Menstruation is not always the easiest topic for teenagers to discuss. Especially when they’re just trying to get through the school day, the last thing anyone on their period needs is to be berated by a teacher.

So when one trans student was called out for taking “too long” in the bathroom by his P.E. teacher, his partner swooped in to make it clear that the exchange was not okay. Below, you’ll find the full story that the boy’s partner recently shared on the Petty Revenge subreddit, as well as some of the replies amused readers left them.

During P.E. one day, this student’s teacher thought it would be appropriate to berate their trans boyfriend for spending too long in the bathroom

Image credits: Gabin Vallet (not the actual photo)

So they decided it was the teacher’s turn to learn a lesson

Image credits: Karolina Grabowska (not the actual photo)

Image credits: cottonbro studio (not the actual photo)

Image credits: Polina Tankilevitch (not the actual photo)

Image credits: Pineapple_Smoothie17

Image credits: Genaro Servín (not the actual photo)

Later, the student responded to several readers and clarified a few details about the situation

It’s no secret that many adult men have a very limited understanding of menstruation

According to a 2021 study, 14% of men say they’ve never had a conversation with women about periods, and a quarter believe that a tampon has to be removed before a woman can urinate. 11% of guys don’t realize that women can get pregnant while on their periods, and a quarter admitted that they don’t feel like they even know enough about menstruation to hold a conversation on the topic.

It’s concerning how little we discuss the topic of menstruation, as it allows stigmas on the issue to persist. One 2015 survey found that many men still perceive women as “less clean and less attractive” during their time of the month, and unfortunately, many women are taught that menstruation is a shameful thing that should be hidden, despite it being one of the most natural things in the world.

Another study found that some men associate menstrual blood with feces, rather than blood from any other part of the human body, and one bill in Florida could even ban elementary schools from teaching about menstruation. Without having open conversations on the topic, and ensuring that men are educated about menstruation as well, we’re never going to end the stigma around periods.    

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Teachers should know better than to perpetuate the stigma around periods

There is a time and place for talking about private matters, such as time spent in the bathroom, with students. Is it really appropriate for an educator to be questioning a pupil about how long they were in the restroom and what they were doing in there? Shaming students, especially teens who are likely still learning how to understand their own bodies, should be unacceptable.

But according to Maggie Di Sanza at EducationWeek, even educators often perpetuate the idea that periods are shameful, by giving young girls a pamphlet on the topic to avoid discussing it in classrooms in front of male students at all. The topic is often so shrouded in mystery for boys that they start to draw their own conclusions about it being gross or shameful, when we really should be teaching them that it’s perfectly natural.

Educators have a responsibility to care for and guide their students. So if a student starts their period unexpectedly and doesn’t have a pad or tampon readily available, she shouldn’t feel like she has to suffer through the day. It’s wise for schools to equip their bathrooms, and even classrooms, with menstrual products for whenever a cycle decides to strike. And teachers should show their students understanding or speak with them privately if they have concerns about how long a trip to the bathroom took. Calling out a student in front of the entire class can be mortifying for a child or teen, and it turns school into an unsafe space.        

Menstruating as a trans person can be confusing and shameful enough without any input from others

It’s never right for a teacher to shame one of their students, but in this particular case, when a trans student was on his period, the teacher should have known to be even more delicate. For many trans men, the experience of having a period can be frustrating, confusing and cause increased gender dysphoria.

It can be even more challenging to have access to menstrual products, if they’re only available in the women’s restroom or locker room, and there’s often nowhere to discard of pads or tampons within the bathroom stalls. A period for a trans man can be a painful, monthly reminder of being born into a body that doesn’t suit them, and the last thing they need is to be embarrassed by an insensitive teacher.

We would love to hear your thoughts on this situation in the comments below, pandas. Do you think this student was right to get petty revenge on their teacher after he embarrassed their boyfriend? Feel free to share your thoughts, and if you’re interested in checking out another Bored Panda article, we recommend this one discussing how important education on menstruation is.

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Readers shared their frustration in the comments, as well as some similar stories of their own

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