I just been told off by my manager for walking across the office with a sanitary towel in my hand!

[TinLeaf]

This afternoon my manager call me into her office. Apparently, a couple of people have spoken to her because I sometimes walk to the office toilets carrying a sanitary towel and it’s making them uncomfortable. She has suggested I take my bag with me instead.

I thought times had moved on and I refuse to be made to feel ashamed of my period. I think the people who have complained are being ridiculous and need to get over it. Aibu?

[quote LimeSupper]@Drivingish no they are comparable to me because I’m giving examples of things that I don’t find embarrassing but wouldn’t do in the office in front of my colleagues. Carrying tweezers to the toilet isn’t embarrassing because anyone at any time can use tweezers. It’s not indicating you’re at a particular moment in your personal menstrual cycle, I just don’t see that I’d want my colleagues to know that. It’s personal.[/quote]
Just because it's personal for you doesn't mean it should be for everyone. It should be normalised to know that women menstruate and be ok with it, same as knowing when someone's got hayfever because they've suddenly brought in tissues and allergy pills. I'm not suggesting you have to be forced to show your sanpro but it's not right to suggest other people have lower standards if they do.

@Clarabe1

Is there any woman on this thread who openly walks through an office with a Tampon or a pad in there hand? Anyone? I have worked on offices 30 plus years and never known a woman walk around with a visible sanitary pad. I am calling this thread as BS unless loads of women pile on me and say it’s normal. I have never once seen it! Women younger and middle aged tend to be quite discreet in open offices where periods are concerned and if they are caught short without a pad or tampon tend to ask in a whisper if they need to borrow one.

Unless they're walking through the office with sanpro balanced on the palm of their hand why would you necessarily even notice? I use Compak I'd be surprised if anyone noticed I was carrying them to the toilet. They'd be far more likely to notice me carrying my bag to the toilet for several days a month and then not taking it with me for a few weeks.

[quote MoneyMoneyMoneyMustBefunny]Maybe wear this, I think it has a pocket
www.lastnightoffreedom.co.uk/stag-night-shop/costumes-&-fancy-dress/ninja-sanitary-towel-costume/[/quote]
That is truly disgusting.

[quote LimeSupper]@Drivingish no they are comparable to me because I’m giving examples of things that I don’t find embarrassing but wouldn’t do in the office in front of my colleagues. Carrying tweezers to the toilet isn’t embarrassing because anyone at any time can use tweezers. It’s not indicating you’re at a particular moment in your personal menstrual cycle, I just don’t see that I’d want my colleagues to know that. It’s personal.[/quote]
Well exactly, it's personal. A personal decision. OP is perfectly happy with her personal decision. She isn't insisting other people carry their tampons / pads to the loo. She's making her own choice. I cannot fathom someone having an issue with that, it's madness.

@stuntbubbles

Would you carry a tissue on a boat to Manila? Would you take paracetamol in view of a church? Would you apply lip balm on a biplane above Crewe? Show some vague unspecified etiquette!

I am deceased 😭

The bottom line is, if it's unacceptable for women to walk across the office with sanitary products in their hand then sanitary products should be provided, free of charge, in the toilet. You can charge for them as then carrying cash/a bank card would also imply they were going to BUY sanitary products which would also become uncouth.

people may assume I probably have a period, but no they don’t know that for a fact. Not every woman does and certainly not every woman regularly.

I honestly do not think too many people are keeping tabs on this, but it doesn't really matter. No one is saying you have to brazenly hold sanpro in your hand in the office. It's whether you think the op shouldn't, is the question.

@Drivingish I’m allowed my own opinion thanks. As I said in my initial post: Fine for many, I just wouldn’t and couldn’t 😆

@Smokeahontas

I mean unless you were walking across the office singing WHOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA BODYFORRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRM, BODYFORMEDDDDDDDDD FOR YOUUUUUUUUUUUUU then your boss is a dick.

