How can we help others understand women's health issues? ~ Considering Femtech with Chiaki Ito

This series explores hints for achieving the SDGs and realizing a sustainable society. This time, we interviewed Chiaki Ito, a multi-talented artist, model, and talent.

Femtech is gradually gaining traction in Japan. However, many women still face health challenges, and gaining understanding from men and organizations remains difficult. How should men, alongside women themselves, approach women's health issues? She shared her thoughts, drawing on her personal experiences.

Chiaki Ito: Graduated from the co-ed performance group "AAA" in 2017. She began solo activities in 2018 and is currently active in various fields as an artist, model, and talent. She also obtained the "Femtech Association Level 2 Certification (Certified Femtech Expert)" in March 2022. Starting in June of the same year, she began the serialized column "Chiaki Ito's Femtech Report" on VOCE web, actively sharing information in the femtech field.

"Femtech" is surprisingly familiar to many women already

──While "femtech" is a term we hear often these days, I imagine many women still find it somewhat intimidating. How do you perceive femtech, Ms. Ito?

Ito: Fundamentally, femtech refers to products and services that use technology to solve health challenges women face. While the word "technology" might make some people feel hesitant, many items are actually already being used by numerous women. For example, apps that help manage your menstrual cycle are one such product. Broadening the definition, I believe menstrual pads also fall under femtech. Thinking about it this way, while the term itself is new, femtech is actually surprisingly familiar to many women—something they're already using.

Personally, I started researching about a year ago after wondering, "What exactly is femtech?" Even now, I attend exhibitions and study sessions to learn more, and I incorporate items that solve my own concerns. I genuinely feel my body and mind becoming increasingly comfortable. With femtech, the results directly reflect the effort you put in, making it rewarding to learn about and easy to engage with. So, I hope you'll start by exploring it with an open mind, without overcomplicating things.

──What kind of concerns did you personally have, Ms. Ito?

Ito: I entered this industry at 18 and have worked as an artist ever since. Menstruation, in particular, often brought challenges. For instance, wearing extra layers of underwear to prevent blood stains on costumes led to sweating and itching. Facial puffiness and abdominal bloating would bother me, and on days with shoots, I'd feel down... Also, when I was in a co-ed group, I worried about male members thinking I went to the bathroom too often or seeing me carry a pouch to the restroom. Back then, I felt like I didn't need to tell men about women's bodily issues, nor did I want them to know. I think I was always focused on hiding things.

Ito: But lately, I feel society's awareness is gradually shifting. Especially since I started learning about femtech, I've found it easier to say things like, "Actually, I'm not feeling great today," and people I work with have started trying to understand how menstruation affects my physical state. I also realized my physical condition impacts my work performance, and that it doesn't just affect me—it can affect the men I work with, the organization I belong to, and the entire team. Thinking this way helped me see that bodily issues aren't just my own problem. Now, I believe it's important to communicate my physical condition to those around me, partly to create an environment where I can feel comfortable.

I also want to work on creating opportunities to help people understand women's health issues.

──Ms. Ito, I hear you actively participate in femtech-related events and exhibitions these days. Any that left a strong impression?

Ito: "Femtech Fes! 2022," where I also spoke as a guest, left a strong impression on me as a participant. It's an annual autumn event hosted by "fermata," a company focused on wellness businesses centered around femtech. This year's theme was "The Femtech Intersection: Turning Your Taboos into Excitement," featuring product exhibitions, workshops, and talk events. What I particularly appreciated was how the exhibition booths were divided into areas like "Menstruation," "Fertility & Infertility," and "Women's Health Conditions." Femtech covers such a broad spectrum that it can be overwhelming to know where to start at an expo. Having it categorized made it much easier to approach the topics closest to my own concerns. Additionally, each product had detailed explanations about its background and usage, which was incredibly informative.

──Could you also tell us about how you came to speak at the talk event and what you discussed?

