Ever had to explain the contents of your bag to security personnel? What about when that bag held just your lipstick and a box of tampons? Or a mooncup? Writer, blogger and regular Mamamia contributor Kirsty Rice writes:
“Have you ever stood in a supermarket line with a years supply of tampons? Ever had to declare your tampons at customs? Or perhaps you’ve stood in a crowded foreign airport (using a mixture of broken English and sign language) explaining what you do with your tampons and why you’re currently carrying hundreds of them? If the answer is yes, chances are you’ve been away from home for an extended, ahem….period.
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I think most traveling women have learnt how to strategically pack 10 boxes of tampons in their suitcase, (they make great shoe-fillers), it brings a whole new meaning to “fill your boots”.
It wasn’t until I started traveling that I realized women differed so dramatically in their choices. All of us, at different ends of the globe, have been given different information, usually handed down by the women in our life. As young women we listened and followed the customs of our surroundings.
If you’re Asian it’s possible you may have been told using a tampon was the same as losing your virginity. If you’re an American, after being deemed old enough for a tampon, you may have only seen a tampon with an applicator. In my country town by the river, as a girl who swam every day, I think we skipped past the pad and on to the tampon stage very quickly. My mother was a practical woman, it was a brief conversation “if you want to swim in the carnival this weekend you’ll need to use these”. Done. No need for a long discussion, actually, we really didn’t discuss “it” at all.
As a new expat, within my first few months in Jakarta I soon learnt tam
pons weren’t for everyone. My Indonesian teacher warned me it was unnatural for anything other than my husband to go “in there”. I’m sure she didn’t speak for the entire Indonesian population but it was definitely the belief of a lot of women I met. Even though tampons were taboo, the subject of Aunty Flow coming to visit was one to be shared with everyone. Lets discuss it at breakfast, at lunch, at dinner, lets discuss it at the office, lets just talk about it all day long. “I’m sorry, I wont be at work today, I’ve got my menstruation“. Okay, thanks for that, I’ll see you and your menstruation tomorrow.
A girlfriend of mine who was working as a journalist in Jakarta, got more than she bargained for on a trip to interview the President. On passing through security an entire discussion was had about her tampons. With no idea of what they were holding up to the light, an intense conversation developed. What sort of weapon was she carrying? Was this to be an assassination by tampon?
While living in the US, I made a mercy dash to a pharmacist late on a Sunday evening, I found myself standing alone at a stark white counter. As I handed over my box of little white friends
, the assistant made a sideways glance to check the coast was clear, and asked in a hushed tone “what are they like”? It took me awhile to register what she was talking about. Surely she didn’t mean the tampons? She was in her early twenties. “Ummm, good?” I nervously responded through fear of being on hidden camera. “I’ve seen people buy them before, but I’m not sure if I could”.
I realize now, she meant the applicators, or lack thereof. Primarily, the applicator has been the preferred option in the US, although having read a recent article in the Huffington Post regarding OB brand (no applicators) being hard to find and now on the black market, it appears there may be a shift in trend?
For Australian women, there is only one brand of applicator tampon and I think it may just be our American friends that are buying them. I’m afraid I have to agree with this clever woman who described the use of an applicator as “feeling a bit like someone else putting your glasses on”.
There is one common theme though, no matter where you live, those patronizing television commercials stay the same. It doesn’t matter where you are in the world. I was so pleased to find this one. Have you seen it?”
[youtube lpypeLL1dAs 640 390]
By Kirsty Rice
About the Author: Kirsty Rice is an Australian writer and Blogger currently living in Qatar. After calling 7 countries home over the past 11 years she’s embarrassed to admit she still can’t pack a suitcase properly. Kirsty is currently writing a book about having 4 children in 4 different countries while trying to remember her new telephone number and where she packed the can opener. You can catch up with her on Twitter here or her blog 4 kids, 20 suitcases and a beagle.
We have been having a great debate in the office about applicators versus non applicators. It seems that there is a great divide. Which side are you on?
