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Plugging it All Up: The Emotions, Part 1
It’s a Friday night, and we decide to go out for dinner. Going out for a fabulous meal and wine always excites me. We picked a nice restaurant in the area that sourced their ingredients from local farmers. The menu looked amazing. The restaurant happened to be within a resort here in Sedona, so the place was pretty glammed out for the tourists.
Fast forward to the meal. It was delicious! Great presentation, incredible flavors. All around impressive. I excuse myself mid-meal for a bathroom break, and walk down the wall-to-wall glass corridor, past the extensive bar, and into the spectacularly clean women’s restroom. It was one of those restroom’s that had only a few stalls, and they were all floor to ceiling wooden doors for each stall. I love that! Sleek, clean, and private. I am not a fan of public bathroom’s, so to walk into this was relieving, as it appeared to be pristine… Meaning, I wouldn’t have to be quite as careful with my usual routine of tip-toeing around the tiny stall, doing all I can not to touch a thing, cover the toilet in toilet paper, put gloves on, and hover over the toilet while I pee, trying not to splash on myself. You know how that goes, ladies.
I opened the stall door, locked it behind me, and turn to face the toilet, getting ready to begin a modified version of my public restroom routine. What I saw sitting on the back of the toilet stunned me, in a way it never had before. I understand that this may not be uncommon amongst higher end restaurants, hotels, and resorts of the like, though I hadn’t seen a display like this one in quite awhile, and it struck me in a different way than it ever had before.
There was a nicely manicured display of tampons on the back of the toilet. MaxiThins, to be exact. Non-organic, of course. Maybe it’s because tampons have become such a foreign item to me over the years, but seeing that as the free tool provided for women on their cycles to use, disgusted me. I had one of those “Holy sh*t I almost forgot it was this bad” moments. Sometimes I forget that the majority of women who have their menstrual cycle use things like MaxiThins, or even worse – Tampax “Pearl” tampons, that are scented (gross, I totally used those as a teenager) – To plug up their bleeding. I once heard that roughly 70% of the female population uses tampons. I have no idea if this number is still accurate, as I wasn’t able to find much for answers online. That number is backward in my reality. The majority of women in my life, including myself, all use organic pads of some kind – Either cloth or disposable pads. I’ll go into the importance of using organic cloth pads in part three of this blog series.
First, I was stunned to see the tampons because I can’t remember the last time I laid my eyes on one of these things so closely, let alone held one in my hand. I had a brief internal giggle, picturing myself trying to use one of them and how awkward they used to feel. Not to mention, how painful they could be! All of that friction, and that oh-so-unpleasant removal process. Ew, and ouch!
After 
that initial moment, my mind went into the next process of analyzing how neatly displayed the tampons were – Stacked perfectly in their little white and blue boxes – Still promoting that look of “nothing to see here!” I always get a kick out of how tampon companies advertise using so much white. Menstruation, or “Moon time” as I like to call it, is not clean. It’s not supposed to be. It can get messy, and that is natural. It’s a flow of energy coming through and out of our bodies. Let’s save the effort, let it flow and embrace the fact that our bodies have this natural monthly experience rather than fighting against it. Check out this old school Rely’s ad to the right of some tampons way back in the day! Got to have the token sexy women shots in the ad too, of course.
Then, I got upset. I got mad. And sad. All at once. I got mad that tampons are the main option that women these days are being educated to use. I got mad at Tampax, MaxiThins, Playtex, and all the tampon companies out there, as well as the Big Pharma owners of those companies, like Proctor and Gamble. These manipulative entities are controlling the image that is portrayed of women today, and swaying their decisions for how to take care of their bodies and how they feel about themselves, in the direction of putting more dollars in these companies already hefty bank accounts. I also realized that the only difference between this tampon “offering” on the back of the toilet seat and the tampon dispensers still in public restrooms today, was that in most public restrooms you pay 50 cents or so for the item. Those dispensers irk me out when I see them, because the tampons are sold alongside condoms and lip gloss usually. Right… That is where the female populations head is at these days. Either way, I disapprove and feel we could collectively do better with the options provided for women in this department.
