Am I imagining this? Sanpro/nappy question.

Blood's a damn sight more hygenic and pleasant than smegma.

Urine is sterile until it gets to air. Blood is not, plus vaginal blood is 'open' to air. Therefore, scientifically speaking, it is more likely to harbour bacteria. However, I think the dirty and vile stuff is more to do with men controlling women than any hygiene worries.

Still no idea, still not very interested.

Men aren't frowned upon for not washing their hands? Where on earth are you from?

No idea. I wasn't talking about that... I pretty certain that blood is worse than urine, however, and vaginal bleeding far more symbolic than taking a leak.

I haven't missed the point of the single post I was commenting on, and haven't addressed the wider issue... But I will come to your point, if I may: you're saying that blood and urine are comparable on the infection front are you?

"there's an entire industry based around the fact that periods are "disgusting"! And have you ever seen a single product aimed at men specifically to clean their genitals?"

There's an industry based around the fact that periods involve bleeding, not something male genitals tend to do, unless they'be been sticking it in the blender. Why on earth would there need to be a specific product for cleaning willies?

There's a huge taboo element, and what people personally think of as unclean/inappropriate (which presumably stems from their upbringing).

I was on a journey with a friend once when her period came on unexpectedly. She asked if I had a tampon and I gave her one of my lilets. She just looked at me and gave it back saying there was no way she could bring herself to use a non-applicator tampon. So she made do with a wad of toilet paper. Her personal preference, but I liked lilets better because my taboo was being seen carrying a tampon and I liked that lilets were smaller and more discreet (influenced by advertising much? ).

Now I use a mooncup but I can see that if you found the idea of getting blood on your hands abhorent then you wouldn't consider them, and I think there are a lot of women who fall into that camp.

Reusable towels I'm not so sold on - I suspect it's about my visibility-of-the-object hang up.

Actually it's not periods that are disgusting, it's everything smelly, wet or dirty. We don't shout about wet arse wipes any more than tampax, perhaps period embarrassment stems from puberty, just like broken voices and 'bum fluff' it's all rather changing and embarrassing.

Deodorant fine, extra strong medicinal = embarrassing.

Indian watering can approach makes my bum sore.

I agree with you, rainbow. my periods never stopped me doing anything. Maybe we're just lucky?

Menthol ones!?! Good grief.

I once bought menthol pads, by mistake when I was travelling in Asia. Ow. Hateful things. I stuffed them in the back of the cupboard when I got home and then kept forgetting what they were and using them again.

As for washable bum wipes that seems like a step too far. Surely on environmental grounds it's better to go for the Indian 'watering can' approach and do away with wiping with material altogether?

Im genuinely shocked at some of the things on this thread. I honestly didnt think that in 2011 anyone was stopped from wearing or doing what they wanted because of their period! Surely that is very rare and could be relieved by some means?

And if towels make you sweaty then use tampons?

And to think the pill was designed in a way because they thought that we all wanted to have periods.

Oh gawd yes, there's a market.

A penis should not taste like feta that has been left in the sun for a month.

I do agree that disposable products are great for those who get on with them though. I would never suggest everyone should use reusable stuff. And I have a pack of the "cottons" ones which have a lot less chemical stuff than Always etc, for emergencies. Disposable san pro definitely has its place.

(Worth trying the cottons ones, BTW. You can get them in Boots and I find them so much more comfy than Always et al.)

Exactly Bathy

Smeg-wipes. Do you think there's a market? (Wasn't there a very funny thread about this a couple of weeks ago?)

When I think of some of the men I have 'known', Bertie, I sincerely wish there was such a product.

Disposable san-pro also tend to be too drying. And you can get scented ones and that's just bizarre and seems like a recipe for thrush & other lovely things.

I read a post on a blog ages ago which was a passage from a feminist book, semi-autobiographical, I can't remember what book it was, but it talked about going into the supermarket and seeing an entire aisle dedicated to "women's hygiene", all these brands competing about how best to hide your period, etc, and those feminine hygeine wipes, sprays, special washes - there's an entire industry based around the fact that periods are "disgusting"! And have you ever seen a single product aimed at men specifically to clean their genitals?

I've found my mooncup has helped me gain a lot of control back, actually. I can wear white trousers or skirts confidently, and I generally forget I'm wearing it and just feel.. less like I'm on my period. Sometimes I even put it in when I think I'm due on, so I don't even need to pay that much attention to what time of the month it is. I think of it as the extra bladder nature should have given us.

I generally think that disposable sanitary protection is pretty bad, it's all full of chemical stuff which can't be great to be that close to you, really, and some of the reasons are ridiculous - I can understand the gels which make them absorbent, and man-made fibres which don't hold moisture next to the skin but bleaching agents - why does it need to be perfect white? I have read something about this being about how menstrual blood is considered "dirty" so we need sterile-looking things to deal with it, but I don't know how true that is. I also find they make me extremely sweaty (unbearably so in summer) and the mixture of sweat + blood seems to irritate, I don't know whether the chemical stuff is contributing to that or not, or whether I'm alone though. But I used to really really hate my period, hate sanitary towels, just absolutely dread it, and the few days afterwards when I'd still be sore.

I know I got a lot less squeamish about it post-birth when even the maternity pads were driving me absolutely insane, I saw the prefolds I'd been handed down for DS sitting in a box in the nursery one day when I was on the toilet and didn't hesitate, just folded it up and used that instead! It was gigantic but oh, god, the relief. I'd have switched to reusable san pro for that, even if I did have to hand wash them myself every time.

Before tampons/sanitary pads were invented the washing of rags was a massive chore which the vast majority of women were glad to give up.

When men start using reusable rags to wipe their arses (won't happen) then I will use washable SP.