If you’ve never experienced periods for yourself, the concept of bleeding from a hole in between your legs must be pretty damn bewildering.
So we can’t really blame those with a penis and lack of ovaries for not having much understanding about the menstrual cycle.
In fact, it’s actually pretty fun mentioning things like period pants, menstrual cups and blood clots in public just to see the puzzled expression of a nearby male.
And because our periods shouldn’t be censored or shameful, we thought we’d help out our male counterparts and get them more comfortable with the topic by answering their raw, unfiltered, and most-asked questions…
Q: How much blood actually comes out?
Why so obsessed with size and quantity? It honestly varies from person to person. According to Body Form, 30-40ml is your average normal period (distributed between 2-7 days, which means it can be less than 10ml a day), but a heavy flow could be 60-80ml. We’re not swimming in it if that’s what you’re asking. It’s mostly manageable.
Q: Where does period blood come from?
Guys, guess what, it’s not just blood. It’s tissue from the uterus lining, sometimes remnants of an unfertilized egg and blood. It mostly comes from the uterus.
Q: Can you have sex while on your period?
Yes, we can do whatever the hell we want.
Q: Doesn’t blood go everywhere?
It will depend on the persons flow, but to answer your real question, yes your penis (or condom) would get blood on it. The sheets? Likely. Walls and roof? You’d have to be trying pretty hard.
Q: Do you know when it’s coming or are you just like oh hey it’s here?
Majority of women who are experienced with their period can tell it’s coming. Whether they have a routine cycle, experience symptoms like sore boobs or a tummy ache, there are often signs that point to period time.
But there can be surprise attacks, especially at a young age when it’s still new. In fact, a lot of girls in the UK will miss school because of their periods. According to Always, over 130,000+ don’t go to school because they can’t afford sanitary products and are embarrassed. That’s why for every Always Ultra purchased until 16th September 2018, Always will donate one pad to a school girl in need. Pretty cool huh?
Q: How secure are your sanitary products? If you play sport do you leak?
Mishaps do happen, but usually, they’re minor. Movement, like sport, can dislodge or move the tampon etc, but in general, they’re pretty effective and we can still partake in all activities without worrying about leaks. Even swimming. Just not in shark-infested waters (kidding, maybe).
Q: How bad is period pain?
OH MY GOD SO BAD IT’S LIKE A BLENDER IN YOUR GUTS. Sick of sounding like a broken record, but again, it varies from person to person. Some women experience severe cramping that’s almost crippling, while others experience slight to mild pain that can be treated with a simple pop of paracetamol. The blessed among us feel nothing.
Q: Do you only get period pain in the stomach region?
Unfortunately, no. It’s also really common to feel pain in the lower back and the anus (yes really) too. In the lead up sore breasts are also really common.
Q: What does wearing a tampon or pad feel like?
If you’re relaxed and putting it in correctly, the tampon doesn’t feel like much. Especially once it’s secure in there. And no, we don’t take pleasure in putting it in.
A pad is like wearing a grown-up, sleeker, smaller nappy. There’s also moon cups and period pants too, which are pretty cool and better for the environment.
If you prefer using tampons, but want to minimise your waste, go for organic and biodegradable ones like the ones from Flo.
Q: Is it true some women are at their most sexually aroused during their period?
Technically (or scientifically), women should be feeling their most ‘aroused’ at day 10-14 of their cycle, because that’s when we’re most fertile and prime for ‘baby making’. But we all play by our own rules and some women do feel more up for it during that time of the month. But don’t worry, if we want it, we’ll let you know. No need to guess.
Congratulations on reading this entire article, you now know more about periods than our boyfriends/flatmates/colleagues/husbands who asked these questions. Make sure to share your knowledge with your mates! Periods are a great topic of conversation after all.
Taken from GLAMOUR UK. To read the original click here.
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