touch the cup or interact with blood. The cup and applicator are then deposited into hemostatic packaging that absorbs the menstrual fluid as you go about your day, and the cup can be rinsed later at your convenience at home.

When I began this project, I wanted to tackle the social issues surrounding menstruation. I specifically focused in on the term "feminine hygiene" and what thatmeant for individuals who menstruate and use menstrual products. Not everyone who menstruates identifies as a woman, so the term "feminine hygiene" can bealienating. If you have a uterus, and are not taking hormones to suppress menstruation, you can menstruate regardless of your gender identity. Menstruation can cause gender dysphoria for individuals who do not identify as a woman. There are no other menstrual solutions on the market that are specifically designed for individuals who do not identify as a woman. Menstruation is not discussed very often. 50% of the world's population menstruates, and it is discussed in hushed tones.The idea of someone other than a "woman" menstruating is discussed even less. In the United States alone, it is estimated that 1.4 million adults identify as transgender, and there are no menstrual care solutions for those who menstruate. I interviewed and surveyed over two hundred people to find out how they feel about their periods. Many of the men I interviewed told stories of not changing tampons in public, going past the allotted time they should be inserted. They weremore afraid of being "outed" due to the loud packaging than the possible toxic infection they could get from leaving a tampon in too long. Even merely carryingmenstrual products around was a risk, because the packaging was overtly feminine normative. When developing concepts, I wanted a design that would reduce thephysical confrontation to blood one has when using menstrual products. Ultimately a menstrual cup was selected as the final design due to the non-toxic nature ofthe product. The insights from my research lead me to develop a non-toxic reusable menstrual cup. I tested eight different versions of the menstrual cup. I createdlow fidelity 3D printed molds that allowed for rapid prototyping and testing of the cup functionality, and then the final cups were cast in a high fidelity 3D printed mold. I cast over three dozen cups testing cure time, durometer, fill technique, and mold material. For the packaging, I created mock ups that allowed me to test packaging functionality and overall experience. Other is a menstrual product that does not assume gender identity of the person using it. Regardless how youidentify: as a woman, man, neither, or other, the Other Cup is a new menstrual experience. The Other Cup is designed to minimize the interaction with menstrual fluid, both physically and visually. The Other Cup is inserted with an applicator, then opens to collect menstrual fluid once inserted, after twelve hours the cup is removed with the same reusable silicone applicator, the cup closes to seal the menstrual blood inside, and a new clean cup is inserted. You never need to touchthe cup or interact with blood. The black color of the cup obscures the color of any residual blood left on the surface. The cup and applicator are then depositedinto hemostatic packaging that absorbs the menstrual fluid as you go about your day, and the cup can be rinsed later at your convenience at home. The packaging was designed to be completely unrecognizable as menstrual care packaging. The experience of opening the packaging and interacting with it was to feel luxurious and high end, rather than cheap and disposable like current interactions with existing menstrual care packaging. I designed the Other Cup as a new choice inmenstrual care that considered all gender identities and experiences. Aside from addressing the concerns and pain points for a specific part of the population, itencourages dialogue surrounding menstruation. It questions the alienating term "feminine hygiene" and opens up a discussion about who can menstruate. The experience surrounding current menstrual care options are very feminine normative, cheap, and disposable. The Other Cup creates an experience that validates the feelings for all genders who menstruate. Other Cup simply views those who use it as human beings and does not force the users of the cup to fit into certain societal or gender expectations. Other is the world's first menstrual solution that considers all gender identities. Menstruation is a topic that is not spoken of very often, and the Other Cup encourages dialogue surrounding menstruation and questions societal beliefs surrounding menstruation and gender. Gender identity is nota choice, but I wanted to create a new choice for menstrual products that considered other genders. From the design to the branding and packaging, there is noother menstrual product like it. Regardless of how you identify: male, female, or other, the Other Cup is a new menstrual experience.