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Woman Asks If It’s Wrong To Leave Menstrual Pads Out Where A Male Guest Could See Them
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Woman Asks If It’s Wrong To Leave Menstrual Pads Out Where A Male Guest Could See Them

Woman Asks If It's Wrong To Leave Menstrual Pads Out Where A Male Guest Could See Them“My Husband Thought This Was Inappropriate”: Woman Wonders ‘AITA’ For Not Hiding Menstrual Pads“AITA For Leaving Menstrual Pads In A Visible Place In The Bathroom?”Internet Reacts to Husband's Request to Hide Menstrual Products So A Guest Wouldn't Feel Uncomfortable“Women Shouldn't Be Shamed Or Stigmatized Because Of It”: Man Asks Wife To Hide Menstrual PadsInternet Slams Husband's Request To Hide Pads So A Male Guest Wouldn't Feel UncomfortableInternet Shames A Man For Asking His Wife Not To Leave Menstrual Pads In A Visible PlaceInternet Slams Husband Who Thinks Keeping Pads In A Visible Place In The Bathroom Is InappropriatePeople Criticize A Man For Thinking It’s Inappropriate To Keep Menstrual Pads In A Visible PlaceWoman Questions If She's Wrong For Leaving Menstrual Pads In A Visible Place
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Despite being a natural process, menstruation tends to be somewhat of a taboo topic. That’s why women are often subjected to shame and other sorts of negative feelings or feel forced to hide the fact that they’re menstruating.

That includes hiding the period products they use, which was something this redditor’s husband expected her to do. He said that seeing the pads in the bathroom, which the couple shared with the husband’s friend, might make the latter feel uncomfortable.

To learn more about the stigma surrounding period products and menstruation, Bored Panda turned to endocrinologist and medical doctor specializing in menstrual cycles, Professor at the University of British Columbia, Jerilynn C. Prior. She was kind enough to answer a few of our questions, so scroll down to find her insight in the text below.

Some women feel compelled to hide the fact that they’re on their period

Image credits: Bored Panda

This redditor’s husband asked her to hide her period products as they might make his male friend uncomfortable

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Image credits: jim_video (not the actual photo)

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Image credits: Superb_Tension6793

It takes both men and women to abolish the stigma around menstruation

Shaming people for something that’s out of their control is uncalled for at best; even more so if it’s something completely natural. Take menstruation, for example; despite being a natural process, it is still widely stigmatized to the extent where women feel pressured to actively hide it.

“The menstrual taboo is hard to see and identify but is a direct and flagrant act of discrimination against women in this era when most think that men and women are treated equally,” Jerilynn C. Prior, an endocrinologist and medical doctor specializing in menstrual cycles, told Bored Panda in a recent interview.

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“Abolishing the menstrual taboo requires that men acknowledge, accept and are comfortable with women’s menstrual bleeding and everything that they need to effectively deal with it,” she emphasized, adding that period products should be located conveniently to the women who need them, instead of being hidden.

The expert suggested that, in order to minimize the stigma, period products should be placed next to other everyday items that might be used by both sexes, such as shaving products, for instance. “The stigma arises from men’s dominance in the culture and supposed physical superiority,” she said, pointing out that that’s why it’s important for women to speak about it with the men in their lives, be it sons, partners, or male friends.

Image credits: Sora Shimazaki (not the actual photo)

Centuries ago, menstruating women were compared to mythical beasts

It’s no surprise that when society expects females to hide the fact that they have been visited by Aunt Flo, are living through that time of the month, trying to survive the shark week, or going through whatever-you-might-call-it, so do people like the OP’s husband. Even though women couldn’t escape the monthly bleeding sessions even if they wanted to—and I am sure there are days when they really really do—the stigma prevails from all members of society, but often especially strongly from men.

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Lecturer in Premodern History at the University of Leeds, Rachael Gillibrand, pointed out that the problem is nearly as old as time itself and has been rather persistent among male scholars throughout history. As far back as in AD70, menstruation was linked to “most monstrous effects”, and by the 17th century, menstruating women had evolved to “mythical beasts with venomous breath”.

Even now in the 21st century, women are still often expected to act as if menstruation didn’t exist

Unfortunately, as Rachael Gillibrand pointed out in a piece for The Conversation, the situation didn’t get much better as we entered the 20th or the 21st centuries. Even though nowadays women on their period are not considered mythical beasts, the topic of menstruation is still very much stigmatized and they are often expected to act as if it didn’t exist at all.

For example, back in the 1950s, an ad for sanitary towels focused on how similar the box is to a napkin box, suggesting that hiding it is something that should be done. Even as recently as 2020, a well-known feminine care product brand received backlash for similar insinuations when they introduced tampons in packaging that can be opened silently.

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Such advertising shows that women are expected to hide the fact that they’re on their period, so it’s no surprise that the OP’s husband preferred she did, too. Research on stigma surrounding the topic emphasized that many boys and girls grow up believing that menstruation is dirty and embarrassing, but such ideas can lead to detrimental consequences for both women’s physical and mental well-being, their sexuality, and overall quality of life.

Image credits: Sora Shimazaki (not the actual photo)

More than four-in-ten women have experienced period-shaming

The research also pointed out that women who internalize the negative attitudes related to menstruation try to actively conceal it, which can evoke a heightened sense of self-consciousness, hypervigilance, and menstrual shame. As a matter of fact, nearly 60% of women have felt embarrassment simply because they were on their period.