Ito: It started with my serialized column "Chiaki Ito's Femtech Report" on VOCE web, where I interviewed fermata's CCO, Hiroko Nakamura. When I mentioned interest in the event after hearing about it from Ms. Nakamura, she invited me to participate as a talk guest. On the day, I spoke on the theme "Entertainers and Menstruation," proposed by fermata. I shared the unique challenges faced by entertainers who perform on stage and how I managed during menstruation and PMS.

The talk event received a lot of positive feedback, which I'm very grateful for. Among the messages, I was particularly struck by those from men saying things like, "I hesitated but I'm glad I came," or "I didn't know much about women's bodies, but hearing this made me think there might be things I can be more mindful about myself." It was truly heartening to realize there are men out there actively trying to understand women's bodies. That said, men made up only about 10% of the attendees. Engaging more men is definitely one of the challenges moving forward.

──How can we help men understand women's physical concerns and health issues?

Ito: That's really difficult, isn't it? It's not something where you explain it once and they say, "Okay, I get it." I think the only way is to keep patiently communicating. A fan once confided in me, "I told my husband and kids how painful my period cramps are, but they just don't understand at all." At the time, I suggested, "Maybe try talking about it repeatedly, within your own limits?" But I imagine some people find even bringing it up painful, and the way you convey it is tricky too.

Events like "Femtech Fes!" could be a good starting point for talking with family or partners. If you suddenly say, "My period pains are really bad," they might get defensive. But if you start with, "I went to this event today," it feels like a natural way to bring it up. Going forward, I want to suggest approaches like, "Why not try talking about it this way?" and create opportunities for people to communicate.

Ito: Another thing that stuck with me while researching femtech was a documentary commercial produced by Tokai Television called "Don't Keep Your Period a Secret." In the roughly five-minute video, several men went to buy sanitary pads for their partners. They were surprised and confused by the sheer variety of pads available, but by the end, they said things like, "I'm glad I tried it," and "I want to help in any way I can." It felt incredibly heartwarming. Women's physical concerns vary greatly from person to person, and even among women themselves, it's hard to fully understand each other's experiences. But I truly felt that the most important thing is simply having the attitude of trying to understand the other person.

I want people to consider women's "one step further feelings"

──As a lifelong consumer, is there anything you wish companies or society would do differently?

Ito: Specifically, I'd appreciate it if companies routinely stocked menstrual products. Rushing out to buy them when your period suddenly starts is exhausting and inefficient. I often struggle to find time to buy them during work hours, so having them readily available would be great. Beyond that, while absorbent underwear is mainly bought online now, it would be great if you could easily buy them from vending machines or convenience stores. To get more people interested and using them, I feel creating an environment where they're easily accessible is necessary.

Also, I've heard that overseas companies, like in the US, sometimes have mothers bringing newborns to work, or offices with dedicated milk storage areas and refrigerators for storing breast milk. I thought that was wonderful. It's a scene you rarely see in Japan today. I feel there are many examples worth learning from in countries overseas, where awareness of women's health issues and workplace accessibility is high.

──Finally, could you tell us what Mr. Ito, who was in the mixed-gender group, expects from "men in the organization"?

Ito: Fundamentally, women and men have different bodies, and I find it incredibly difficult to find the right words or approach to help them understand that. I've experienced this myself. For example, if someone says something like, "Aren't you looking a bit puffy today?" right before my period, I get really annoyed or depressed. I think, "Well, telling me that doesn't solve anything, and if I look puffy now, that means I'll look puffy on stage too, right?" I know men often mean well, sometimes thinking they're being helpful. But sometimes, women just can't interpret those words positively. So I want men to consider the woman's feelings one step further before choosing their words. Of course, I know that's incredibly difficult... (laughs). But just knowing that women, especially before their period, have hormonal imbalances that can make them feel down over little things should change what they say. And since women's health issues vary from person to person, I think this applies to women as well as men. Personally, I want to start by involving those close to me, like family and fans, to think together about women's physical concerns and health issues.

TeamSDGs collaborates with various SDGs stakeholders to disseminate information about the SDGs and plan/develop solutions.

※See also Chiaki Ito's article here:
Don't endure discomfort or pain! Promoting "Femtech" to ease women's physical concerns ~ Talent/Singer Chiaki Ito