It saddens me that many women haven’t been educated on more natural options for navigating their bleeding cycle, and tampons are what are being shoved in their faces day after day, ad after ad. Many don’t know the physical, emotional, and spiritual issues with using tampons. Women are trained to think that in this patriarchal society, we must always be ready and rearing to go for work, sex, mothering, and all the other roles we play. We are trained that we should never take time for ourselves, let alone a few days, while we are menstruating. I sure as hell don’t feel like working while I’m heavily spilling blood from my womb, tired, and in a spiritually altered space from my bleeding time. I also usually don’t feel up for having sex while I’m bleeding. I often don’t even really want to see or talk to anyone while I’m bleeding. There is a reason for that…
… Which I will explore in part two of this blog series! I will get into the negative side effects of using tampons as it pertains to the body, the emotions, and a woman’s spirituality. In part three, I will offer some alternative options to tampons, including the Moon time protocol I use, and why I feel these options are superior.
To close this aspect of my recent tampon process – I finally sat down to pee after I gaped a the tampons momentarily and took a moment to shoot the photo featured above, of the toilet at the restaurant. When I returned to the dinner table, I was all revved up and ready to process my bathroom encounter. One of my sisters who also honors her moon time was at the table, and was able to share in the intense emotions I experience surrounding this topic!
More to come on this next week, so stay tuned for part two where we will get into some more nitty gritty details!
I want to hear from you! What is your relationship to tampons currently? Do you use them? Do you know women who use them? What are your opinions about tampons, the tampon industry and the use of them? Thank you, as always, for reading and be sure to leave your thoughts and reflections in the comments!
With respect,
Ali
26 Comments to “Plugging it All Up: The Emotions, Part 1”
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Really enjoyed reading this! It is funny I stopped using tampons 2 years ago now and a friend mentioned something to me about them and it took me a bit to realize what she was saying….once you leave that way behind it is difficult to remember. I could and would never go back, I embrace that part of me now
Looking forward to reading more!
Yes, Ashley! I so totally agree… That is why it was such a shocker to remember that tampons being displayed for free in a women’s bathroom is the norm for some people. I love my moon pads!
I feel a life change coming on…
Yay Zoe!!
nice post. Important topic. looking forward to the next installment.
I appreciate your support, brotha
I love my Diva Cup!
Yay!!!
Tampons feel so unnatural and energetically harmful to me. I used them as a teenager because I was a competitive figure skater, and thought I needed to practice 5-6 days a week consistently, and considered it a detriment to have to take time off for any reason. I also used to have horrible cramps back then, and my bleeding was much heavier, and I really disliked the whole experience. Obviously my body was telling me to slow down…
I stopped using tampons a way long time ago, I’m not sure when. Late teens, maybe. I started just using disposable pads instead. After going on a really cleansing diet for a while, I lost my cycle for four years. I justified it at the time as maybe a good thing, using a common justification that’s out there, but I questioned it fairly often. After some time after changing my diet to include really nutrient-dense foods, my cycle returned (about 6 years ago). I was so overjoyed, it made my day!! Ever since, I have celebrated my cycle, and lo and behold, the unbearable cramps I used to have (which were so bad it was one of the very rare occasions I would ever take white pills) were now just gentle pulsations of tenderness that are not only easy to be with, but actually feel good and put me into a wonderful meditative, naturally altered state!
Soon after my cycle returned, I found a place online to order handmade organic cotton pads. I ordered 4 of them, and they are so soft and beautiful… I can really sense the love and care of the one who made them. I have used them ever since, and they are such a pleasure to use! One perk about them is in the past few years, I have started offering my moon blood to the earth when I bleed. When I change my pads, I let the full one soak in water for an hour or so, the water becomes a rich red color, and I pour it on whichever of my plants seem to ask for it! It definitely makes a difference… the plants’ vitality seems to go way up, and I feel really good for contributing such nourishment back to the Earth.
