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Recent data reveals an alarming education gap that continues to fuel period stigma and misinformation, as nearly one in 10 men (8%) believe menstruation attracts sharks in the sea. With half the population experiencing a period every month, it’s hard to wrap your head around what a lack of knowledge men have about women’s bodies.
And it doesn’t end with periods. The common image of women perpetuated by our society is that they are glitter-farting, strawberry-scented, soft and smooth creatures of hairless wonder. Just typing that feels disturbing, but sadly too many people hear that kind of nonsense told to them every single day.
“What's your ‘That's not how women work’ moment?” redditor u/Gamestar02 asked women on Ask Reddit, and the sigh-inducing responses started rolling in. And you wonder, how did we get to the point where this is acceptable?
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#1
I was on my period and I had horrible cramps. One of my guy friends came over to keep me company but he wasn't really prepared for how much pain I was in. I was crying bc it hurt so bad and the poor guy really wanted to help but didn't know what to do so he just suggested that I ' push out all the blood at once bc that usually helped him when trying to stop a nosebleed '. After he said that I looked at him like 'wtf' and he said ' what? Doesn't it stop hurting once all the blood is out?' I explained to him what happens to a female body when we get our period and he was just shocked, it kinda cheered me up tho bc I thought it was hilarious.
Official_Blink 2 years ago
Still better than many men... Yk , Those Kind of men who get disgusted and make illogical comments on woman body even tho they know nothing about them
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#2
The best situation I can think of was something a friend of mine said once. His sister was breastfeeding and said something like „I don’t know if I have enough left“ to her baby. So my friend kindly suggested that someone else can volunteer and asked me. I said well I’m not lactating, since I don’t have a baby and he was honestly shocked to learn that only women who actually gave birth are able to breastfeed. He was convinced every woman just casually has boobs full of breastmilk at all times. He was 25 at that time. I will never forget this.
Baby Panda 2 years ago
Really wondering on which planet some ppl live, if all these posts are true... oooff.
#3
Person on TV gives birth. 5 minutes later, belly is flat and back to normal.
THATS NOT HOW THAT WORKS.
Among many myths and misconceptions embedded in the mainstream consciousness, some of the most underlying ones are men’s knowledge about menstruation and women’s health aspects that come with it.
According to a recent survey INTIMINA has conducted in the US, men are in general not educated enough when it comes to menstrual cycles. We spoke with Danela Zagar, INTIMINA Global Brand Manager, to find out more about this gaping hole and what can be done about it. Zagar told us that according to the survey data, men not only don't understand what women feel like when menstruating but they don't even feel comfortable talking about it.
#4
Asked my boyfriend to buy me some tampons since he was going to the store, he sends me a picture of a box showing sizes (R for regular and L for large). He asked if I needed left or right ones.
#5
Tampons are NOT pleasurable and are not the same as dildos.
Tigerpacingthecage 2 years ago
Can't believe people still think that. But I think it has a lot to to with people thinking that the vagina alone brings a lot more pleasure than it actually does for most women. And is a way to glorify the effect of a penis alone during piv sex. If you think like that I could maybe understand how you would think it's somehow pleasurable to insert a tampon. (Obviously it isn't)
#6
Had a very amusing convo with a gentleman once. Dude was confused why we would need pads. He asked why we didn't just go to the toilet more often on our periods. He thought that we were able to hold our period in line you do with pee and pads are only if accidents happen. So his reasoning is that if women would be more careful we wouldn't need menstrual products.
Props to him, he was apologetic after I explained it to him and overall respectful.
Zagar shared the shocking findings of Intimina's survey, which is that 41% of men could correctly identify what exactly menstruation is. Moreover, when respondents were asked to describe what having a period would feel like, a leading 40% said they would feel physical pain, closely followed by 36% revealing that a period would have no effect on them at all.
When it came to sexual habits during menstruation, 40% of heterosexual males felt it was not appealing to them or their partner to have sex while the woman was on her period, despite the cultural movement to diminish the stigma associated with period sex in recent years.
