# 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:** 5
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-all-women-have-periods-link-included/276165/81 "2004-11-27T08:13:28Z")
Somehow I’m now thinking of that “Anything Oscar-Worthy?” thread in CS. > [@pokey](#): > > I liked this movie a lot. It’s the feel-good movie of the year… ‘Two thumbs up’ from Ebert and Roeper… ’ “Blood comes from inside my body through the hole between my legs,” says Joel Siegel… ---
**Author:** ![Largo62](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/45deac/32.png) [@Largo62](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Largo62)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 10:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-all-women-have-periods-link-included/276165/82 "2004-11-27T10:02:22Z")
Of _course_ all women have periods. And some acquire hyphens. All women(and even men) have colons. If they’ve had a colostomy they have semi-colons. If a period lasts for too many days, might women not fall into a comma? I was hoping to say all this with dash, but that looks like a big question mark. ---
**Author:** ![nocturnal\_tick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3d9bf3/32.png) [@nocturnal\_tick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nocturnal_tick)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-all-women-have-periods-link-included/276165/83 "2004-11-27T11:00:58Z")
> [@Jeep's Phoenix](#): > > 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”? There’s a sequel? I like sequels. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![AngelicGemma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/439d5e/32.png) [@AngelicGemma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelicGemma)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-all-women-have-periods-link-included/276165/84 "2004-11-27T15:00:13Z")
> [@nocturnal\_tick](#): > > There’s a sequel? I like sequels. 😃 Why do I get the feeling your going to start trying to find the link? ---
**Author:** ![nocturnal\_tick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3d9bf3/32.png) [@nocturnal\_tick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nocturnal_tick)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-all-women-have-periods-link-included/276165/85 "2004-11-27T16:18:00Z")
> [@AngelicGemma](#): > > Why do I get the feeling your going to start trying to find the link? That’s just silly. I’m at home at the moment so I haven’t the time. Maybe when I’m back at university though. 😛 Nice to see you’re hard at work **Gem** ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-all-women-have-periods-link-included/276165/86 "2004-11-27T16:26:26Z")
> [@Tenar](#): > > . . . formerly known as sanitary napkins . . . One Christmas my mother asked my grandmother to place the napkins on the diningroom table. So my grandmother placed the napkins on the diningroom table. The only problem, however, . . . . ---
**Author:** ![Bruce\_Daddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@Bruce\_Daddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bruce_Daddy)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-all-women-have-periods-link-included/276165/87 "2004-11-27T16:40:09Z")
> [@Muffin](#): > > One Christmas my mother asked my grandmother to place the napkins on the diningroom table. So my grandmother placed the napkins on the diningroom table. The only problem, however, . . . . Did y’all use the blue side or the white side? ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-all-women-have-periods-link-included/276165/88 "2004-11-27T18:00:13Z")
> [@Tentacle Monster](#): > > 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? Well, (and I just realized how long ago it was), more than a decade ago when I used to use pads sometimes, every so often things would move around and I’d get a few strands of hair stuck to the adhesive, and trust me, it’s weak adhesive on your underwear but somewhat stronger on you. Had to do that thing where you try to catch the hair with your fingers while you gently pull the pad away, only you generally miss one and rip it out. Ouch. No, I wouldn’t like to put a whole pad in upside down, thanks. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-all-women-have-periods-link-included/276165/89 "2004-11-27T21:39:40Z")
“Okay, honey. That explains how the pad works. Would you like to see how I use a tampon?” “What’s a tampon?” “Oh, that’s what soaks up the blood that comes out of my body from the hole between my legs, only I put it INSIDE the hole between my legs.” “Why do you use a pad AND tampon?” “Oh, that’s because I have a sealing problem with my O-rings, honey. You see this little string here?” (sssshhHLOOKKK!) “OOOHHH! it has MORE blood than the pad…and it smells funny, too!” “That’s right, honey. Now I want you to pay attention to this…swing the tampon around in the air just like Bruce Lee does with the numchucks; this will keep bad men away who want to hurt you. Try to smack them in the face with it.” ---
**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, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-all-women-have-periods-link-included/276165/90 "2004-11-27T21:55:03Z")
I just realized why they didn’t demonstrate tampon use. There are two openings there that could potentially accomodate a tampon. It’d be a minor disaster if the wrong one was chosen; and the film would have to be quite a bit more explicit to show which one was the correct one. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-all-women-have-periods-link-included/276165/91 "2004-11-27T22:39:54Z")