Hi Courtney! Wow, thank you for sharing your story. I had a similar experience in losing my cycle for several months while practicing an extreme dietary protocol. I never realized how important it was to me until it was gone… I re-balanced myself with nutrient dense foods like raw dairy, specifically raw, grass-fed organic butter. The healthy saturated fats nourished me and my cycle coming back, launched me into where I am today! That was several years ago, when I was 18 years old. The experience of losing my cycle showed me how deeply menstruation makes me feel like a woman and how important my healthy cycling body means to me. I appreciate you sharing here! Much love.
Couldn’t use tampons, too much pain/discomfort/bleeding through. But neither could I use anything like an organic cloth pad because I bled so much, every cycle, that I had to wear double maxi pads and nothing organic I ever saw could have handled that. But I was aware of the choices at least.
Good call on all the white. Hadn’t even thought of that…
Thank you for sharing, Debra!!
Ive used tampons my whole life and have suffered! Every time I use them my cramps get more intense and I feel irritable – its just doesn’t feel right. I feel soo much better using pads and do when I get home from work or during the last few days. I’d use them more but there has been so much negative stigma towards them and I’ve been taught that they aren’t clean bla bla….although I can notice a mood difference and feel better using. As I’m going down a more intuitive path I’ll use pads from start to finish (but def not all the time), but sadly I’ve NEVER been taught to honor my moon time and cannot wait for your next blogs on this issues. Thank you for addressing!!!
Ashley! Yay, thank you for reading and sharing your experiences. Part 2 is now up on my site so check it out when you have a moment! Part 3 is coming this week where I will offer my moon time protocol and delve into this topic much more
I appreciate your support!
Hmm… I read this and was interested in your perspective. I’ve been using tampons for about 15 years (I’m 30), and I simply love them, compared to alternatives. I use organic cotton NatraCare tampons without applicators. I definitely would never use the scented or un-organic ones from conventional brands.
I’m a super natural, green, healthy person who only eats organic foods and cooks everything from scratch, kind of girl – For context. So I get where you’re coming from, but I don’t agree that tampons are so horrible and bad for women physically or psychologically.
I go through a box of SuperPlus tampons each cycle, which is to say I have a heavy flow for 2 days. I used the Keeper/Diva Cup for a few months but it spilled everywhere and was super awkward to change and clean when using public washrooms or traveling.
I honour my cycle and myself very much so. I am self employed so I have the luxury of taking time off during my cycle. I am quiet, I take baths and read, I have cramps and I made herbal tea, and I generally don’t do social things during that time. I also wear tampons, and appreciate them very much.
Hi Cadenza! I really appreciate you offering your experience and perspective here. That is wonderful that you have a lifestyle where you can practice self-care during your cycle! I also work from home and have a flexible work schedule so I get to take good care of myself during bleeding time as well. Please check out my follow up posts in this series, as I go into further depth on all these topics and I feel they would offer you more insight into my perspectives
Here is the link to part two: http://www.gaiascouts.com/plugging-it-all-up-the-challenges-part-2/
Part three will be coming later this week.
Blessings!
Ali
Ali, I love that you are writing this. I stopped disposable products 15 years ago and I also have had moments where I forget that most women buy a product every month of varying toxicity. Here are the reasons I can think of in this moment why I love my cloth pads; soft and comfortable, non-toxic to my healthy mucus membranes, they don’t cost me something every month, never have to remember to buy them, don’t support big corporations, don’t participate in our throw-away culture, enhance my awareness of my cycle and my flow, and when I pick one out of the basket it takes me to a good memory of where that fabric I made it out of came from or who made it, etc. Lastly, as a mama, I have discovered infant prefold diapers as overnight pads– love them!
