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Original poster

To say 'flowing free' isn't a feminist issue, it's a hygiene one?

190 replies

daydrinker · 14/04/2018 10:28

I have attached screen shots of the conversation from one of my breastfeeding Facebook groups.

The genera opinion seems to be that periods are beautiful and not uncomfortable or gross at all.

Just like any other bodily fluid, I don't think it's nice.

AIBU to say it's a hygiene issue and not a feminist one?

To say 'flowing free' isn't a feminist issue, it's a hygiene one?
To say 'flowing free' isn't a feminist issue, it's a hygiene one?
To say 'flowing free' isn't a feminist issue, it's a hygiene one?
OP posts:
FourFriedChickensDryWhiteToast · 14/04/2018 10:30

well if that person wants to 'flow free' let her....wont she have fun...

FourFriedChickensDryWhiteToast · 14/04/2018 10:31

..and if she has a cold, she can leave the snot flowing free down her face as well...

Original poster
daydrinker · 14/04/2018 10:32

Four I understand that but the entire concept of 'flowing freely' baffles me.

Surely you wouldn't want to get blood on a chair at work, etc? Blush

OP posts:
Original poster
daydrinker · 14/04/2018 10:32

and if she has a cold, she can leave the snot flowing free down her face as well...

Grin
OP posts:
MrsJayy · 14/04/2018 10:32

The flow freething was started as a hoax poking fun at extreme feminists It is a real shame some women have taken to it. Just wear protection nobody really wants blood down their legs/ on seats /clothes blah de blah

Didntcomeheretofuckspiders · 14/04/2018 10:34

Blood is blood and I think it’s a bit impolite to be dripping it all over the place. Also, it would chafe. On light days (assometimes my periods go on and on) I can get away with just black knickers and have no problem with that kind of ‘free flow’ but to be knowingly leaving blood on chairs/public transport etc is unacceptable (obviously accidents happen and that’s totally okay). I do think that women with this kind of mentality have obviously never had a properly heavy period.

Flampingu · 14/04/2018 10:34

I agree with you. Did you read the article I think on the pool which said having periods makes women great managers and organised?! We need to quit the (ironic word to use I know) hysteria!

KatieKittens · 14/04/2018 10:35

I take it to mean that she prefers to use pads over tampons

VianneRocher · 14/04/2018 10:36

I do think that women with this kind of mentality have obviously never had a properly heavy period

This!

SianRunner · 14/04/2018 10:37

By hygiene issue do you mean the potential for transmission of blood-borne diseases? Or your personal 'yuck' factor?

I think people need to articulate their reasons against very specifically tbh, ad the 'fors' have done.

I was brought up in a fairly socially repressive country where period blood was considered to be absolutely disgusting. Now that's unhealthy.

MrsJayy · 14/04/2018 10:37

'Free bleeding' and the stupidly clever feminists who fell for it | The Spectator
www.spectator.co.uk › 2015/08

evilharpy · 14/04/2018 10:37

I don't get it at all. I've had a few unexpected early period starts and it's uncomfortable, sticky, hard to get the stains out of light coloured clothing and just generally unpleasant. I wouldn't want to sit in that all day. Nor would I be happy for a free flowing friend to come and visit and bleed all over my sofa and expect me to clean it up. I'm not at all squeamish but this is just icky.

MrsJayy · 14/04/2018 10:38

I am not sure if that link works

SianRunner · 14/04/2018 10:40

I wouldn't 'free bleed' myself but I'm glad period blood is being seen as not disgusting these days (mostly) (isn't it?)

Branleuse · 14/04/2018 10:40

You get all sorts of weirdos. I dont think this free-flow thing will catch on.

Flampingu · 14/04/2018 10:42

Sian, I imagine part of it is that period stain things. Imagine we just bled everywhere, We’d all have permanently stained clothes from sitting on each other’s blood on chairs and stuff.

No, we shouldn’t think period blood is absolutely disgusting, that sounds difficult to grow up with.

But it’s ok to not want it to be everywhere. I wouldn’t want to sit on someone else’s bodily fluids be they spittle, mucus, pee, whatever. And I think that’s ok.

throwcushions · 14/04/2018 10:42

How bizarre. Similarly breastfeeding is a beautiful and natural thing but if I spill milk on myself I don't just gaze at it in admiration! And if I know it's going to spill in advance I use a breastpad!

MrsJayy · 14/04/2018 10:43

I don't thing period blood is disgusting it is a waste product though so nobody really needs it to be free flowing.

CaptainBrickbeard · 14/04/2018 10:43

I would find it uncomfortable and sticky and also I like my pale sofas. So I wouldn’t want to free flow.

Caitlin Moran made the interesting point that she has seen gallons of blood spilt at the movies but never a drop of menstrual blood in a film because people would find it too gross. That made me think that we shouldn’t consider period blood to be more disgusting than any other kind of blood, but I don’t let any cuts free flow either - I don’t want blood everywhere, whichever part of my body it’s come from.

WonderTweek · 14/04/2018 10:44

I don’t think periods are particularly gross but I don’t want to free flow and I would be majorly grossed out if someone was flowing free all over the shop. Maybe the free flowers (Grin) could do it in their homes and contain the flow somehow when out and about. It’s bodily fluids and can spread infections so none for me thanks.

I was a family cafe once a couple of years back, and a woman came in and smeared the chairs with her period (deliberately) and although it’s more likely that she had mental health issues than she was flowing free, it was still majorly disturbing and I felt really sorry for the cafe’s cleaning team. I would not like this to become a trend.

viques · 14/04/2018 10:45

I imagine that since Jacob RM has kept Mrs RM pregnant for much of their married life he has had only limited experience to Mrs RM's menses. I can't imagine him popping down to the garage shop for an emergency packet of tampons.......

viques · 14/04/2018 10:48

Experience with, I originally wrote exposure to but decided Mrs RM wouldn't expose anything.....

mrbob · 14/04/2018 10:52

I don't think periods are dirty or anything but in the same way I would not piss myself in a cafe, do a shit on the bus or spit on the carpet I would not want my blood to make a mess (menstrual or otherwise) Why does EVERYTHING have to be a feminist issue?

JacquesHammer · 14/04/2018 10:55

Quite often on my lightest days I “free flow”. It isn’t so much flowing at that point!

TotHappy · 14/04/2018 10:56

I do find it a bit more gross than other blood, it's so viscous and gluey... And has a really unpleasant smell imo. Is there anything wrong with being disgusted by your own bodily fluids?
Ditto blood from nose bleeds. I used to get really heavy ones. Very gluey presumably as mixed with snot. Yeuch.

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