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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Personal Question?

56 replies

Ozwizard · 18/08/2016 21:50

Has your daughter started her periods yet? Yes/No. Is this a reasonable question to ask and for what reason would they need to know? This is on a form for young people wanting to take part on a young fire fighter course.

OP posts:
KenAdams · 18/08/2016 23:03

Wow that's awful. No way they need to know that.

GiddyOnZackHunt · 18/08/2016 23:03

I can't think of a single reason it would matter. If it were residential then there would presumably be an adult female present so they would need to provide sanitary facilities for them.

yoink · 18/08/2016 23:04

what the fucking fuck??

Is this for a fire fighters' course in the 1950s? Shock

Original poster
Ozwizard · 18/08/2016 23:04

There are no height exclusions or inclusions on the form. This just seems to be an ill thought out question. It stunned me somewhat as I have never seen it been asked before

OP posts:
bleedingnora · 18/08/2016 23:05

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

NomDePrune · 18/08/2016 23:05

Why don't you answer "I don't know" and see what happens?

PurpleDaisies · 18/08/2016 23:06

I agree it's a ridiculous question. No way I'd be answering it. If they have pubescent girls they should assume they have all started periods and provide appropriate facilities in the toilets.

ChameleonCircuit · 18/08/2016 23:08

I would just put MYOB.

Original poster
Ozwizard · 18/08/2016 23:09

There are two boxes. First box says has your daughter started her periods? Yes/No
Second box says, Has your child had a tetanus injection in the last ten years? Yes/No.

OP posts:
ExasperatedAlmostAlways · 18/08/2016 23:10

Wow really. How random. I wouldn't answer and would right 'prefer not to say and find this completely irrelevant and intrusive.'

peaceloveandtwirlywoos · 18/08/2016 23:11

Concerned about attracting bears?

Seriously, no idea.

PovertyPain · 18/08/2016 23:13

Concerned about attracting bears?

Am now picturing bears chasing girls up fire ladders. ConfusedGrin

PotOfYoghurt · 18/08/2016 23:18

The bears can smell the menstruation.

Original poster
Ozwizard · 18/08/2016 23:19

But who an earth would think that this is a suitable question to have written down on a form? Did they run it past the HR department who then thought yes this is acceptable?

OP posts:
jobrum · 18/08/2016 23:24

Could it be an old fire station? I went on a school trip to one once and there was only one w/c, with a couple of cubicals and urinals. Perhaps they dig out a sanitary bin if needed or something?

blueshoes · 18/08/2016 23:26

Don't answer. Definitely query it.

VioletBam · 18/08/2016 23:27

All of the concern in the world does not make this an acceptable question.

If they're worried about facilities, then they just need to make the appropriate changes to ensure any girl who needs a sanitary bin has one.

I could not help myself OP but would need to contact them and ask why they need to know this.

Theimpossiblegirl · 18/08/2016 23:27

Odd question. You could tick no and they could start the following week. I would query it.

Fluffsnuts · 18/08/2016 23:33

I used to run forest schools in an old job, and we needed to know due to a lack of 'facilities' for disposal/ cleanliness etc. (We would literally be doing stuff in forests, the toilet was a hole in the ground surrounded by tarpaulin). It saved some potentially distressing situations for the young people. Could it be something like that?

Original poster
Ozwizard · 18/08/2016 23:33

It's a modern fire station which I should imagine may already have female fire fighters on site and probably sleeps there on call. They would have to be male and female toilets, This may sound crude but are they expecting a girl to ask the course leader if she can go and change her sanitary product? Because I very much doubt it.

OP posts:
Original poster
Ozwizard · 18/08/2016 23:35

I don't have a dd but I was going to ask my niece if it would be of interest to her. But I can see that my sister would not be amused at the question

OP posts:
Obsidian77 · 18/08/2016 23:42

It's such an utterly bizarre question that they presumably have a good reason for asking (or they think they do). Maybe the kids will be taking part in activities that mean they won't have reasonable access to toilet facilities? It's not a close comparison but women who work in the mining industry sometimes work long shifts underground with no toilet access for example.
Do let us know when you find out.

Quiero · 18/08/2016 23:46

No fucking way is it an appropriate question. With no possible plausible reason for asking.

Sorry to the person who mentioned forest school. What the fuck? How does it solve a situation? Assuming you are a woman? You make provisions to ensure other women know what to do without knowing their personal circumstances.

I honestly despair Angry

Charley50 · 18/08/2016 23:50

Outrageous question.

harderandharder2breathe · 19/08/2016 00:07

Yanbu

I take girls of this age away regularly with Guides and would never dream of asking them! We make provision for it (ensure sanitary bins in toilets, painkillers and spare sanitary towels in first aid kit) and would talk about it if the girls asked, but generally we don't initiate the conversation.

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