Im not a Smart Fucker™ but to me this is all in the purpose of HRT; one takes a medication for its effect(s). Effects besides the main or intended effect(s) are therefore side effects. So to me it depends on the philisophical view of HRT that the specific trans woman or transfemme person has. E.g. I view HRT as giving my body what it needs in a holistic manner. To me, the period symptoms are a part of that. A frustrating part to be sure (i just had a couple days of possible hypomania followed by some days of intense mood swings, and idk if its a mental health thing or not because it landed at the perfect point in my cycle), but a part nonetheless. But for someone who views it differently, they may very well see the period symptoms as side effects because they are undesireable and not their intent for the medication.

Hopefully one of those Smart Fuckers will chime in, Im curious what others think about this.