Oh, c’mon.
If you’re a woman or, indeed, a person with a vagina, chances are you’ve experienced a period.
They can be messy, they can be painful, they can be glorious if you were fearful that you may have been expecting an unplanned pregnancy.
However you feel about them, they happen – and to be honest, if you’re around people who have them, they’re probably going to be talked about.
Despite all of this, it appears that one third of men still believe that chatting about your period at work is “unprofessional.”
Cool.
A study conducted by Initial Workroom Hygiene considered the period-based opinions of 2,000 employees in the UK.
And among their thoughts about bathroom habits and those who don’t bother washing their hands, they also discovered that one third of male workers would rather if us women shut up talking about our monthly bleeds.
However, it wasn’t just the lads who had a problem with period chat – it was other women too.
The majority of female workers surveyed said that they would rather speak in public, admit a mistake, or give someone relationship advice over mentioning their period in front of a male colleague.
As well as this, almost half (46 percent) of women said they would be embarrassed to take a sanitary product out of their bag at their desk, for fear of someone seeing them.
God forbid.
However, this isn’t due to prudishness, but rather because many women are still ashamed of their periods – or at least, feel like they should have to be ashamed.
“The fact that a third of men think a grown-up discussion about menstrual hygiene is unprofessional, and that almost half of women feel uncomfortable discussing this element of their wellness with their manager, shows how much work needs to be done,” said Sian Walkling, marketing manager at Initial Washroom Hygiene.
“Female employees shouldn’t feel embarrassed talking about menstrual hygiene in the office, especially when they find themselves faced with a situation they may inadvertently not be prepared for.
“Normalising conversations about menstrual cycles and how they affect women is vital to achieving period dignity and a diverse workforce.”
More period chat all over, please.
Make it happen. It’s for everyone’s good.