A poll of roughly 1,500 women commissioned by THINX found that 42% of them have experienced period-shaming, which, for one-fifth of the surveyees, came from a male friend, the New York Post reports. Moreover, nearly three out of four women admitted to having hidden period products from view or worn the type of clothing to hide a leak if it were to happen.

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A spokeswoman for THINX emphasized that “The culture surrounding menstruation must be changed, and it takes both women and men to make that happen.” That is why not hiding one’s pads or other period products is not only okay, but maybe even necessary in situations such as the OP’s in order to break down the stigma around it.

Fellow redditors shared their opinions, they didn’t think the woman was the jerk in the situation

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Miglė Miliūtė

Miglė Miliūtė

Writer, BoredPanda staff

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A writer here at Bored Panda, I am a lover of good music, good food, and good company, which makes food-related topics and feel-good stories my favorite ones to cover. Passionate about traveling and concerts, I constantly seek occasions to visit places yet personally unexplored. I also enjoy spending free time outdoors, trying out different sports—even if I don’t look too graceful at it—or socializing over a cup of coffee.

Read less »
Miglė Miliūtė

Miglė Miliūtė

Writer, BoredPanda staff

A writer here at Bored Panda, I am a lover of good music, good food, and good company, which makes food-related topics and feel-good stories my favorite ones to cover. Passionate about traveling and concerts, I constantly seek occasions to visit places yet personally unexplored. I also enjoy spending free time outdoors, trying out different sports—even if I don’t look too graceful at it—or socializing over a cup of coffee.

Ilona Baliūnaitė

Ilona Baliūnaitė

Author, BoredPanda staff

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I'm a Visual Editor at Bored Panda since 2017. I've searched through a multitude of images to create over 2000 diverse posts on a wide range of topics. I love memes, funny, and cute stuff, but I'm also into social issues topics. Despite my background in communication, my heart belongs to visual media, especially photography. When I'm not at my desk, you're likely to find me in the streets with my camera, checking out cool exhibitions, watching a movie at the cinema or just chilling with a coffee in a cozy place

Read less »

Ilona Baliūnaitė

Ilona Baliūnaitė

Author, BoredPanda staff

I'm a Visual Editor at Bored Panda since 2017. I've searched through a multitude of images to create over 2000 diverse posts on a wide range of topics. I love memes, funny, and cute stuff, but I'm also into social issues topics. Despite my background in communication, my heart belongs to visual media, especially photography. When I'm not at my desk, you're likely to find me in the streets with my camera, checking out cool exhibitions, watching a movie at the cinema or just chilling with a coffee in a cozy place

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DrBronxx
Community Member
10 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

As a male, I have absolutely no problem with pads being left in a visible location. 99.99999% of the posts here that involve a situation between a woman and her male partner regarding periods, pads, buying pads etc. would be solved by the guy just GROWING THE F**K UP.

UpQuarkDownQuark (he/hey you)
Community Member
10 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Basically every person with a uterus has bled about once a month for as long as we’ve been human. Screw this woman’s stupid husband and his wilting flower friend. Nobody hides toilet paper despite its express purpose being the collection of p*ss, sh*t, snot and blood. If he won’t hide his shitwiping paper but wants her to hide her pads and tampons, then what does that say about what he thinks of her body?

Courtney Christelle
Community Member
10 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think it’s funny how men glorify d*ing in a bloody battle for honor but their penis shrinks whenever a woman menstruates.

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GoGoPDX
Community Member
10 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Oh no, a woman in the house is doing that bleeding from their vagina thing!! How obscene! Next time she should and pick a more opportune time for her period better to start, or she should stop her period, then pick up where she left off when she has is sharing her space males,/s

Bouche and Audi and Shyla, Oh My!
Community Member
10 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Put her in isolation! Unclean! She must submit a sign offering and a cleansing offering before she's allowed back into the world of men. How dare she bleed on his time!

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DrBronxx
Community Member
10 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

As a male, I have absolutely no problem with pads being left in a visible location. 99.99999% of the posts here that involve a situation between a woman and her male partner regarding periods, pads, buying pads etc. would be solved by the guy just GROWING THE F**K UP.

UpQuarkDownQuark (he/hey you)
Community Member
10 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Basically every person with a uterus has bled about once a month for as long as we’ve been human. Screw this woman’s stupid husband and his wilting flower friend. Nobody hides toilet paper despite its express purpose being the collection of p*ss, sh*t, snot and blood. If he won’t hide his shitwiping paper but wants her to hide her pads and tampons, then what does that say about what he thinks of her body?

Courtney Christelle
Community Member
10 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think it’s funny how men glorify d*ing in a bloody battle for honor but their penis shrinks whenever a woman menstruates.

Load More Replies...
GoGoPDX
Community Member
10 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Oh no, a woman in the house is doing that bleeding from their vagina thing!! How obscene! Next time she should and pick a more opportune time for her period better to start, or she should stop her period, then pick up where she left off when she has is sharing her space males,/s

Bouche and Audi and Shyla, Oh My!
Community Member
10 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Put her in isolation! Unclean! She must submit a sign offering and a cleansing offering before she's allowed back into the world of men. How dare she bleed on his time!

Load More Replies...
Load More Comments
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