> [@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. Hell, my high school still had them in the dispensors as late as 1996! (Perhaps because our school nurse was freaking ancient.). They came with safety pins. (It’s still loading for me, I’ll come back with my impressions after it downloads-assuming it will go all the way instead of quitting!) Did tampons even exist in 1960? I thought they weren’t invented until the late sixties, early seventies? ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-all-women-have-periods-link-included/276165/92 "2004-11-27T22:48:49Z")
Jeez, fellow men, how big a deal is this? Pads aren’t that bad! Would you prefer they sprayed mushroom-scented epoxy when they got excited? How appealing is that? Yeesh. I’ll take the fairer sex any day. If you can’t take getting wet, stay out of the kitchen, eh? ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-all-women-have-periods-link-included/276165/93 "2004-11-27T22:53:01Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Did tampons even exist in 1960? I thought they weren’t invented until the late sixties, early seventies? [The History of Tampons](http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/bltampons.htm). The first tampons came out in 1936. ---
**Author:** ![sj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/65b543/32.png) [@sj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sj2)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-all-women-have-periods-link-included/276165/94 "2004-11-27T23:03:56Z")
> [@pepperlandgirl](#): > > 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 > > I’m sure that (color and thickness) can vary from person to person, and even month to month. Especially when you sneeze. And it hangs out on top of the white side of the pad. (Boys, try wiping up spilled jelly with a napkin. Does it absorb? No, not really does it?) I’m so glad I’m taking the pill straight through. I haven’t had anything come out from an opening between my legs in a year. ---
**Author:** ![anu-la1979](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/47e85d/32.png) [@anu-la1979](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anu-la1979)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-all-women-have-periods-link-included/276165/95 "2004-11-27T23:52:11Z")
monstro’s comments have left me howling with laughter… anyway, on the subject of menstrual belts, thongs and low-cut pants…SNL did a hysterical skit I think about a year ago on the subject. Basically all the SNL women were sporting menstrual belts above their lowcut jeans as the new “in thing,” to do…sort of a parody of the whole thong straps and jeans things. My introduction to menstruation and its paraphanelia was also through “Are you there God, it’s me Margaret.” ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2004, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-all-women-have-periods-link-included/276165/96 "2004-11-28T01:48:57Z")
I haven’t seen the entire thing yet, since the downloads keep cutting off-stupid dial up! Did anyone else want to yell at them for wasting all those pads? And you just know that little Jill is going to be telling EVERYONE this. “Hi, Father Joe, do you know about periods? Sister Mary Patrick gets periods!” Imagine later on though trying to explain to her that not every woman gets periods. “Women who go through menopause don’t get periods. Women who are transgender don’t get periods. Women who’ve had hysterectomies don’t get periods, etc” And why is Susie wearing white if she’s got her period? And why is she so patient? Yeesh! ---
**Author:** ![ReverseCowgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/cc9497/32.png) [@ReverseCowgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ReverseCowgirl)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2004, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-all-women-have-periods-link-included/276165/97 "2004-11-29T23:33:08Z")
I am surprised that no one mentioned how gargantuan their panties were!!! ---
**Author:** ![Pullet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Pullet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pullet)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-all-women-have-periods-link-included/276165/98 "2004-11-30T04:03:03Z")
Can anyone testify that they’ve seen the “sister” film ment for non-challenged young girls? From the same time period \ or thereabouts. Just wondering if they were as direct and plain. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-all-women-have-periods-link-included/276165/99 "2004-11-30T04:11:59Z")
The one I saw featured the girl who played Annie in the movie. The thing I remember (about the only thing) is that it was the first time I ever heard the word “milestone”, and I took it quite literally - I thought there was some kind of stone marking off miles of your life. I also got a little booklet that supposedly chronicled letters between 3 young girls, one of whom moved away. (Her nickname was Poochie, but she later decided she didn’t want to be called that anymore.) In the back were different descriptions of sanitary napkins and tampons, and a girl could send away for a “starter kit.” Bizarre. ---
**Author:** ![PetW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@PetW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PetW)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-all-women-have-periods-link-included/276165/100 "2004-11-30T07:20:01Z")
I came to this thread late. That was \*not \*a movie I wanted to see right before I went to bed, but this thread might have been the funniest I’ve ever read. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-all-women-have-periods-link-included/276165.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-all-women-have-periods-link-included/276165.md?page=6)