1 00:00:00,320 --> 00:00:03,000 Speaker 1: Brought to you by the reinvented two thousand twelve Camray. 2 00:00:03,240 --> 00:00:10,000 Speaker 1: It's ready. Are you welcome to Stop? Mom Never told You? 3 00:00:10,200 --> 00:00:17,960 Speaker 1: From housetop works dot com. Hey, welcome to the podcast. 4 00:00:18,000 --> 00:00:20,439 Speaker 1: This is Molly and I'm Kristen. Kristen. You know, we 5 00:00:20,520 --> 00:00:23,639 Speaker 1: love to start with anecdotes on our podcasts, and sometimes 6 00:00:23,640 --> 00:00:26,759 Speaker 1: when we talk about more embarrassing topics, they can the 7 00:00:26,800 --> 00:00:29,880 Speaker 1: anecdotes get more embarrassing. Um, And today we're gonna talk 8 00:00:29,880 --> 00:00:33,559 Speaker 1: about menstrual products. We're gonna talk about menstrual cups. We're 9 00:00:33,560 --> 00:00:35,879 Speaker 1: gonna talk about tampons, we're gonna talk about pads, We're 10 00:00:35,920 --> 00:00:38,199 Speaker 1: gonna talk about the whole gamut. And so when I 11 00:00:38,240 --> 00:00:40,800 Speaker 1: cast my mind back for anecdotes about this, there's one 12 00:00:40,800 --> 00:00:43,760 Speaker 1: that just sticks in my mind. All right. It was 13 00:00:43,760 --> 00:00:46,800 Speaker 1: a pretty traumatic experience for me as a kid, so 14 00:00:47,159 --> 00:00:49,120 Speaker 1: I think like most people, when I got my period, 15 00:00:49,200 --> 00:00:53,040 Speaker 1: I started on pads and then, um, tampons only came 16 00:00:53,040 --> 00:00:54,880 Speaker 1: into the picture when I was going on a beach trip, 17 00:00:55,760 --> 00:00:57,760 Speaker 1: because you know, you go swimming. That was sort of 18 00:00:57,760 --> 00:00:59,440 Speaker 1: like the benchmark I know for me and a lot 19 00:00:59,440 --> 00:01:01,240 Speaker 1: of my friends. And your mom finally taught you about 20 00:01:01,240 --> 00:01:04,480 Speaker 1: tampon have pads, and swimsuits are just just awkward. They 21 00:01:04,520 --> 00:01:07,199 Speaker 1: don't mix. So anyway, um, you know, my mom taught 22 00:01:07,200 --> 00:01:09,240 Speaker 1: me before the trip how to use the tampon, and 23 00:01:09,319 --> 00:01:11,520 Speaker 1: she was like, you know, if if it goes wrong, 24 00:01:11,680 --> 00:01:14,720 Speaker 1: just go into like a bathroom, take some quarters and 25 00:01:15,120 --> 00:01:17,600 Speaker 1: buy a tampon. There's machines in there. We can get 26 00:01:17,600 --> 00:01:20,920 Speaker 1: a tampon if something goes wrong. So the church group, 27 00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:22,640 Speaker 1: I didn't know if I mentioned, but it's a church, 28 00:01:22,840 --> 00:01:25,880 Speaker 1: church church beach trip, which I think just adds to 29 00:01:25,880 --> 00:01:30,399 Speaker 1: the awfulness of the story. So we're driving down the road, 30 00:01:30,760 --> 00:01:33,280 Speaker 1: me and the church group for the beach trip, and 31 00:01:33,560 --> 00:01:35,119 Speaker 1: uh we stopped at a rest stop after a few 32 00:01:35,120 --> 00:01:37,080 Speaker 1: hours of driving, and I think, okay, it's probably time 33 00:01:37,120 --> 00:01:40,720 Speaker 1: to change the tampon. So I go in the bathroom. 