Additionally, while unlikely, it is possible for a woman to get pregnant while on her period. However, 42% of respondents believe it is not possible for a woman to become pregnant while menstruating.
#7
And at the opposite end of that spectrum of male ignorance you have NASA scientists who packed a few hundred tampons when Sally Ride was going up for a few weeks and checked with her to make sure they had enough
#8
The first guy I dated wanted to go swimming, but I told him no because I started my period and felt sore and crampy. He asked me if I could finish it before the end of the day so we could go swimming the next day…bruh, I wish it was that easy!
#9
A guy once told me he know I was a virgin because my boobs were small. That boobs grow every time a woman has sex.
Chinmayee Kalghatgi 2 years ago
Tell that to middle school girls who grow faster and bigger than others
Zagar also said that when respondents were asked if they would feel comfortable discussing the menstrual cycle with their teenage daughter if they had one, 11% said they would not feel comfortable having that conversation, and 33% shared they would prefer to have a woman do it.
But there are good signs that came out of the survey too. While male knowledge of menstruation is minimal, a net 78% of respondents felt it was important to educate boys about periods and the menstrual cycle.
#10
I'm at the store with my friend stocking up on pads, tampons, etc. As I'm putting boxes in the cart, my friend starts generally complaining about the prices. Understandable, so I agree. We finish up in the aisle and as we're walking away, a full grown 30-something looking man mumbles, "just hold your pee like everyone else." We were so taken back that we didn't even say anything. I never realized before this moment how utterly dense some people can be.
IlovemydogShilo 2 years ago
I was in a check out once and got a load of pads. The ones I liked were doing a 3 for the price of 2 special offer so I decided to stock up. I got quite a lot as I need to wear them all the time as I have the bladder of a 90 year old. When I got to the checkout a man in the next queue said " Geeze, how many do you need Just hold it in why don't you? " To which I replied, Wow, to be that dense, You really mst need to be a man, eh?" His wife beside him just burst out laughing.
#11
My (x) husband asked me why I hadn't had my period in awhile...... I was eight months pregnant.
Mary Rogers 2 years ago
Wow. Someone wasn't paying attention when the "facts of life" was being explained to him.
#12
My (female) bff (male) was my date to the prom. Because of my awful luck, I happened to be on my period.
As we exited my car, I grabbed a handful of tampons to toss in my clutch and my date asked me "Omg are you having 8 periods??"
Yeah he thought you used 1 tampon per menstrual cycle. If only- the $ I would have saved over the years!
Katie Nelson 2 years ago
More people need sex education. No it’s not a bad thing so stop covering up for people.
According to INTIMINA's global brand manager, “the fact is that there is so much shame and taboos surrounding menstruation still today.” But most importantly, “Every individual should think about this and try to make a change - by having open conversations about this normal bodily function,” Zagar said.
“Intimina has been fighting period taboos for years and is doing so by educating and empowering women. Also, Intimina has recently issued The Wonder Girls Guide Book (and an audio version) to help young women prepare for womanhood and feel free of shame connected to periods. The survey on girls shows this is much needed as 53% of surveyed girls feel embarrassed and try to hide the fact they are menstruating while out with friends, 65% feel that way at school, 25% at home,” she told us.
#13
A man once told me I was “too pretty” to have clinical depression. Not even kidding
Chinmayee Kalghatgi 2 years ago (edited)
I was told that I was too young and was faking it. I almost took my life because of it
#14
Had a guy friend in college who seriously thought women leaked blue liquid during their periods, like what you see in maxi pad commercials.
Mama Penguin 2 years ago
A recent Always pads commercial uses red liquid instead of blue. Literally shouted 'Finally!' at the TV.
#15
Sometimes I'm really astounded at some men's lack of emotional intelligence. I used to think that was a made up stereotype to excuse men's rude/shitty behaviour, but a lot of men really have no idea how carelessly hurtful they can be.
