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The Shame of Periods!

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brawburd | 18:39 Sun 20th Mar 2005 | Body & Soul
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well, that's what Kotex adverts seem to imply.  These have been a bug-bear of mine for ages now.  The most recent being wrappers which don't make a noise.  Why?  Should young girls be encouraged to think that periods are something of shame?
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No of course periods aren't shameful - but they are embarassing - and young boys snigger and tease unmercifully when they see or suspect something. Its just the nature of the beast.

I don't think it's a matter of shame, just privacy.  I mean, there's no shame in having sex, but it doesn't stop people looking shady when they buy condoms or lubrication.

I, for one, don't particularly want people to be aware I'm having my period.  It's private and quite frankly, nobody wants to know.  It's a completely natural thing, but that doesn't mean it needs to be advertised.  Young girls shopuld be aware of this, but also you need to bear in mind that in a school enviroment especially, boys can be make very cruel comments about pms/periods.

In a public toilet cibicle, or even worse, in the loos where I work (a school) I certainly don't want people to be able to hear me unwrapping a tampon!!

I see where you are coming from brawburd.  However, I didn't like the  noisy paper wrapper noises coming from the toilet cubicles when I used tampons.  It always seemed to me that it was as loud as a jet engine going over and that everybody else in the loos stopped talking when it happened.  This was ridiculous, but I felt that way.

However, it's great these days when we can talk about periods openly on an internet site without sniggers.

One great thing about being nearly 58 - freedom from the curse!!!!

it seems that periods no longer make any difference to daily routines - we can go swimming, wear whatever we like without having to be conscious of it, all they need is some magical remedy for period pains! so why, if it makes no difference to us, should the rest of the world still have to be aware of them?
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nope, still don't get it!

I can honestly say I had never thought of the noise of unwrapping a sanitary towel before.  I am more worried about other noises in the toilet!!! 
LOL Highgrove!

Naughty old me can't help thinking that as you carefully rip open the 'silent' wrapper there'll be a loud bang & a fountain of stringy bits lika a party popper.

Sorry, been very silly this weekend, I'll act my age next week. Honest.

sorry I can't empathise with your dilema, but it has got me thinking of noisless Rizlas, theres a fortune to be made.

Those adverts are a load of rubbish. I've been smoking tampax for 2 years now, and I still can't swim or play tennis.

i don't do wrappers anyway, mooncups don't make a noise, good for enviroment and sve a tonne of money!

http://www.mooncup.co.uk/

Sorry to slightly change the subject but magicdice - there is a miracle cure for period pain, Feminax. Bloody amazing! Anywho, I don't think periods are shamefull I just think that the people at Kotex are trying to make it more discreet because everyone else hearing you open a tapon in public toilets is a bit cringeworthy.
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Sorry Milly 143 but Kotex are only pushing their product for one simple reason - and I don't think it's to save us the embarassment of opening noisy packs in public places!

Just checked out the website suggested by tracymort for a product I've never heard of before - boy, everyday's a school day!!

To be honest it's never ocurred to me to be embarrassed by opening a wrapper in a toilet cubicle. If we are going to be so paranoid about noise, will someone also manufacture silent loo roll that doesnt make a noise when it comes off the roll?.
I'd never heard of it either, Libertie, but I'll be placing an order very soon!  My annual trips to the UK will no longer end with half a suitcase full of tampax!
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Thanks everyone for your responses.  I stick with my original notion that there's nothing to be embarrassed about!
Nice one tracymore i am going to give that a try!
i agree - there is nothing to be ashamed of. After all, the only other people who are going to be in the toilet are women. And all those women have/have had the same problem in their life. So really, what is there to be ashamed of???

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