Menstruation, commonly known as a “period”, is often a topic that people find uncomfortable to discuss or consider taboo.
This is especially true among men, who tend to shy away from conversations about it. However, this doesn’t mean that they are completely unaware of what it entails.
And when you’re a pupil at school, it’s not the most comfortable experience, having to go to the bathroom every time (depending on your flow) and to even explain why you need to use the bathroom.
It’s enough having to check your uniform or seat for any evidence of leakage.
A mother recently found out that her daughter was told by her teacher to “hold in” her period.
Yes, you read that right. A teacher made this astonishing request.
The mother was shocked and took to a UK website called Mumsnet, in a section where people ask if they are being reasonable or not.
She added that the teacher prevented her 15-year-old daughter from going to the bathroom during class, thinking that women can control the flow of their period blood. It sounds quite unbelievable, doesn't it?
Think about it like this: You know how we can’t hold in our urine for too long, right? Well, expecting someone to hold in their period is even more absurd.
The mother pointed out that the lessons were two hours long, which meant her daughter had to wait a long time before she could change her pad.
Changing pads regularly during your period is super important for staying clean and healthy. If pads aren’t changed often, they can become a place where bad bacteria grow. This can lead to bad smells, infections and skin problems.
Some parents did mention that pupils might sometimes make up having their period just to leave class but that’s not fair for those who are telling the truth.
So, in simple words, this story is about a teacher who didn’t understand periods properly and made a girl go through an uncomfortable and unhealthy situation.
It’s a reminder of why we need to keep talking about periods and making sure everyone understands them, no matter their gender.
Others believed the daughter should have taken a stand and just gone to the bathroom.
“Does the moron not realise that we don’t piss out blood voluntarily? If we could do that there’d be no need for sanitary napkins surely?” wrote one.
It’s the 21st century people, and there are still others, educators in this instance, out there belittling menstruation. Shocking!