# Did you know that all women have periods? (link included) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 22, 2004, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-all-women-have-periods-link-included/276165 "2004-11-22T20:44:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Glassy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ea666f/32.png) [@Glassy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glassy)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2004, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-all-women-have-periods-link-included/276165/61 "2004-11-25T04:17:16Z")
> [@chaoticdonkey](#): > > I’m not a female, but I have a mother. What freaking belt are you talking about??? If it’s a “sanitary pad” (heh), then how would you get it confused with a belt? Once upon a time, sanitary pads weren’t attached to panties with adhesive (blue side, white side, blue side, white side). One attached them to some kind of belt to keep them in place. This was before my time, btw; I only know about it because of _ **Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret** _ (a book which, I believe, has now been updated to include the adhesive.) What a hassle, eh? I have always kind of wondered whether the belt was disposable, of if you reused it every month. ---
**Author:** ![Glassy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ea666f/32.png) [@Glassy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glassy)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2004, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-all-women-have-periods-link-included/276165/62 "2004-11-25T04:19:32Z")
> [@Glassy](#): > > I have always kind of wondered whether the belt was disposable, of if you reused it every month… Oops - and now I know. Thanks for the ignorance-fighting, **TellMeI’mNotCrazy**. ---
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2004, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-all-women-have-periods-link-included/276165/63 "2004-11-25T04:28:28Z")
> [@Antigen](#): > > I looked at mine today. I don’t have a blue side and a white side! Both sides are _white_! > > _Now_ what do I do? 😕 You flip it over and over in your hands and say “White, white. White, white. White, white. I put it in the nearest wastebasket. Not the toilet, the nearest wastebasket.” ---
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2004, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-all-women-have-periods-link-included/276165/64 "2004-11-25T04:29:52Z")
Oh, and my mom never used pads (that I know of)… always tampons (and she was brand-loyal. Always that same box of Tampax.) But she’s ovary and uterus-free right now, so it’s a moot point. ---
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2004, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-all-women-have-periods-link-included/276165/65 "2004-11-26T04:49:27Z")
Good lord, do you ladies really release that much blood? :eek: It’s like the elevator door from The Shining! ---
**Author:** ![pokey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ebca7d/32.png) [@pokey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pokey)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2004, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-all-women-have-periods-link-included/276165/66 "2004-11-26T05:25:12Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > Jill seems kinda young to be putting her name down on the period calender. But she has downs syndrome, and she can act. Well, I don’t know why that would be colorized. It looks like the 70s judging from the pad technology. Also, the blood is fake so it’s not gross. The opening between a woman’s legs doesn’t dispense blood on a pad in a perfectly even and symetrical blotch. Also there’s one part in there where the daughter says “Sanitary Pad?” and someone answers “Sanitary Pad!” and I fully expected a 3 part harmony to come up with “Sanitary Paaaaaaaaaaad” and then for everyone to jump up and sing a song. Also, even though it’s really important to not put it in the toilet, I don’t think they stressed enough that the blue side must always go down!!! The blue side must never go up!!! I also really really liked it because the family was soo loving and patient. They never said anything stupid to her like that she had to keep it a secret or that it’s dirty. My mom made me feel really ashamed of having my period. She made me hide it from my brother and father. I felt like I did something wrong. I liked this movie a lot. ---
**Author:** ![pokey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ebca7d/32.png) [@pokey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pokey)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2004, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-all-women-have-periods-link-included/276165/67 "2004-11-26T05:26:34Z")
> [@pokey](#): > > But she has downs syndrome, and she can act. by that I mean, I don’t think casting agents can be so choosy. ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2004, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-all-women-have-periods-link-included/276165/68 "2004-11-26T05:37:35Z")