34 00:01:41,040 --> 00:01:43,880 Speaker 1: I had one of my purse and afterward I didn't 35 00:01:43,880 --> 00:01:46,720 Speaker 1: feel exactly right. I'm like, I don't think I mastered 36 00:01:46,760 --> 00:01:48,960 Speaker 1: this quite yet. So I just said him, gonna buy 37 00:01:48,960 --> 00:01:52,600 Speaker 1: a tampon. So I go in the gas station bathroom 38 00:01:52,880 --> 00:01:54,440 Speaker 1: and it's one of those ones that's got two stalls 39 00:01:54,480 --> 00:01:57,000 Speaker 1: swimming one could walk in at any time, and the 40 00:01:57,080 --> 00:01:59,680 Speaker 1: machine on the wall isn't labeled, but I figure that's 41 00:01:59,720 --> 00:02:02,680 Speaker 1: where the tampons. That's my mom said. Put in a 42 00:02:02,800 --> 00:02:07,480 Speaker 1: quarter and outcomes this bright pink condom, and I'm like, well, okay, 43 00:02:07,560 --> 00:02:09,680 Speaker 1: that side must be the condom side, and over on 44 00:02:09,760 --> 00:02:12,839 Speaker 1: here the tampons, right, So then I put in another quarter. 45 00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:15,079 Speaker 1: You're on a church trip, why are you buying condoms? 46 00:02:15,120 --> 00:02:16,919 Speaker 1: I know by the time that I went through all 47 00:02:16,960 --> 00:02:20,440 Speaker 1: these unlabeled things, I just had five condoms and no tampons. 48 00:02:21,760 --> 00:02:26,079 Speaker 1: But you are ready for the beach well, I mean 49 00:02:26,120 --> 00:02:28,840 Speaker 1: for that beach trip. Condoms weren't really on my packing list, Kristen. 50 00:02:28,840 --> 00:02:31,120 Speaker 1: I was very young, certainly didn't need them, But I 51 00:02:31,160 --> 00:02:33,320 Speaker 1: was just mortified than at any moment anyone from my 52 00:02:33,400 --> 00:02:36,280 Speaker 1: church group, someone more pious than me, I could have 53 00:02:36,320 --> 00:02:39,919 Speaker 1: walked in and seeing with this handful of condoms. That's 54 00:02:40,480 --> 00:02:42,560 Speaker 1: that's a great story, Molley. I really had to tough 55 00:02:42,600 --> 00:02:44,320 Speaker 1: out the rest of that road trip. I have such 56 00:02:44,360 --> 00:02:47,720 Speaker 1: a perfect image of twelve year old Molly clutching five 57 00:02:47,800 --> 00:02:50,760 Speaker 1: hot pink condoms and looking terrified. So I shall have 58 00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:52,280 Speaker 1: to tell you that if your mom tells you can 59 00:02:52,320 --> 00:02:55,519 Speaker 1: buy tampons in a gas station bathroom, it's not always true. 60 00:02:56,639 --> 00:02:58,800 Speaker 1: Sometimes you're gonna end up with condoms. That's something your 61 00:02:58,840 --> 00:03:01,480 Speaker 1: mom never told you exactly. And that's the name of 62 00:03:01,560 --> 00:03:04,560 Speaker 1: the podcast. Well, yeah, that we've all loosened up a 63 00:03:04,560 --> 00:03:08,760 Speaker 1: little bit with that story. Let's examine menstrel products. Let's 64 00:03:08,760 --> 00:03:12,320 Speaker 1: go back in history, Molle to find out where menstrual 65 00:03:12,400 --> 00:03:16,240 Speaker 1: products came from. How did I end up years later 66 00:03:16,320 --> 00:03:20,239 Speaker 1: standing in a gas station bathroom. Well, if we look 67 00:03:20,280 --> 00:03:22,160 Speaker 1: back in time, if we get in our little mom 68 00:03:22,280 --> 00:03:26,639 Speaker 1: stuffed time machine and go back to ancient Egypt, there 69 00:03:26,639 --> 00:03:29,320 Speaker 1: were menstrel products. Women were a pretty d i y 70 00:03:29,360 --> 00:03:33,760 Speaker 1: about the whole thing. They would use internal plugs of 71 00:03:33,760 --> 00:03:38,080 Speaker 1: wool or soft papyrus and those wealthy women and poor 72 00:03:38,120 --> 00:03:43,120 Speaker 1: women would use softened aquatic grasses as their makeshift pads 73 00:03:43,120 --> 