Running a marathon without a tampon. Does it 'break the stigma of periods'?

[ArmySal]

www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/kiran-gandhi-ran-the-london-marathon-without-a-tampon-in-a-bid-to-break-the-stigma-surrounding-womens-periods/story-fni0cx12-1227475480183?

When I first read the story I was open mouthed through revulsion, to be honest, but after reading the story I understand (to a degree) the point she was making.

AIBU to think 'fair play' to her? As said in the article, it highlights the fact some women don't have access to sanitary products, something I hadn't really thought about before.

Absolute nonsense. Women have periods. You deal with in a comfortable way- especially when running. Thank goodness for sanitary products.

Of course he would fourtothedozen my DS1 used to have heavy nosebleeds as a child. Once it had finished he had clean clothes, I didn't make him wear the blood stained ones until the end of the day.

Of course he wouldn't wear a shirt other than pristine to a conference.
But I bet he wasn't called disgusting when he went to the shop to buy a new shirt.
A soiled woman would probably send someone else to do it. Or hide it much more carefully than your husband ever would.

I maybe missing something but I wouldn't expect to be called 'disgusting' if I needed to buy more trousers- I would expect people to be sympathetic- like a nose bleed.

Not normally, but someone in this thread just compared menstrual blood to poo.
I'm sure most people are sympathetic, but quite a few aren't. :( and that is the problem.

Pretentious posturing over a complete non issue. Why does the world need reminding of 'what women go through every month'?? Half the world has first hand experience! I've never had a man question my experience. We have periods, we get on with it. I have awful periods. If I'm struggling I get nothing but sympathy and offers of pain relief. I can't imagine how uncomfortable it must have been for no real reason.

But I bet he wasn't called disgusting when he went to the shop to buy a new shirt.

Lweji- have you ever been called disgusting when buying sanitary protection in a shop? Because I haven't.
Even if I had noticable leakage I suspect the staff - male and female- would be sensitive to my situation. There are very few adults of either sex that have not witnessed leakage of menstual blood, so I have no idea why we need to heighten awareness.

Some people love to make an issue out of perfectly normal things and make problems where they don't exist.

How many young girls do you think feel embarrassed buying tampons and sanitary protection? Even in the UK? And that is because there is no taboo or stigma with periods right? It's all in their head?

This is where self-service tills have their advantages!

I do agree periods shouldn't be a taboo subject and we shouldn't hide from them.

She's clearly lucky not to be a very heavy bleeder though. That photo would have been taken 6/7 hours after she wore the shorts with no pad. My shorts would have been red on day 2!

It's a very important discussion IMO about how woman across the world access sanitary products. Especially those with no access. No one particularly wants to shout to the world "I have my period", even though it shouldn't be taboo and sanitary products help keep it hygienic and personal.

A few years ago discussing periods with colleagues one was telling us about how her family had no money and she used cotton wool stuffed inside the open gusset of her knickers. Her knickers were then bleached. Back at that time no one discussed such things and she suffered in silence month after month and she said it really affected her at secondary school.

I totally get the point she tried to raise and think she was very brave.

At the same time most women are discreet about their periods (although they are common knowledge) and those that are lucky enough to have access would want to use sanitary protection to help keep their clothes clean, themselves a little cleaner and to save broadcasting it's their time of the month. We don't go without food just because others don't have much, same thing goes with everything else in life unfortunately, so why go without tampons. Not many like the sight of blood and with HIV and hepatitis many of us are far more careful that we used to be about coming into contact.

Part of my thinks "Ewww" (I could never have done this - it would be far too embarrassing for me, not to mention uncomfortable) and part thinks "good on her for raising awareness". If it encourages people to support charities that help women access sanpro that will be a good thing.

I was surprised that she said the tampon would be uncomfortable during the marathon - I found that when I wore them, I forgot they were in, and the same with a Mooncup (admittedly I've never been into running long distances so I don't know if that makes a difference).

I think it's another sign that manners and behaviour is going down the drain.

Some women seem to love degrading themselves these days. She could have made her point in a much more dignified way - but she wouldn't have had the attention she obviously craves.

My grandmother had no access to disposable sanitary protection- She was born in 1892. Brought up in a children's home she was very poor, but then managed to get work as a scullery maid in a big house.
She- like all the other women she worked with used washable cloths - her (rags) which were kept especially for this purpose.

It's interesting that we are coming around full circle as again washable nappies, sanitary towels and mooncups are increasing in popularity.

We could argue that sanitary towels, often made with plastic backing, silica beads and synthetic coatings are not really the best items to solve a problem in countries which have inadequate waste disposal.

Oh it's just ridiculous and does the complete opposite of what she apparently intended to do.

Stop the stigma from periods yayyy lets knock everyone sick by showing them the blood flowing from my crotch.

There's just no need for it. I still feel weird when buying toilet rolls. Toilet rolls! But it doesn't mean I'd take a shit mid run to raise awareness and 'stop the stigma'.

I dislike the whole free bleeding movement anyway.

I reckon if men had periods and women didn't that we'd probably see a LOT of bloody crotches. They'd treat it like farting...a source of pride. They'd try to out-bleed one another.

There is a free bleeding movement ?

There is, but it's a lot smaller than the likes of 4chan and Reddit would have you believe.

www.facebook.com/FreeBleeding

Unfortunately there are several free bleeding groups, mostly in the USA.
Can you imagine a bus seat, dentists chair or workplaces?

There must be loads of wiping

Oh excuse me i will just wipe that bit of womb lining before you sit down

It was just unecessary and pointless. All i could think about was how sore she must have ended up afterwards from the chaffing!

Runners trots is bloody horrible, I take immodium to be on the safe side before a distance event. And I've peed behind logs and things - lots of people do it in public on a long event, but you can have a little discretion! Luckily I've never been caught on for a really long event, but for triathlons and things I just stick an extra one up there - it seems to plug it enough to hold me out til the end.

I think she was ultra competitive and probably didn't want to lose time. Plenty of people are like that in events. I'd rather keep some dignity!

Whatever we think of this particular decision, I don't think anyone can deny there is still a certain amount of taboo around periods.

I was recently out with a group of (very friendly and accepting) men and needed to buy painkillers for period pain. When I asked why I was buying them, I really surprised myself by struggling to answer. And I'm really quite a chilled out and open person normally.

There is a taboo I agree Postino, just as I think there is with all things that have got things to do with what we class as 'private parts'.

I was recently out with a group of (very friendly and accepting) men and needed to buy painkillers for period pain. When I asked why I was buying them, I really surprised myself by struggling to answer.

And it's behaviour like this that holds on to the taboos ( if indeed you believe they exist).

I would have said simply " I have period pain". I find most men are generally very relaxed about the subject. These friendly and accepting men probably wouldn't have batted an eyelid- and probably buy sanpro and support their own wives and girlfriends when they menstruate.

This idea that it is men who create divisions is a huge oversimplification. Often it's women who are the bastions of misogyny.