> [@Blalron](#): > > Good lord, do you ladies really release that much blood? :eek: It’s like the elevator door from The Shining! Yes. Sometimes more, and sometimes it…well, I’ll put it behind the spoiler-tag for the squeamish among us Sometimes it’s not just blood! Sometimes there’s a sort of jelly-like substance…not unlike grape jelly in color and texture > [@](#): > > They could have gotten something more blood-like for that used pad. Blood isn’t that thick and red. I’m sure that (color and thickness) can vary from person to person, and even month to month. ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2004, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-all-women-have-periods-link-included/276165/69 "2004-11-26T05:42:59Z")
> [@Tenar](#): > > If you have a mother, she could probably tell you that, once upon a time, sanitary pads (formerly known as sanitary napkins) did not always come with adhesive strips to hold them in place. The pad covering extended a couple of inches on each end of the pad (beyond the cotton batting), thus leaving two handy “tails” of sorts (picture a banana with two stems). The unfortunate woman who had a period (as, of course, all women do) would don an elastic belt with two truly evil clips on it. Each of the “tails” was pulled through one of the clips, thus holding the pad in place. > > Those clips could really dig in when you sat down. ☹ > > Also, the pads were more or less uniformly the size of logs from an old growth forest. And about those “belts” I have this theory: THat no woman who ever wore one will ever wear a thong, or if she does there is no way she will ever wear said thong in conjunction with low-cut pants so the thong shows. (This seems to be a fashion trend that’s over anyway, which is good.) I lasted one period with the stupid belts and the pads. Why did it take so long for someone to figure out adhesive on what used to be the blue side? I figured it out immediately, only it was a few years from being invented at the time so I switched to tampons. My mother said that meant I wouldn’t be a virgin when I got married. Ah well. (Actually I think I said “tough shit” and was grounded for a year.) ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2004, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-all-women-have-periods-link-included/276165/70 "2004-11-26T06:15:56Z")
> [@pokey](#): > > Also, even though it’s really important to not put it in the toilet, I don’t think they stressed enough that the blue side must always go down!!! > > The blue side must never go up!!! Dude, do you really want to deal with it if you’re caring for somebody who got the wrong side up, with the adhesive, and now has to have the pad removed from her pubic hair with scissors? Let’s stress this “blue side down” thing a little more (although, albeit I haven’t used pads in years and years, I recall both sides being white also - maybe things have changed since the 70’s). Also maybe she’s young because you want to start this sort of thing early to avoid any surprises for the kid - I’m sure it’s much more difficult to explain things to a child with disabilities once they get really upset and frightened, when they don’t understand what’s happening. A gradual introduction to the concept is probably far preferable. Besides, I got sex ed in school as early as fifth grade - I certainly wouldn’t want my daughter to overhear other girls (possibly uninformed ones) and get the wrong idea before I thought I had to give her the right one. ---
**Author:** ![shijinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@shijinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shijinn)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2004, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-all-women-have-periods-link-included/276165/71 "2004-11-26T14:22:42Z")
\ hmm… grape jelly… \ ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2004, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-all-women-have-periods-link-included/276165/72 "2004-11-26T14:59:09Z")
> [@pokey](#): > > Well, I don’t know why that would be colorized. It looks like the 70s judging from the pad technology. It looked to me like the film had “turned” (started to go all weird with age), not that it was colorized. > [@](#): > > Also, the blood is fake so it’s not gross. The opening between a woman’s legs doesn’t dispense blood on a pad in a perfectly even and symetrical blotch. Yes. I didn’t think it was real. And as for the _amount_ of blood? Guys, you have _no_ clue if you are shocked by that amount. No clue. And as far as fathers/husbands shopping for sanitary products? My dad did that all the time for my sisters and me. No big deal. We usually had to give him a shopping list and specifically write down “Kotex Tampons, Super Absorbent” because he was very literal and wanted to make _sure_ he got the right kind, but as long as we did that, there was no problem. Hey, what are you gonna do? You’ve got women in your life. This is part of the job, man. If you’re going to the store and they need something like that, you get it. You don’t expect them to make a special trip just for _that_. What a waste of gas! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Eleusis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Eleusis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleusis)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2004, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-all-women-have-periods-link-included/276165/73 "2004-11-26T15:09:45Z")
> [@shijinn](#): > > \ > hmm… grape jelly… > \ Mmmm liver and onions… scabs and coagulated blood… with noodles ---