00:03:46,400 Speaker 1: and tampons. Yeah, and women in ancient Japan would fashion 74 00:03:46,520 --> 00:03:49,280 Speaker 1: tampons out of paper and use bandages to hold them 75 00:03:49,280 --> 00:03:53,000 Speaker 1: in place. Um. Traditional Hawaiian women would use the furry 76 00:03:53,080 --> 00:03:58,240 Speaker 1: part of a native fern called poo woo, and um 77 00:03:58,360 --> 00:04:00,760 Speaker 1: women still today in parts of Asi in Africa using 78 00:04:00,800 --> 00:04:03,800 Speaker 1: grasses and mosses. So, like you said, very d i 79 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:07,040 Speaker 1: y um, And then we were looking at the site 80 00:04:07,160 --> 00:04:10,400 Speaker 1: museum administruation, which is as soon as you start to 81 00:04:10,840 --> 00:04:13,240 Speaker 1: search for things about menstru products, that's where you'll end up, 82 00:04:13,280 --> 00:04:15,280 Speaker 1: and you can look at all sorts of crazy pictures 83 00:04:15,320 --> 00:04:19,279 Speaker 1: of early tampons and sanitary aprons and all sorts of 84 00:04:20,000 --> 00:04:24,120 Speaker 1: crazy stuff. Um. But he hypothesizes that a lot of 85 00:04:24,120 --> 00:04:27,840 Speaker 1: women in European and American society has probably used nothing 86 00:04:27,880 --> 00:04:31,039 Speaker 1: when they had their period. Yeah. He thinks that women 87 00:04:31,080 --> 00:04:36,599 Speaker 1: would just let themselves uh bleed quote um, they would 88 00:04:36,839 --> 00:04:39,839 Speaker 1: leave a trail of blood behind them because they weren't 89 00:04:39,839 --> 00:04:43,240 Speaker 1: wearing pads or underwear. But he, uh, the guy who 90 00:04:43,360 --> 00:04:46,440 Speaker 1: runs the museum administration thinks that this wasn't as big 91 00:04:46,480 --> 00:04:49,480 Speaker 1: of a deal back in the day because women started 92 00:04:49,480 --> 00:04:52,680 Speaker 1: administruating later, um, in their mid till eighteens. And then 93 00:04:52,680 --> 00:04:56,800 Speaker 1: they were also marrying earlier and hence having babies earlier, 94 00:04:56,839 --> 00:05:00,200 Speaker 1: and they were also having more babies therefore breastfeeding more, 95 00:05:00,480 --> 00:05:03,640 Speaker 1: and so the number of periods in women's lifetime was 96 00:05:03,680 --> 00:05:05,800 Speaker 1: a lot fewer than it is today. Yeah, which we've 97 00:05:05,800 --> 00:05:09,240 Speaker 1: discussed in our Menstrual Taboo podcast in the one about 98 00:05:09,360 --> 00:05:11,880 Speaker 1: only having a few periods a year. So that's not 99 00:05:11,920 --> 00:05:13,840 Speaker 1: a new idea. And by the way, the guy's name 100 00:05:13,839 --> 00:05:16,800 Speaker 1: who runs Museum and Menstruation, it's Harry Finley. And so 101 00:05:16,880 --> 00:05:19,400 Speaker 1: he's looked at a lot of um scholarly books to 102 00:05:19,480 --> 00:05:23,640 Speaker 1: examine women's journals, for example, pioneer women. They've looked at 103 00:05:23,640 --> 00:05:26,120 Speaker 1: all their journals and none of them ever talked about, 104 00:05:26,160 --> 00:05:28,440 Speaker 1: you know, running out of cloth or anything like that 105 00:05:28,480 --> 00:05:31,640 Speaker 1: and unpacking less for the trip west. You never see 106 00:05:31,680 --> 00:05:34,200 Speaker 1: anything warning women that they need you know, extra cloth 107 00:05:34,320 --> 00:05:37,120 Speaker 1: or extra whatever they were using at that time, which 108 00:05:37,120 --> 00:05:39,960 Speaker 1: is why he thinks that to keep