Guys, summer is here. I can taste it.
What’s not to love about summer? Those endless days of sun-kissed skin, sandy toes, and ice cold bottles enjoyed poolside are enough to delight even the crabbiest person in your life. (Try frowning at the beach. It’s incredibly difficult.)
You should never let something like your period stop you from enjoying everything summer has to offer.
But it would appear that some people online have opinions about exactly how menstruating women should act during those summer months.
Imagine that: The people of the internet have opinions.
One mother used an online message board to get candid about swimming during your period.
Cafe Mom showcased the unnamed woman’s post on the Mums Net message board about swimming in the pool while Auntie Flo is paying a visit.
Under the username awomansworkisneverdone, she wrote, “So funny light hearted conversation with my sister and friend Friday.”
“I swim every Friday evening with my other half and my dc,” she said.
“My sister told me it was vile for me to swim whilst bleeding.”
Apparently, her sister didn’t take too kindly to the fact that the woman entered the pool during her period.
To be fair, it was the fifth day of her cycle, and any girl will tell you that’s usually around the time you’re blessing the rains in Africa because you’re almost done .
So she figured since it was “pretty much over” she would be okay. Apparently not.
“My friend disagrees and said it [is] fine.”
“Would I swim whilst heavy? I would say no I wouldn’t. Would you? Sister says it’s not fair on others swimming and friend says [she] wouldn’t care.”
So, she wouldn’t take a dip if her flow was heavy, but when Aunt Flo is closing up shop, why not?
“Are there actaully any rules about it?” She asked.
Honestly, probably not. There aren’t any hard and fast rules about the freedom to swim on your cycle, but as far as the internet goes, there ARE opinions.
Verdict? Let’s just say for now it’s dealer’s choice.
People are always going to have different ways of doing things that they’ll try to convince people are the “right way.”
The woman also wasn’t sure what exactly the product protocol is for menstruating women in pools.
Tampon or no tampon? She posed this question to the people of her message board, and also asked them just generally whether they would consider swimming during their period.
Of course, everyone had something different to say.
But in the end, I’d say this all just comes down to knowing your own body and what makes you the most comfortable.
After all, it’s summertime, the season that epitomizes Hakuna Matata . Just go enjoy it while it lasts.
Some people insisted swimming during your period is fine…just as long as you’re properly equipped, so to speak.
“Don’t swim without a moon cup or tampon,” one person wrote. “It’s disgusting, no one wants your bodily fluids in their face.”
They also likened menstruating to peeing in a pool but I’m of the opinion these are two super different things.
While others said no tampon would be fine, some threw a crazy new concept at us, too.
A few people claimed water actually stops your period, sort of like a fun little “pause” button while you swim. Which, if true, sounds like a gift from above that needs to be spread like wildfire to every woman everywhere.
But someone else replied to this and insisted that that’s actually just a myth. So maybe hold off on that wildfire idea.
