You’d think that in 2021 tampons, pads, and periods wouldn’t be seen as taboo topics to discuss and address. Unfortunately, that’s still the case in many places. Even in the oh-so-developed world.
Once in a while when browsing the AITA subreddit, you come across some truly decent human beings who make the world a far better place. Redditor Lowthrowaway22 seems to be one of them. The teacher detailed how he has a basket full of tampons and pads in his classroom for his female students, however, not all of his colleagues were happy with this.
Check out the full story, as well as Reddit’s reactions to it, below, dear Pandas. Be sure to let us know what your personal thoughts on this are as well.
A male high school teacher shared how a colleague of his called him out for providing tampons and pads to his female students
He keeps the female hygiene products in a basket in the classroom
The 38-year-old explained that he’s a father with two daughters, so he has a lot of empathy for his female high school students. He noted that some of his students were having trouble and didn’t have tampons and pads when they needed them, so he decided to help them out by providing them himself.
He pays for all the expenses out-of-pocket himself. However, some redditors were so moved by his kindness and thoughtfulness that they wanted to send him some money to help fund his little project. The teacher noted they make a good living and said that they don’t have an issue with buying female hygiene products for his students. He thanked the redditors for their gesture and willingness to pitch in, though.
Jane Ussher, a professor of Women’s Health Psychology at Western Sydney University, told ABC News that periods have long been associated with “dirt, and disgust, and shame, and some might say fear.” According to her, viewing periods this way is misogynistic and it’s enrooted in many of the world’s major religions which view menstruating women as ‘unclean.’
"If you talk to young women across a whole range of different cultural groups about their major concern about menstruation, it's concealment. It's about not knowing you're menstruating—the worst idea being blood been seen, which leads to menstrual shame,” Professor Ussher explained about the taboos surrounding periods. This shame, according to her, if left unchecked, can spread to encompass a woman’s view about her entire body which can be very damaging. That’s why it’s so important to fight back against period shaming.
The vast majority of redditors overwhelmingly supported the teacher. Have a read about what they had to say right here