**Author:** ![Morelin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Morelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morelin)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2004, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-all-women-have-periods-link-included/276165/74 "2004-11-26T16:21:59Z")
> [@JayElle](#): > > OK, do none of you ladies remember Special Gym Day? You know, that special fun day in school when the girls’ gym teacher showed the film about you know… mestrooo-ashun? Of course the film wasn’t as explicit as this _one._ I still remember coming home and telling my mom “We learned about periods today! When am I gonna get a period? Am I gonna have to wear that weird belt thing like in the movie? Where do you get a belt like that? Do you have a belt like that? Does it come in pink?” And on and on until daddy came home from work. My school’s “girl day” was afterschool. They did it to all 4th and 5th graders. Unfortunately, I was in a band that met afterschool at the same time/day. My mom eventually went through the talk with me, but I was a year or two behind the other girls as far as ‘knowing what happens’ went. ---
**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2004, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-all-women-have-periods-link-included/276165/75 "2004-11-26T16:53:47Z")
> [@yosemite](#): > > Yes. I didn’t think it was real. And as for the _amount_ of blood? Guys, you have _no_ clue if you are shocked by that amount. No clue. I was thinking, “That’s all? You don’t need to change that thing yet.” Even in the seventies, I’m sure pads could absorb a lot more than that. I can imagine how scary a period could be to a mentally disabled girl who didn’t know anything about it. And I was in fourth grade when we had our first “this is what a period is” session for us girls. I don’t know what I knew before that, but eight or nine is far from too young to hear it. ---
**Author:** ![Glassy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ea666f/32.png) [@Glassy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glassy)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2004, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-all-women-have-periods-link-included/276165/76 "2004-11-26T17:06:09Z")
> [@whiterabbit](#): > > I can imagine how scary a period could be to a mentally disabled girl who didn’t know anything about it. And I was in fourth grade when we had our first “this is what a period is” session for us girls. I don’t know what I knew before that, but eight or nine is far from too young to hear it. Especially since the girl comes right out and asks what a period is. What were the family supposed to say? “It’s a scary scary thing that we’ll explain to you when you’re older.” **Blalron** , I’m not quite sure what you were expecting, but there’s a reason they make those pads the size of aircraft carriers, y’know. (At least, that’s how big they feel when you’re wearing one.) They need to be able to handle a certain volume. TMI: I thought the pad in the film looked fake, not because of the amount/color of blood, but because it was suspiciously _uncrinkled_. ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-all-women-have-periods-link-included/276165/77 "2004-11-27T05:03:58Z")
Isn’t this from the same series of hygiene films where the (developmentally disabled?) young man sits up in bed and proclaims “I’m all wet and sticky”? ---
**Author:** ![rowe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e68b1a/32.png) [@rowe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowe)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-all-women-have-periods-link-included/276165/78 "2004-11-27T07:49:01Z")
Did anyone else think it was kind of creepy how she was petting the dog at the end? They show that close up of the dog’s head and then it gets pretty quiet and she just starts petting the dog. During the close up, I almost thought it was going to ask her about periods in Goliath’s voice from the old David & Goliath show. ---
**Author:** ![rowe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e68b1a/32.png) [@rowe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowe)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-all-women-have-periods-link-included/276165/79 "2004-11-27T07:52:33Z")
Oops, I meant Davey & Goliath… [http://www.daveyandgoliath.com/](http://www.daveyandgoliath.com/) ---
**Author:** ![Tentacle\_Monster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba9def/32.png) [@Tentacle\_Monster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tentacle_Monster)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-all-women-have-periods-link-included/276165/80 "2004-11-27T08:01:18Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > Dude, do you really want to deal with it if you’re caring for somebody who got the wrong side up, with the adhesive, and now has to have the pad removed from her pubic hair with scissors? That is a question ever person should ask him-or-herself. I don’t know the strength of the adhesive in your average maxi pad; would ripping it off like a big band-aid be an option? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-all-women-have-periods-link-included/276165.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-all-women-have-periods-link-included/276165.md?page=5)