I just read Cecil’s column http://www.straightdope.com/columns/990924.html on women’s menstrual cycles coninciding, or not, with the moon and wondered if he’d ever addressed the phenomenon of women who work or live together all “cycling” at the same time. It’s so weird – but it has always happened to me with female roommates or coworkers.
No subject escapes the vast brain of Cecil Adams. See here:
Is it true the menstrual cycles of women living together tend to synchronize?
(The column can also be found on pages 306-309 of Cecil Adams’ book “More of the Straight Dope”.)
(edited by Arnold Winkelried to add mention of book)
(this post has been edited by Arnold Winkelried)
…one of the difficulties of having a Harem…
Why no.
From the column:
Why synchrony occurs is pretty much a total mystery. The only published theory I’ve seen treats it as an
evolutionary holdover from prehistoric times, when it was common for men to take multiple mates and
efficient reproduction was essential to the survival of the species.
The author of this theory assumes that women in their brief monthly phase of peak fertility give off some
pheromonic signal that drives men wild. (The author, I’d be willing to bet, was either the owner of a dog or
the parent of a teenage girl.)
If his wives are on different cycles, hubby has a good chance of picking the wrong one when his nose tells
him it’s time to go into action, thus wasting precious bodily fluids. But if the women are all menstrually
synchronized, he CAN’T pick wrong–they’re all fertile.
Hey, I thought this thread was going to be about McCall’s and Better Homes & Gardens!
Peace.
There’s more than one way of looking at these things. Cecil’s column gives the view from the species, CheapBastid gives that from the individual male.
To elaborate on this point of view, first note that generally women abstain from sex while they’re menstruating. If all the women in the seraglio are in sync, then there will be a few days every month when there are none available to cater to one’s needs. Thus the difficulty alluded to by CheapBastid.
This is a typical attitude of the young. You’ll have to trust me on this, but when you get older, you may find that maintaining the morale in the harem can sometimes get to be a chore, rather than a pleasure. Sometimes it’s nice to have a break from it. And if the women are considerate, they will time these breaks to coincide with important events such as the Superbowl.
Disclaimer: The preceding was provided for entertainment purposes only. Any resemblance to the actual sexual behavior of participants in the SDMB, including and especially the author, is strictly imaginary.