One time a male coworker was telling me about how his girlfriend's apartment complex had a bedbug infestation, and how stressed the whole ordeal was making both of them. He then told me that this experience was really taking a toll on his mental health, and asked me if I thought she would understand if he asked her if they could take a break from seeing each other until "the whole bedbug thing was over." I was like dude, if you can't support her through this how can she expect you to ever stand by her through literally any other hardship in the future? He was adamant that "she wouldn't see it like that" and went ahead with his plan. They had a huge fight and she dumped him.
The fact that so many men believe women can't get pregnant by having sex during their period underlines the work we still have to do, Zagar argues.
“There's no doubt that we still need to destigmatize the talk around periods. People should not be bullied or teased for having periods, which are as natural as men growing hair. It's time to open up and be upfront and frank about what periods mean; in school, university and the workplace. So that we tackle period myths and everyone can appreciate the health concerns they can bring,” she explained.
#16
“I prefer girls who wear little or no makeup”
*references girls with tons of (pink and neutral colored) makeup*
#17
Once had a guy ask me if it "felt good" when I wipe after I pee. I wanted to be like, does it feel good when you hold your thing when you pee?
Yvonne Dauwalder Balsiger 2 years ago
Geez, that's a new one. I only know the version if it feels good using a tampon 🙄
#18
My 53 yr old ex husband could tell when I was attracted to other men cause my nipples would get hard (I never wear a bra) like dude, sometimes I get cold, and no that 87 yr old man trying his best not too fall over while walking isn’t doing it for me, trust me
Zagar concluded that “periods should be discussed as a normal function of the female body, and it should be called by its name, without euphemisms such as Aunt Flow. Talking and educating about it is the solution to breaking period taboos.”
#19
I was told by an incel that women who have pre marital sex would have tendencies to cheat more than men who had the same. Boy is just mad he's in his 30s and still can't get laid.
#20
When my ex and me discussed how the morning after pill worked and he was genuinely surprised that women don't know whether they are pregnant the day after unprotected sex. He was sure morning sickness would kick in the day after.
So, not only was he unaware how female bodies work, but also how Plan B works.
#21
"You don't spontaneously generate a vaginal opening when your first period comes. You had your entire vagina at birth. No, I'm not pranking you."
"You don't insert tampons, of any size, into your pee hole.. No, that's NOT where the blood is coming from. Well actually.. Your urethra might be bleeding now if you've been trying to shove a tampon applicator up it.."
**Shortened versions of conversations with two of my female friends growing up**
#22
I’m a gay girl. A guy once warned me not to date women who had been married, because I’d never be able to satisfy them.
Still not quite sure what he meant. But anyway, he was so wrong.
#23
My (male) manager at a past job tried to tell me when I was pregnant that morning sickness shouldn't affect my work because it only happened in the morning.
karla Meixnerová 2 years ago
hahahahahahahahahahaha. The idiot, who named it morning sickness should go to hell. I had allday sickness and lot of pregnant women around me had it all day too...
#24
An old boyfriend once explained that if I was having cramps, I just needed to do what his ex did: "there's this one yoga pose that will make that shift in the uterus that usually takes a few days happen in just a few minutes. It drops, and then your period is done in one day instead of four or five". He couldn't elaborate any further, (what "shifts"? What "drops"?) But he swore he was 100% right his ex cut her period down to one day with yoga.
#25
I heard this with my own two poor ears from my own mother: "When a woman shaves her leg, hair shouldn't start growing until the next 4 or 5 days. Only men grow hair every day." MOOOM
Foxxy (The Original) 2 years ago
She hasn't met me then. I get a 5 o'clock shadow 5 minutes after shaving lol
#26
The "men age like wine, women age like milk" phrase. Then you look at pics of women like Selma Hayek and Catherine Zeta-Jones and take a glance at most men around their age. Maybe, just maybe, some people are blessed with amazing genes while the rest of us look like dehydrated potatoes by the time we hit 40. Got nothing to do with genitals. I have only ever heard this phrase uttered by men who cannot seem to keep any woman around for more than a year at the time.
And in the spirit of equality I will say that there is definitely a female equivalent to this kind of attitude and they too cannot seem to keep a man.
