# Periods - Men just don't get it. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 15, 2014, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/periods-men-just-dont-get-it/693188 "2014-07-15T17:58:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![missyevelyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5ac83/32.png) [@missyevelyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missyevelyn)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2014, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/periods-men-just-dont-get-it/693188/1 "2014-07-15T17:58:31Z")
I’m honestly convinced than men don’t get it. The other night, my boyfriend was over at my place, and we were curled up, watching TV. I was feeling really “fat”, if you know what I mean, so I popped open the top button on my jeans and unzipped them; I felt like I was going to burst. He grins at me and says, “let’s go at it.” That’s what he always says when he wants some “hanky panky.” I roll my eyes and say, “honey, just cause I unbutton my jeans doesn’t mean I’m horny! I’m more bloated than a puffer fish; you’re not getting any tonight.” Why do we women have to go through those days of hell every 28 days? :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Calatin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/439d5e/32.png) [@Calatin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Calatin)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2014, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/periods-men-just-dont-get-it/693188/2 "2014-07-15T18:05:47Z")
As a man, I have to agree with you. I don’t get periods. ---
**Author:** ![missyevelyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5ac83/32.png) [@missyevelyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missyevelyn)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2014, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/periods-men-just-dont-get-it/693188/3 "2014-07-15T18:09:12Z")
> [@Calatin](#): > > As a man, I have to agree with you. > > I don’t get periods. Funny one. But still, at least you guys can be a bit more sympathetic. I’m convinced that if men got periods, there would be no such thing as a “period joke.” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2014, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/periods-men-just-dont-get-it/693188/4 "2014-07-15T18:11:32Z")
Can you provide a little more information for why we should be upset with your boyfriend? As a gay man who spends no time thinking about women’s periods, I will freely admit I don’t get it. But did your boyfriend know you were on your period and were feeling bloated before he made his “go at it” comment? Maybe he thought you were sending a signal that you wanted sex, and he was offering to do what he thought you wanted. Did he continue to pester you after you said you weren’t interested? What exactly didn’t he get? ---
**Author:** ![missyevelyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5ac83/32.png) [@missyevelyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missyevelyn)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2014, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/periods-men-just-dont-get-it/693188/5 "2014-07-15T18:14:06Z")
> [@drewtwo99](#): > > Can you provide a little more information for why we should be upset with your boyfriend? As a gay man who spends no time thinking about women’s periods, I will freely admit I don’t get it. But did your boyfriend know you were on your period and were feeling bloated before he made his “go at it” comment? Maybe he thought you were sending a signal that you wanted sex, and he was offering to do what he thought you wanted. Did he continue to pester you after you said you weren’t interested? What exactly didn’t he get? He knew that I was bloated (he saw that my stomach was more “puffy” than usual), and I told him that I was PMSing before he came over. A woman undoing her jeans and sighing usually isn’t a sign that she wants some. It’s usually a sign that she’s eaten too much, she’s on her time of the month, or simply because her jeans are too tight. I dunno, I just wish men were more sensitive about things like this… ---
**Author:** ![Mrs.Cake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2acd7d/32.png) [@Mrs.Cake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mrs.Cake)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2014, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/periods-men-just-dont-get-it/693188/6 "2014-07-15T18:16:03Z")
I don’t know if it is a matter of not “getting” it - maybe you need to let him know when you are not feeling the sexy due to your period like I do. Pu on the biggest sweatpants you have and say something along the lines of “Criminy, where are the friggin’ Depends? I’m bleeding like a stuck pig here”. My husband usually picks up that I’m feeling less than fresh at those times. ---
**Author:** ![missyevelyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5ac83/32.png) [@missyevelyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missyevelyn)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2014, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/periods-men-just-dont-get-it/693188/7 "2014-07-15T18:20:27Z")
> [@Mrs.Cake](#): > > I don’t know if it is a matter of not “getting” it - maybe you need to let him know when you are not feeling the sexy due to your period like I do. Pu on the biggest sweatpants you have and say something along the lines of “Criminy, where are the friggin’ Depends? I’m bleeding like a stuck pig here”. My husband usually picks up that I’m feeling less than fresh at those times. I’ve only been dating him for about 3 months, so he’s still getting used to my ways. I should’ve worn sweatpants that night, I’ll admit. It would’ve probably sent him the message. But he already saw that I was bloated, as well as PMSing… Sex was THE LAST thing on my mind that night; I was way too uncomfortable. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2014, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/periods-men-just-dont-get-it/693188/8 "2014-07-15T18:23:04Z")
> [@missyevelyn](#): > > A woman undoing her jeans and sighing usually isn’t a sign that she wants some. Actually, at the bar I frequent it is.😕 ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2014, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/periods-men-just-dont-get-it/693188/9 "2014-07-15T18:23:54Z")
Overgeneralizing is bad. Why won’t women ever figure that out? ---