Robin! Yay thank you so much for sharing your piece here. I echo all of your sentiments in why you love your cloth pads. They offer only the most positive things to the experience of moon time
What a creative tip on infant pre-fold diapers for overnight pads! That is freaking awesome… Momma’s, take note! xoxoxo
I notice that when I use tampons my cramps are much more intense than when I use pads, but I never thought about the toxicity and the chemicals that must be made in production. I’m 21 and currently an art student and I just buy what I can afford. I don’t know where organic pads would be available or how much they would cost, but perhaps an organic reusable cloth would be more economic because I can use it again and again. Thank you for writing this, it’s very important we are aware of this information – we sure aren’t going to get it from the companies themselves!
Tara! Thank you for sharing
Interesting how cramps tend to feel more intense when using tampons, eh? I had the same experience in the past.
Organic cotton or bamboo reusable pads are quite affordable, and they are a one time purchase so it winds up being quite a savings compared to the monthly investment in tampons! I still like to replace my organic cotton reusable pads every year to keep them fresh, but they really could last several years if you wanted them to! I will speak more to this topic in part three
This is interesting.. I started off using pads when young but switched to tampons as it was so much easier. Didn’t know then but had an ovarian cyst, and I now have two. (aged 38 now) It gives me very heavy periods and I lose a lot of blood every month. A naturopath discovered this was the reason why, using only testing of my feet. A scan at the hospital confirmed. They only offered me fake man-made progesterone pills so told them I could manage & instead my naturopath recommend natural yam progesterone and DIM and it’s all natural and working well. I still use tampons though and am interested in more about this subject, esp as I used super plus! (huge torpedo’s for the uninitiated
) I have a hate-hate rel’ship with periods, so would be interested in a different point of view.
Hi Sian! Thank you for sharing your experiences here. Please stay tuned for the third part of this series where I will explain my protocol for my menstrual cycle, as I feel it will offer you some alternatives to tampons that you may resonate with
Much love!
I commented on a few of your other posts as well today. I apologize for so many comments, as I just found your site and am reading all I can
1. What is your relationship to tampons currently?
I dont use them I use a Diva Cup and reusable pads. I hate tampons.
2. Do you use them?
No.
3. Do you know women who use them?
Unfortunately out of all my friends and family I am the only woman who doesnt use tampons. It is sad really. My opinions were dismissed as “crazy”.
4. What are your opinions about tampons, the tampon industry and the use of them?
I think it is unnatural and unhealthy. My cycle has been much healthier since switching to the cup and honestly I would never change back to tampons.
). Disposable diapers are horrible as well. If you won’t use a tampon, then why diaper your kid in a disposable…right?
In fact, not only have I gone reusable on my period, but our daughter wears cloth diapers ( hemp
Have a truly wonderful day! Take care
Thank you for your wonderful knowledge and sharing it with us.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and experiences, Lolli! It is great hearing your perspectives
I couldn’t agree more. I have been using my Diva Cup and/or cloth pads for the past few years and greatly wish I had those options when I first started my cycle. Unfortunately though, I tend to believe that the 70% stat is prob. low. I have talked to ALL of my friends about this, and ALL of them use Tampons. In fact I only know one woman who doesn’t besides me, and she switched only because she had a near-deadly reaction to tampons. I’ve actually taken a lot of flack because I don’t use them, I’ve been called a “hippie” (a title which I happily wear, btw!) and a “holistic freak” by friends and “a fool” and “disgusting” by family. I’ve blogged on this subject and brought it up on my FB page a few times as well (I have an entire section on my FB page for Moontime) and like in real life, I’ve gotten TONS of messages and comments about why women choose NOT to use these options. I don’t get it. My daughter is YEARS from starting her moontime, but when she gets there, she’ll be getting her own set of cloth pads and her own Diva Cup!
Wow, Sabrina – Thank you for sharing your piece! It is amazing what name-calling people will resort to when they are around things that make them feel comfortable. No doubt those things you have been called are coming from their own insecurity on their path.
And YAY for your daughter, being one of the renegades leading the way for her generation!