9 Taboos About Tampons In India That Need To Be Broken

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A friend of mine was going through my handbag the other day (with my permission) to find some gum and he came across a tampon. At the first instance, he threw it away saying, “What the hell!” Then he picked it up looking at it like an inquisitive little cat and asked me in a shaky voice, “Ummm…this is a tampon right?” I told him, yes it was and his eyes twinkled. He had never seen one before and was taken away by sheer curiosity.

“Can you tell me how this works?” He asked like a child.

And then we both sat down and I told him the mechanism in which a tampon works, in the same way he used to tell me how his complex codes worked. He listened intently and was quite amazed by it. He put it back in my bag with his hesitations all gone.

I wondered, if it is so easy for a boy to understand that it is not a huge deal then why do many of my female peers get all freaked out by the idea of using a tampon. I understand that it is a question of personal comfort and preference, but how do you form judgements on something you have never even experienced?

It was not just my friends but also my mother and female relatives whom I distinctly remember being taken aback when they found out about the existence of tampons. They just couldn’t bear the idea of something being stuffed inside the body.

So after having faced a lot of questions on what sorcery tampons are, here I present to you a human-to-human FAQ, breaking the prevalent taboos about tampons. It is not a letter full of jargon like a user manual that comes with a machine. It is not a funny video where two guys are playing “tampon tag”. And it is definitely not a gif showing Amanda Bynes stuffing it in her nose.

 

1. If you use tampons, you’re not a virgin anymore

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Let me start with the bare basic and clear it out for all of you out there. Virginity is lost when you have a sexual intercourse with someone else. Not if you have an accident as a kid while playing basketball, not if you are a brilliant dancer and can do better somersaults than most gymists and certainly not if you use a tampon. Nobody is going to judge you if you don’t bleed when you have sex for the first time (and if the person does, make sure he is not the one you marry).

 

2. It pains terribly when a tampon is put in

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No, it doesn’t (unless you’re suffering from a Toxic Shock Syndrome). It is slightly uncomfortable for the very first times but aren’t sanitary pads uncomfortable all the time? The rashes, the need to check every few hours and persistent faint odour cannot beat the carefree feel that tampons provide. Once you understand the trick of sliding the tampon in, it is actually a very easy and quick process.

 

3. What if it falls out?

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It doesn’t. It never does. If you feel comfortable while walking and doing your routine activities then it is placed correctly and in no circumstances can it fall out. The string is left out and you can easily remove the tampon by pulling it out from the string. You will know that it is time to change the tampon when you start feeling full in you lower abdomen and feel slightly heavier in the uterus area. It is a hygienic practice to change it in every 5-6 hours depending upon your flow.

 

4. What if it is stuck there?

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I have never known anyone personally whose tampon got stuck. But if you are one of those unfortunate ladies caught in this rare situation, then fret not. Squat, and gently pull it out using your fingers. If the situation is worse (like the lady from San Diego who was in news few days back, then go see a OB-GYN).

 

5. They are not available in India

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Look around please. Even in many three tier cities, medical stores now keep tampons. They are neither over-the-top expensive nor do the shopkeepers check your passport before selling them to you. In fact now you can purchase many of them online at common shopping websites.

 

6. They are gross

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Well, all bodily fluids are gross. But when it comes to hygiene, tampons are more hygienic than many other options available in the market. They can be easily decomposed by simply flushing them down. The applicator and the plastic can be easily thrown away and you don’t have to carry a huge purse around to take them to the loo as they can easily fit in your pocket.

 

7. You need to take out the tampon every time you go pee

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That’s why you should have paid attention in your biology class. Let me jog your memory. Urine comes through the urethra; “stool,” when you defecate, it is through the anus. These are two separate openings. The tampon goes into the vagina – another opening between the urethra and anus. You might want to move the string out of the way when you go, though.

 

8. Tampons can cause STD

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STD or Sexually Transmitted Diseases are caused by several varieties of microorganisms. These organisms aren’t present in tampons. STDs happen when you have unprotected sex with another individual suffering from STD. Not from using tampons. No. Just no.

 

9. Tampons have toxic chemicals in them

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There are no harmful chemicals in tampons that can harm you. Although, it is important that you are aware of the Toxic Shock Syndrome or TSS. It is a bacteria caused infection that can be fatal to women. However, this is a very rare problem and happens to only 3-4 among a thousand women.

To sum up, using tampons doesn’t make you a woman to be frowned upon, it doesn’t take your virginity, it doesn’t pain and they are completely safe to use. Please do not believe in anything that the flying bird tells you. Before you form any judgement, experience it, understand it, and then without shying away for a second, TALK ABOUT IT. 

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