A decision to appoint a man as Scotland's first period poverty tsar has been slammed by tennis legend Martina Navratilova amid calls for a woman to be given the role.
Former personal trainer Jason Grant was appointed the Tay region's period dignity officer on the same day the law offering free period products to all in need of them was launched.
However his appointment has caused outrage with one of the greatest tennis players of all time calling it "f*****g ridiculous."
Grant's role will include promoting access to free sanitary products in schools and colleges across Tayside, while he will also discuss issues around the menopause.
On Monday Scotland became the first country in the world to protect the right to free period products in law.
The Period Products Act has now come into force meaning councils and education providers will be legally required to make free sanitary products available to those who need them.
Many women took to social media expressing their anger at Grant's appointment.
Navratilova tweeted: "Have we ever tried to explain to men how to shave or how to take care of their prostate or whatever?!? This is absurd."
While, Actress Frances Barber criticised the appointment, she tweeted: “I don’t know how Scottish women feel about this, but as an English lover of Scotland, I’m fuming."
Another Twitter user said: "Come on, somebody’s taking the p***. As part of the SNP’s approach to delivering period dignity, a Dundee man has taken on a pioneering new role.
"Jason Grant is the newly appointed period dignity officer for the Tay region – the first role of its kind in Scotland."
While the SNP's Westminster leader Ian Blackford said the post "should ideally taken up by women".
He added: "I think it's important that we actually do have officers in place that will ensure that women are supported as much as they should be.
"I think it's important that we get the policy right. I think it's important that we implement it and I would have thought as a principle that it would be that women are in these posts than anyone else.
"I think there should be a priority of a woman in place in these posts. I'm not aware of the circumstances in Dundee Council, but of course there has to be equality when it comes to employment legislation.
"First and foremost these posts should be ideally taken up by women."
Responding to the criticism Grant said he was chosen for the role as he was the "best person for the job".
He told the Courier : "I’m absolutely buzzing about it. It’s definitely pioneering as Scotland is the first to do this. It’s about making people aware of the availability of period products for anyone of any gender, whenever they need it.”
"I was chosen as the best person for the job and for me, it’s irrespective of gender. Having a guy can’t be a bad thing – it grabs the headlines, but that’s not the reason I was put into post!
"For me it’s about driving the discussion from a young age so boys and girls are included and there’s no hiding it away because that keeps it as a taboo topic. I want to be seen as a positive male role model."
