It’s 2018, Stop Judging People For What Period Products They Use
Pads? Tampons? Menstrual cups? You do you.
Flashback to middle school: I’m standing in the dimly lit locker room full of insecure teenage girls whispering about their bodies. “She uses tampons?” “Already?” “Well, she is kind of a slut.” As if somehow, choosing to use tampons equates to promiscuity. Because people always like to have an opinion on what menstruators put in their bodies.
Now, flashback to high school: sitting in a hallway surrounded by bright red, cherry-colored lockers that almost hurt my eyes to look at, listening to my friends discuss what period products they prefer. “Tampons are better. Pads are just gross, they’re like diapers.” “Everyone uses tampons now. It’s weird if you still use pads.” Because somewhere in there, we grew up and it became infantile and immature to use pads. Because again, people–even menstruators–always like to have an opinion on what others put in their bodies.
Growing up, it always felt like tampons were linked to both promiscuity and maturity–most likely because society views penetration as the only form of sex and pads were linked to virginity and immaturity. Menstrual cups weren’t even a topic of discussion when I was in high school, and now they’re growing in popularity. The increasing amount of menstruation options is a great reason for excitement. We all have our own preferences and reasons behind decisions. It’s about time we stop judging menstruators for what products they use. If an eleven-year-old wants to use tampons, why not? And if a twenty-four year old exclusively uses pads, good for them!
The only person who has the authority over menstruation products is the decision-maker themselves. We all have the right to use what works for us, but we don’t have the right to assess others based on essentially nothing. So, let’s stop judging people and let them be the experts of their own bodies. Let them live their best and healthiest lives.