Top Comments
Moxie tampons or de jour are the best. When I was in Chile I could only find applicator tampons and usually the applicator was plastic except for tampax but their tampons are bad quality. The pads there didn't provide enough coverage and filled up really fast. I missed Stayfree super pads. Luckily I bought a Mooncup and it was quite useful. I find inserting it in the shower best but it's still tricky to insert correctly. You get used to your anatomy and blood but the best thing is being able to keep it in for up to 12 hours. There's less leakage freakage. It can overflow and leak but maybe it didn't seal properly or had been in for too long. It's a bit awkward boiling it after the period you don't want to get caught doing that haha. You can rinse it out with a bottle of water in a toilet cubicle. A toilet with a sink in the same room is the best. It's makes periods more easy to manage. I still feel like it's a bit taboo to admit to using menstrual cups but they make a lot of sense and can save you stress and money in the long run. They are really good for hiking/camping in isolated areas. You don't have to worry about buying tampons when Aunt Irma/The crimson tide comes to visit. I could get away with a pantyliner underneath but I would still wear a pad underneath on heavier days, it can spill over.
One thing is for sure - tampons have provided some embarrassing moments for me. Even from the beginning - faced with club swimming championships my mother introduced me to the tampon. I was absolutely horrified when she was telling me what I had to do. I sat on the toilet and struggled with the concept and once things were in place I walked with my knees together fearful that it would fall out. At the championships I dived in for the breaststroke and was too scared to frog kick in case it fell out. I proceeded to slowly sink to the horror of my father. He dived into the pool thinking I had fainted or something - and then I was horrifed when my mum blurts out to everyone to not panic - "she's just wearing a tampon for the first time"! Yeah mum - not embarrassing at all. Another time I was at the rugby at Ballymore - on the hill. Dropped my purse with all the little white mice going everywhere rolling down the hill. This of course caused quite a reaction amongst the boys and I guess it well and truly advertised that I was not on the menu that night! At work a young male junior came up to me and asked for something or other - I dived into my pocket, pulled out a mouse and plonked it in his hand. I was oblivious to what I'd done but he was standing stiff, hyperventilating, and unable to speak! Obviously I was embarrassed but kept my poise and went back and simply said, "I don't think that will fit you", grabbed it and bolted. And finally, last year when heading down to Melbourne, I was stopped at security in the Brisbane airport. They felt there were excessive items in my hand luggage. Turned out there were a number of the little fellows spread throughout my couple of handbags and overnight bags. Obviously it wasn't going to be a dirty weekend. The conscientious fellow removed all my tampons and spread them out on the table asking why did I have so many of them? As an old hand at tampon embarrassment I simply replied, "I have a very heavy flow and in fact if you don't let me through shortly it will be you who is embarrassed and cleaning up a mess, not me". I was then informed that it was considered too many and unnecessary and they would retain them. I asked if they were concerned that I would perhaps attack flight staff/pilots with my tampons - perhaps death-by-tampons-shoved-up-noses was a plot they thought I was going to work with - did they think if they pulled the string it may have inflated?? It was absolutely ludicrous and I demanded to know who deemed how many tampons were too much? I ended up walking off tampon free and going to the pharmacy up the top and buying more - a nice little money spinner???? I would have bothered to take it further but I didn't want to become known as the "Tampon Bitch". I'll leave it there - because don't even get me started on Tampons with Children!!
I feel for you, you really do have to wonder what the airport guy was thinking! There's a few tampon shipping companies I tend to use in the US to avoid airport hassles. Just had a look in Australia and found this one here for O.B. tampons: http://womanly.co
From their last monthly newsletter it sounded like they're pretty close to start shipping. Let's hope they pull it off.
Jen thanks for the link. Ive been tryng to find some ob tampons here in Melbourne for aages and havent been able to get any and none of the other brands ive tried even comes close. Will be keeping an eye on the womanly page...