Several weeks ago, I went to Tokyo to spend the rest of the summer with my parents. My first night there, I stopped into 7-11 to pick up some essentials - razors, shaving cream, and a box of tampons.
When I arrived home, I noticed something odd.
I'd brought everything home in a plastic bag, but the tampons were wrapped in brown paper to shield them from view from everyone else.
At first, I thought this was bizarre. Then I thought it was brilliant. And now, it's got me thinking.
Like most girls, I will bitch about my period to my girlfriends. But otherwise, I don't like to talk about it. It's private information and I don't care to broadcast to other people.
In fact,
I won't tell my boyfriend when I'm on it, either.
Of course, this is mainly because we are long distance, so it's not like it actually affects our sex life. Also, I luckily am not really all that affected by PMS, so he can't really tell when I'm on it.
But even when we're together, I find the whole thing a little bit awkward. I know I shouldn't feel that way, but I hate telling him that I'm on my period. It just seems like a private thing, and he doesn't have any business really knowing about it. Also, being on your period is kind of gross and messy sometimes, and I'd rather keep that part of my life to myself.
Are you open about your period to your S/O?Image Source
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Comments (56)
Yes.
I'm glad when my SO doesn't tell me about her period. It proves to me that she values my intelligence.
Totally open. I don't shout about it to everyone, but if it comes up (e.g. "why so blue today?") and the person isn't grossed out/TMI'd, I'll typically complain to them in the future. Fortunately my bf is very chill about it as a normal womanly bodily function :) And I don't see why it should be any more private than other ones, like using the restroom.
Guys who are grossed out should get over themselves.
I am, but for some reason, I get embarrassed when I buy feminine products and condoms. I try to buy them when I am shopping for several other things and pile them over those products. I'm not sure why I am so embarrassed about it, having your period is not something that is uncommon.
I sometimes tell my guy, not all the time. He reacts so funnily whenever someone tells him about their period. Even when his sister was mentioning to their dad that their dad needs to get her more plugs my guy told me that he told her to shut up about it. I laughed.
I sometimes tell my roommate, too. Well he asks me if I am and I'm like no or yes. Haha, cuz he thinks I'm in a mood at times. I told him if we're gonna be roommates then he has to be like a girl friend roommate to me because we're not gonna cross the line since I live with a guy so we're gonna share girlie things.
It's just biology. I find it cute.
@Guest - Funnily.
I talk to certain friends about it and very open to my SO about it. At first he was very hesitant about buying my tampons for me (i get severe cramps and hate to leave the house) or pills but now, he's very comfortable with it and we can talk about it openly. For the most part, we can talk about anything ranging from constipation and PMS to religion and politics without problems though.
Totally. He needs a heads up that there will have to be some adaptations for the next 5 or so days. But instead of calling it my period or the crimson tide or whatever... I call it Blowjob Week. Because that sounds much much much more positive from his point of view ;) He'd know anyway by how much my cheese & chocolate intake increases, but I think he almost gets excited when I announce Blowjob Week. Sure, there's not as much freedom of activities, but who gets mad at blowjobs? NO ONE.
@wastedbeauti@xanga - Eh I would. Going to limit it to just blowjobs? Horrible. I'm not very fond of blowjobs though, they seem kind of pointless to me. However nice job on taking something that could be seen as a negative and just changing the name and turning it into a positive for your boyfriend, good thinking heh.
I've always been open about periods. I think mainly because I grew up around a lot of females and they would constantly talk about it. So it never seemed like anything big to me. As I grew up when females would continue to talk about it I would just join in or listen unfazed or unbiased or whatever. I often get told by female friends when they're on their periods too though, even if we've never talked about it before, dunno why that is. Also I usually tell my girlfriends that they're silly when they get shy or try to hide they're on their period with me, because who cares it's going to happen so no need to hide it. No need to go broadcasting to the world too though I guess.
My boyfriend and I are long distance as well, so it doesn't particularlyaffect him. But usually, if I'm especially moody/irritable he will be like, "Are you on your period or something?" It aggravates me a little for him to assume just because I'm moody that it's simplycaused by my period. However, he can usually tell when I'm on it anyway, and sometimes he'll be a little nicer if he knows I am. :) Other than that, we don't make it a regular topic!
I don't tell people I'm on my period, but when I had a boyfriend I told him when I was on it since we lived in the same apartment complex and didn't have a lot of time to have sex since we both had so many roommates. We did have sex sometimes anyways when I was on my period so it didn't really matter, but always nice to have a heads up haha. I don't tell guys I casually date though. I just won't hang out with them when I'm on it.
I don't really talk about it with my friends.. I use pads instead of tampons (for some reason, tampons give me terrible cramps) and my friends all use tampons and they think that pads are nasty so I'm a little embarrassed by it. Anyway, yes I tell my boyfriend and am open with him about it. For one thing, we live together. We do have sex so I let him know when I start my period so he knows I'm not pregnant, haha.
i got my period when we first started dating and i didnt know i was leaking. When he dropped me home, i noticed red bloody splotches all over his car seat (they were a darkish milk brown so he couldnt tell). I didnt know what to do, so i just kinda left it there. The next time he picked me up, his car seat was nice and clean and there was a bottle of stain-spray thing on his table.
After that, was pretty open with my period with him. he calls it "shower sex week"
Tampons backward is Snopmat.
even if you don't want to broadcast, they sell the feminine products in a hot pink, bright purple, bright blue, bright green or other eyecatching bold color to show all the shoppers, who cross my shopping cart path, that I'm buying MAXIPADS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! or PANTILINERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! nothing to really be embarrassed about, but still...it is taking away all of the attention from the box of cereal, who is my favorite, and I want to broadcast that instead
I saw robert pattinson in an interview and they had a box of cereal on the nearby chair, which also happens to be his favorite; !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!CINNAMON TOAST CRUNCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I 
that so much. no wonder his fangirls are madly in love with him. lush hair, superb taste in cereal selection and eyes of seduction
le sighhhhh...
Ha, I am actually open about my period, I don't think it's a big deal and I didn't mind telling my boyfriend at the time 'cause I get pms and I would kind of give him a warning.
My boyfriend grew up with living with his sister and grandmother, so its nothing new to him lol Totally open.
I tell my best friend (girl) that i cant go swimming that let her know I cant.
My bf can tell because of my mood or he will ask me.
when I have my period I don't go anywhere.
Oh yeah, he knows! I tell him EVERYthing. :o) We're that cool. lol.Plus I get snappy at that time so I, now, will catch myself and say sorry and that I'm on my period and will hug him and will be all better. I've had to put a leash on my mood swings during that time cuz I was getting too mean. So yeah, he needs toknow. I live with him anyway, my kotex is under our sink. It goes in the trash. He sees during intercourse. So.... you have to be a grown up about these natural bodily functions.
Yes. Always have been with everyone I've seen. I don't want to date someone who has subjects that are taboo.
Yeah, definitely. I always tell my boyfriend when I'm due my period because I get dreadful PMS some months, and if he knows I'm due, he knows that if I'm a bit irrational or moody, not to blame himself. I always apologise if I saw something irrational and make sure he knows it's not his fault, though. I think its so stupid that periods are such a taboo subject. All women get them. They're only embarrassing if you make them embarrassing. So, you bleed once a month and it hurts. Big woop.
i honestly dont mind talking about it even to my S/O i tell him all the time tht it sucks being a girl since i always get really heavy cramping and he doesnt freak out which i love cuz its normal every girl goes thru it yes its gross but no need to freak out to us talking about it.but if im to buy tampons and its a guy ringing me up i do get a lil embarassed idont know why though.