why are periods used as an insult/put down?

[SlainteBooyFeckingHoo]

used to embarass women and 'win' an argument?

I wonder how prevalent PMT as a distinct syndrome really is. I know a few people for whom it is a real problem and they really do behave very out of character with a fairly predictable pattern. But I wonder how many other people get angry or upset about something that in truth they should get angry or upset about and then dismiss it as being PMT when their period arrives a few days later. Because it's talked about almost as if every woman is bound to be irrational, under the control of their hormones etc, so perhaps we can sometimes look for it when it's not there? and that the outside world which doesn't think that women should get angry or forceful in their opinions wants an excuse to dismiss them.

I get ratty when I am tired and when I am hungry and when things don't go my way (like most people, male and female). If someone told me that I was irritable for any of those reasons, I'd probably agree. But if they said I was 'hormonal' I'd be very peeved.

But I don't talk about 'manflu' either. I don't like stereotypes.

haha, yes math. i probably should have put a after that as it was a bit tongue in cheek. i know that was all him and even if i had been hormonal, his behaviour was waaay over the top.

i usually dont talk manflu either. the only reason i was talking about it on FB was because friend 1 had joked at the weekend that that was what he had, so when i got the cold i joked with mutual friend 2 that friend 1 had passed his 'manflu to me and we both had a laugh about it.

But you are not necessarily 'hormonal' in the sense of unusual or out of the ordinary, or not to be taken seriously or to be despised -- Nooka put it better.

Men have hormones too, yet they are never accused of being at the mercy of those hormones as women are. And they are every bit as much influenced by them as women's mood may be influenced by theirs -- look at football violence, especially the horrible dv repercussions of teams losing, with men dispersing to home and hearth after spending time in an atmosphere awash in male pheromones and beating their partners black and blue.

Hormones don't generally come up in analysis of their behaviour. I don't think they should just as I don't think they should come up in the context of women's behaviour. Using the term 'hormonal' makes it too easy to dismiss women. Hence the tooth grinding when I see women doing it.

That's the thing -- something innate is used against us whereas it is not brought up with others.

And if you sat down and analysed your allegedly 'hormonal' rattiness, took a look at the thinks that made you mad, you might see that you were entirely justified in being annoyed and that it was actually a time when you told the truth about things in your life.

Women are afraid of our own rage and that fear is unwarranted imo. We should listen to it. Sometimes it is an expression of exhaustion and frustration at taking care of every single minute detail for everyone else in the home when they could and should be doing much more for themselves.

Should a DS know where his shoes are -- yes.
Should he have found them when he knew you were going out -- yes.

It would be quite fun to use some of those lines though

I agree with mathanxiety. I think the semi-bullshit "nice" filters come off when I'm tired, regardless of the cause. Sometimes it is because I'm working too hard, because I've not been sleeping well or because I do get tired and usually get a migraine just before my period. But the things I get irritated or angry about at those times are the same things that would irritate or anger me at others. I just don't play quite as nicely.

I'm hoping this hasn't been posted already on the thread....but [[http://www.snopes.com/humor/letters/always.asp this makes me laugh everytime I read it

i agree math

i think our hormones can help us to voice what we otehrwise may play down.

i remember when pregnant with ds doing the grocery shopping with EXP. he casually asked me which sausages i wanted and i snapped, said "right, I'm outta here" and stormed out of asda and sat in the car. it was a ridiculous response and he was right in his assumption that hormones were responsible for teh outburst. but they weren't responsible for the feelings that provoked it. we were going trhough one of many tough phases were i was feeling very much taken for granted and was trying to get him to take more responsibility of teh house and cooking/cleaning etc. that question was the tipping point. i just wanted him to make a decision for himself. i reacted badly and i apologised for it, but teh feelings were valid and we talked about them after.

val, i cant get the link to work.

try again

nope, still no joy.

third time lucky

ahh, i have read it before but i laughed just as hard this time!!

she is right on every point!!

I was hoping for a copy of the reply! I use Always, but luckily don't watch much TV as I might have to stop. But adverts for menstrual products have always been stupid. All that looking wistful rubbish, and use of blue liquids.

I have noticed that girls...under 25 are far more able to discuss periods and even masturbation in front of their peers these days.

Which is a massive step forwards in terms of squashing the taboo of it all.

In the 80s it was so embarrasing that no girl I knew would ever have admitted to periods or masturbation.

there is an ad out at the minute, or maybe it has stopped and i can't remember which menstrual product it is for but it is like a fucking acid trip!! all bright colours, swirly floatyness.

i have also just remembered about a story that was infamous in my last place of work. i worked in a national bank in a customer facing role/branch. there was a member of staff in another branch several years before my employment commenced who apparently asked to leave the counter one day during the lunch hour rush. when the manager asked her what for she replied "bathroom break" he refused permission. she told him she was 'bleeding like a pig" and walked off to the toilet. that story was brought up quite often during my 6 years of employment. i worked in 3 different branches in 3 different areas during that time and each branch was aware of the story. i have never met the woman but i knew as soon as someone said her name, that someone else would repeat the story.

yet one of my managers would happily announce daily that he was off to 'drop a load' and never once did i hear any other member of staff repeating that story.

another example of periods being used to ridicule women.