Oh my!! There have been some exceptionally funny comments on this thread, but that has just killed me!! Even woke the poor dog up doing proper belly laughs - sung the song and everything in my head as I read it 😂😂

@Clarabe1

I can’t believe the women who are ‘fuming’ over this. What charmed lives you must lead. Op stick the pad up your sleeve and stop being such a drama queen. Are you really going to kick off at work over something so ridiculous, laugh it off and forget it. My mum uses tena lady but she doesn’t advertise the fact to all and sundry even though bladder leakage is perfectly normal. Everyone is different. Yes periods are perfectly normal but so is a bout of diarrhea and you wouldn’t walk through the office advertising you are about to have a runny shit would you??

Please explain how it’s possible to advertise a bout of diarrhoea? Also, is that something that people experience once a month??? If you’re busy at work and you have time to 1) monitor what women are carrying in their hands 2) take time out to complain about it then you’re probably not doing enough actual paid work

@TheKeatingFive As I said in my initial post: Fine for many, I just wouldn’t and couldn’t 😆

[quote LimeSupper]@TheKeatingFive in YOUR opinion, not mine. We can all have our own opinions. To me it’s not equivalent for a couple of reasons - 1. because everyone goes to the toilet daily but women only carry sanitary products when they’re on their period. I’m not embarrassed to be on my period but I don’t tell all my colleagues about it either, it’s personal. 2. We don’t use different types of toilet roll, it’s pretty standard issue. I don’t need to let all my colleagues know I’m using tampons / giant heavy flow pads or whatever I want to use. It’s personal, I just keep it to myself.[/quote]
I’d give up now. No one on this thread is allowed to express a view other than total agreement with @TheKeatingFive otherwise they get laid into about what the actual equivalent examples are. Didn’t you know that toilet paper is the ONLY comparable example to sanitary products and you’re WRONG and will be told so if you make any other comparison

@MoneyMoneyMoneyMustBefunny
Oh my goodnes
That sanitary towel costume is so daft and ridiculous.
Only a silly man would wear that.

Fine for many, I just wouldn’t and couldn’t

Well that's fine then

[quote LimeSupper]@Drivingish I’m allowed my own opinion thanks. As I said in my initial post: Fine for many, I just wouldn’t and couldn’t 😆[/quote]
Then you really ought to have made it clear it was just your personal preference instead of talking about standards having slipped, suggesting that someone carrying a sanpro to the toilet was somehow uncouth.

I’d give up now. No one on this thread is allowed to express a view other than total agreement with @TheKeatingFive**

I thought you were off?

If you want to actually counter my points do so.

@TheKeatingFive that’s a quote from my very first post but you still continued at me

@Clarabe1

I can’t believe the women who are ‘fuming’ over this. What charmed lives you must lead. Op stick the pad up your sleeve and stop being such a drama queen. Are you really going to kick off at work over something so ridiculous, laugh it off and forget it. My mum uses tena lady but she doesn’t advertise the fact to all and sundry even though bladder leakage is perfectly normal. Everyone is different. Yes periods are perfectly normal but so is a bout of diarrhea and you wouldn’t walk through the office advertising you are about to have a runny shit would you??

You should be at home with a stomach upset.

Please explain how it’s possible to advertise a bout of diarrhoea?

By a rather audible stomach gurgling?
By a sudden dash to the lavatories with clenched cheeks?

Those are two I can speak of from experience.

@Drivingishnthat is a quote from my very first post so it was clear from the of. I do think that standards have slipped, that’s my opinion. Yours is different, that’s ok for you to express too. I said in my first post that it’s fine for lots of people but I couldn’t myself.

that’s a quote from my very first post but you still continued at me

In fairness, I'm not checking all your posts before replying to one. As Drivingish says, it wasn't always necessarily clear you were only speaking for yourself. But now that that's been cleared up, cool, I get you.

HR department. Report it

@PurpleNebula84 ‘Shaped for confideeeeeeeence, shaped for comfort, SHAPED FOR YOUUUUUUUUUUU’

If I still had periods I would be ordering the cunt corks bag. It's brillliant!

I do think that standards have slipped, that’s my opinion

Ah that was you.

Okay, not entirely just speaking for yourself then