**Author:** ![missyevelyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5ac83/32.png) [@missyevelyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missyevelyn)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2014, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/periods-men-just-dont-get-it/693188/10 "2014-07-15T18:26:20Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Actually, at the bar I frequent it is.😕 Now that’s disturbing… ---
**Author:** ![Calatin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/439d5e/32.png) [@Calatin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Calatin)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2014, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/periods-men-just-dont-get-it/693188/11 "2014-07-15T18:26:42Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > Overgeneralizing is bad. Why won’t women ever figure that out? That’s because all generalizations are false. ---
**Author:** ![Cyros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a698b9/32.png) [@Cyros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyros)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2014, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/periods-men-just-dont-get-it/693188/12 "2014-07-15T18:28:07Z")
> [@missyevelyn](#): > > He knew that I was bloated (he saw that my stomach was more “puffy” than usual), and I told him that I was PMSing before he came over. Ok, the “I’m PMSing” should have been a big clue but I must say that, unless he actually said something about your stomach being puffy (and after saying such a thing I would not be expecting happy fun times) that he did not notice a puffy stomach. I will confidently state that men do not see even close to 20% of the crap that women think we do. ---
**Author:** ![missyevelyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5ac83/32.png) [@missyevelyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missyevelyn)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2014, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/periods-men-just-dont-get-it/693188/13 "2014-07-15T18:31:42Z")
> [@Cyros](#): > > Ok, the “I’m PMSing” should have been a big clue but I must say that, unless he actually said something about your stomach being puffy (and after saying such a thing I would not be expecting happy fun times) that he did not notice a puffy stomach. > > I will confidently state that men do not see even close to 20% of the crap that women think we do. I’m fairly fit and slim, so he definitely did notice when my stomach was protruding over the waistline of my jeans. And I told him that I was bloated. How much more did he need to know? ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2014, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/periods-men-just-dont-get-it/693188/14 "2014-07-15T18:35:36Z")
> [@missyevelyn](#): > > I’m fairly fit and slim, so he definitely did notice when my stomach was protruding over the waistline of my jeans. And I told him that I was bloated. You are giving him waaaay too much credit. Guys (in general) don’t notice stuff like this. Also, we don’t read minds. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2014, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/periods-men-just-dont-get-it/693188/15 "2014-07-15T18:36:12Z")
He should have known a few days ago that it was coming. I quickly became very much in tune with my wife’s cycles and knew that three days prior to the period, everything I would say or do would piss her off immensely. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2014, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/periods-men-just-dont-get-it/693188/16 "2014-07-15T18:38:03Z")
> [@Cyros](#): > > Ok, the “I’m PMSing” should have been a big clue Doesn’t the ‘P’ of ‘PMS’ stand for “Pre-”? As in _before_ a woman’s period starts? (That’s certainly the way my wife uses the term.) > [@](#): > > but I must say that, unless he actually said something about your stomach being puffy (and after saying such a thing I would not be expecting happy fun times) that he did not notice a puffy stomach. > > I will confidently state that men do not see even close to 20% of the crap that women think we do. Truth. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2014, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/periods-men-just-dont-get-it/693188/17 "2014-07-15T18:38:49Z")
Does he taunt you for being a dusky Amazon? ---
**Author:** ![FordTaurusSHO94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f07891/32.png) [@FordTaurusSHO94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordTaurusSHO94)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2014, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/periods-men-just-dont-get-it/693188/18 "2014-07-15T18:42:53Z")
One of my exes didn’t keep that from stopping her. As long as I didn’t mind, she didn’t either. Not all women are the same. ---
**Author:** ![missyevelyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5ac83/32.png) [@missyevelyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missyevelyn)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2014, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/periods-men-just-dont-get-it/693188/19 "2014-07-15T18:45:16Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > He should have known a few days ago that it was coming. I quickly became very much in tune with my wife’s cycles and knew that three days prior to the period, everything I would say or do would piss her off immensely. We’ve only dated for 3 months; he hasn’t moved in yet. My last live-in boyfriend, who I lived with for about 4 years, knew the exact day when my cycle started. He was definitely the meticulous type. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2014, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/periods-men-just-dont-get-it/693188/20 "2014-07-15T18:46:26Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > He should have known a few days ago that it was coming. I quickly became very much in tune with my wife’s cycles and knew that three days prior to the period, everything I would say or do would piss her off immensely. A few thoughts on this: 1. Sure, when you’re living with a woman, after awhile you should get an idea of the timing of her cycle just by what shows up in the trash. 2. Early in a relationship, not so much. When you’re just seeing each other, and things are just starting out, the woman might just be ‘busy’ the weekend of her period for a month or two while she’s still scoping the guy out. 3. Some women are extremely regular with their periods, and some women have extremely irregular periods. So it all depends, IMHO. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/periods-men-just-dont-get-it/693188.md?page=2)