Little Wonder 2 years ago (edited)
To be fair, Catherine Zeta-Jones has had work done. Which is absolutely fine, but not a completely "natural" look to aspire to.
#27
If more sex meant looser vaginas, having a kid would mean a catastrophe down there. Clearly women have multiple kids, you’d think the logic was simple that it doesn’t work that way.
Yvonne Dauwalder Balsiger 2 years ago
Sex after giving birth is not like throwing a sausage down the hallway. Actually it is more common that you experience some dryness in your vagina for a few months afterwards, which makes it more sensitive.
#29
I was complaining about my period, and this awful guy goes "just p**s it out for f***s sake"
#30
Guy thought he needed to use a condom with his pregnant gf so she didn't get pregnant again. ....like she could have two babies of different ages in her.
#31
There was one guy online who tried responding to womens' complaints about expensive period products. He started by saying 'a tampon holds 4-12 mls of fluid... women lose about 40 mls per cycle ...
#32
My boyfriend told me to shower in cold water so my period would temporarily stop
#33
Basically anytime a teenage boy tries to describe anything in or about the female body or brain...
So confidently ignorant! So exquisitely condescending! Makes you want to pull your hair out some days...
#34
When a guy commented on a post asking what woman think and said women only care about looks. Like sure, some people of either gender are like that. But I surely don’t care if he’s a 10/10 if he can’t hold a conversation.
Izzy Curer 2 years ago
I thought the crappy stereotype was that men were supposed to only care about looks
#35
On tv shows shows women go into labour and like 5 minutes later baby is out. They make it seems like baby shoots out of there like a rocket nope it takes like 6 hours of hard labour.
Foxxy (The Original) 2 years ago
It's different for every woman so it's not necessarily 6 hours.
What do you think ?
Stacy B 2 years ago
Reading this got me thinking... Some of these men who have no clue how the female body operates are the same ones making the laws about our bodies. Scary thought! If men were the ones who got pregnant abortions would be available at gas stations & corner stores. And to then say us women should be charged with a crime if we have an abortion?! As if that's an easy decision for a woman to make in the first place. Sickens me!
LH25 2 years ago
Like the one who said that if it were a "legitimate rape" the female body could just shut down and not get pregnant.
Load More Replies...
Beth S 2 years ago (edited)
Sex education classes are so important, especially since they cover vastly more than sex.
A Jones 2 years ago
That's true. They cover important topics for hygiene and awareness of diseases/cancers/tumors.
Load More Replies...
Q B F T 2 years ago
Slightly related: a guy told me AIDS is created in the womb of a woman who has had sex with two men. Maybe from the mixing of the men's cum? I was like o_O citation needed. His uncle was the source - who's apparently not a doctor, scientist or anything like that, but knows what's what.
UpQuarkDownQuark 2 years ago
If it’s Dr. Jane Valedictorian, MD, PhD versus Uncle Outmyass, KWW, well, I know who I’m listening to!
Load More Replies...
Stacy B 2 years ago
Reading this got me thinking... Some of these men who have no clue how the female body operates are the same ones making the laws about our bodies. Scary thought! If men were the ones who got pregnant abortions would be available at gas stations & corner stores. And to then say us women should be charged with a crime if we have an abortion?! As if that's an easy decision for a woman to make in the first place. Sickens me!
LH25 2 years ago
Like the one who said that if it were a "legitimate rape" the female body could just shut down and not get pregnant.
Load More Replies... Beth S 2 years ago (edited)
Sex education classes are so important, especially since they cover vastly more than sex.
A Jones 2 years ago
That's true. They cover important topics for hygiene and awareness of diseases/cancers/tumors.
Load More Replies... Q B F T 2 years ago
Slightly related: a guy told me AIDS is created in the womb of a woman who has had sex with two men. Maybe from the mixing of the men's cum? I was like o_O citation needed. His uncle was the source - who's apparently not a doctor, scientist or anything like that, but knows what's what.
UpQuarkDownQuark 2 years ago
If it’s Dr. Jane Valedictorian, MD, PhD versus Uncle Outmyass, KWW, well, I know who I’m listening to!
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