Reps for the company have also said the women are not wearing enough clothing and that the food used in the ads are too suggestive

Outfront Media, the company that approves the ads for the Metropolitan Transit Authority, takes issue with the word 'period' being used in the ads

They also show images of a halved grapefruit and a cracked egg to symbolize the vagina and menstruation respectively

The ads show women wearing the product next to the tagline 'Underwear for women on their period'

The makers of a new underwear line for menstruating women says they can't get their advertisements on the New York City subway system because their ads use the word 'period'.

The proposed advertisements for Thinx, a line of absorbent underwear, show women wearing the product with tank tops or turtlenecks next to pictures of a halved grapefruit or cracked egg, images that symbolize the vagina and menstruation. Next to the these images is the tagline: 'Underwear for women with periods'.

Thinx representatives told Mic that these advertisements were shot down by Outfront Media, the outside group that approves ads for the Metropolitan Transit Authority, for the use of the word 'period' in the copy and for the suggestive use of food.

A new company selling underwear for women on their periods is reportedly having a hard time getting their advertisements approved for the New York City subway system

The ads for Thinx, a new line of absorbent underwear, show women wearing the product next to images of cracked eggs or halved grapefruit with the tagline: 'Underwear for women with periods'

Outfront Media, the company that approves advertisements on behalf of the Metropolitan Transit Authority, has reportedly told the makers of Thinx that the woman show too much skin in the advertisements

Veronica del Roasrio, director of marketing for the company, was taken aback by how Outfront declined to accept ads for Thinx, a product designed for women, when it has approved scores of other advertisements that objectify women.

'I stated [to an Outfront rep] that it was extremely disheartening that [certain other ads] could fly, but something for women that speaks directly to women isn't OK by them,' del Rosario told Mic. 'He replied, "This is not a women's issue. Don't try to make it a women's rights thing."'

In a statement to Mic, the MTA said it has had nothing to do with the conversations between Thinx and Outfront. Outfront also issued it's own statement explaining the reasons why they have been unable to accept Thix's proposed ads - and made it clear that the company was still in the approval process and had not been disapproved of anything officially yet.

'Together with our transit partners, Outfront Media makes every effort to assist advertisers in creating campaigns that are both effective and appropriate to the transit environment.

In email exchanges with Thinx, Outfront reps have also expressed concern that children might read the world 'period' in the ads and ask their parents about the meaning

Outfront reps also thought the use of grapefruit and cracked eggs, to symbolize the vagina and ovulation, were not appropriate for the subway

In another email exchange, Thinx CEO and co-founder Mikki Agrawal pointed out a double standard between the approval process for their ads and other ads seen on the subway

'This is the approach that was followed with respect to the advertisements proposed by Thinx. No copy was ever rejected and the current copy is still in the MTA review process.

'We suggested changes that we felt were appropriate for the riding public and were hoping to work with the advertiser to refine the copy,' Outfront's statement reads.

According to the MTA's guidelines for ads, ads depicting 'sexual or excretory activities' or materials that promote a 'sexually oriented business' are prohibited. While the ads don't show sexual activities or promote a sexual business, one could say they are related to so-called 'excretory' activities.

However, that's not exactly what Outfront took issue with, in their email exchanges with Thinx, which the company shared with Mic.

In one email exchange, an Outfront rep says that the women 'seem to have a bit too much skin' showing and that the egg and grapefruit seem 'inappropriate'.

Outfront said that the Thinx ads showed too much skin, but they approved this ad to run which shows a woman wearing much less clothing

Above, an approved ad for a plastic surgeon shows the use of fruit to depict breasts. Outfront told Thinx they could not use a grapefruit to represent a part of the female anatomy

One of the reps also said that they were concerned that children would see the world 'period' and ask their parents what it meant.

When the company submitted their ads with the word 'period' in the copy, Outfront reportedly said that they could not run 'as is'.

In another email exchange, Thinx CEO and co-founder Mikki Agrawal pointed out a double standard between the approval process for their ads and that of others.

For example, there have been ads on the subway this year advertising a protein drink where a woman wears just a bikini - showing considerably more skin than any of the Thinx models. And another ad for a plastic surgeon shows a woman holding up oranges and grapefruits to symbolize breasts, yet Outfront was not OK with the use of a halved grapefruit in the Thinx ads.