Mom Smashes Stigma By Teaching Sons About Periods; Asks Them To Carry Pads For Friends

Ladies, how many times have you rushed to your girlfriends to ask for a pad because you suddenly got your period? Well, while many women carry emergency period supplies, you would hardly find a man carrying a pad or tampon. The stigma and taboo around menstruation are so rampant that several men don’t have much knowledge about periods.

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Thankfully, a mother from the US is smashing this menstrual stigma by teaching her 2 sons to always carry tampons and sanitary pads just in case their female friends need one. According to Times Now, Blogger Tara Ahrens wants to break down the stigma around menstruation by making it normal for her sons to carry period supplies.

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Taking to her blog, Tara wrote,

“Most women and girls will tell you that merely talking about having your period in public is still pretty taboo. But as the mom of a 10 and a half-year-old daughter and two teen sons, I’m hoping to change that.” 

Having ‘the’ talk with her boys Micah and Elijah, she explained to them how the “bleed-throughs happen”. She added, “Periods are mortifying and can be traumatizing. Kindness and understanding from ANY friend goes a long way. Be that person.”

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Tara mentioned how the boys were initially reluctant but they understood what their mother was talking about after one of Elijah’s friends had bleed-through. After the incident, the boys always kept pads in their backpacks. Tara said,

“Micah let all his close female friends know that he always keeps a sweatshirt in his locker and a tampon in his backpack. He told them, ‘You know, in case you have an emergency. My mom wanted you to be covered.’ His female friends seemed a little embarrassed initially but eventually accepted it.”

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His brother Elijah informed all his friends that he carries period supplies. However, while his female friends were receptive and suggested he carry some products in his car too, some of his guy friends mocked him for his actions. Earlier Tara had also posted pictures of her sons helping her shop for their younger sister’s bras.

She further said,

“As you normalise these things in your own family by regularly discussing them, they become normal to your kids, too. It’s my hope that kids of all genders, including transgender kids, know that my boys are a safe place to get period supplies, should they ever need them.”

The blogger hopes that such small actions help change the way kids in school handle and view the whole subject. Kudos to her for bringing such a positive change in society.

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