what little cloth 109 00:05:40,000 --> 00:05:43,760 Speaker 1: they did have sanitary they just bleed right um. And 110 00:05:43,800 --> 00:05:47,599 Speaker 1: it wasn't until eighteen ninety six that we have the 111 00:05:47,680 --> 00:05:52,440 Speaker 1: first commercial disposable sanitary pad um, which was developed by 112 00:05:52,520 --> 00:05:55,960 Speaker 1: Johnson and Johnson and was called the Lister Pad. But 113 00:05:56,560 --> 00:05:59,840 Speaker 1: they weren't really that popular before then. Women would you 114 00:06:00,360 --> 00:06:03,400 Speaker 1: um textiles that were basically used for baby diapers. I 115 00:06:03,440 --> 00:06:09,680 Speaker 1: believe as um they're sort of reusable pads. And they 116 00:06:09,839 --> 00:06:13,559 Speaker 1: recommended that women, upper class women who were menstruating should 117 00:06:13,600 --> 00:06:17,120 Speaker 1: go travel to relieve their symptoms. And they were actually 118 00:06:17,440 --> 00:06:21,720 Speaker 1: burners available in different places so that traveling women who 119 00:06:21,839 --> 00:06:26,040 Speaker 1: were on their period could burn their cloth tampon or 120 00:06:26,120 --> 00:06:28,960 Speaker 1: cloth pads. But for the most part, I mean these 121 00:06:29,120 --> 00:06:31,640 Speaker 1: these sort of advances were only available to the upper class. 122 00:06:31,680 --> 00:06:34,120 Speaker 1: For the most part, the lower classmen were still having 123 00:06:34,160 --> 00:06:38,279 Speaker 1: to wash their own cloths reuse them every every month. Um. 124 00:06:38,320 --> 00:06:43,120 Speaker 1: But it wasn't until World War One that nurses started saying, hey, 125 00:06:43,440 --> 00:06:48,680 Speaker 1: these disposable towels. They've got the really good like cotton padding. 126 00:06:48,760 --> 00:06:51,000 Speaker 1: This is really good at stopping up blood. Yeah, there 127 00:06:51,040 --> 00:06:54,120 Speaker 1: was actually a new kind of a cotton product that 128 00:06:54,200 --> 00:06:58,400 Speaker 1: was developed for World War One, UM or for World 129 00:06:58,400 --> 00:07:00,920 Speaker 1: War One soldiers who were injured, and like you said, 130 00:07:00,920 --> 00:07:04,320 Speaker 1: they realized that, uh, that they were better at soaking 131 00:07:04,400 --> 00:07:06,960 Speaker 1: up the blood. And so then you have the production 132 00:07:07,080 --> 00:07:10,080 Speaker 1: of Sell You Cotton and Sell You nups by Kimberly 133 00:07:10,120 --> 00:07:14,440 Speaker 1: Clark and those would eventually become the brand name co Text. 134 00:07:15,760 --> 00:07:18,720 Speaker 1: And back then they did not have the benefit of 135 00:07:18,760 --> 00:07:21,240 Speaker 1: adhesive the way we do today, So you wore a 136 00:07:21,280 --> 00:07:24,480 Speaker 1: belt with those pads. Um. We did not get adhesive 137 00:07:24,520 --> 00:07:28,080 Speaker 1: until the nineties seventies, which seems kind of insane, but 138 00:07:28,160 --> 00:07:30,840 Speaker 1: I guess it makes sense. Um. But anyway, when they 139 00:07:30,880 --> 00:07:33,200 Speaker 1: figured out that, you know, we can give these um, 140 00:07:33,280 --> 00:07:37,360 Speaker 1: medically approved products to women. The pharmacists who had to 141 00:07:37,400 --> 00:07:39,080 Speaker 1: sell them in their stores were like, I don't know 142 00:07:39,080 --> 00:07:41,200 Speaker 1: about that. I think it's gonna offend every lady who 143 00:07:41,240 --> 00:07:45,760 Speaker 1: comes in here to see those. But someone told them, Hey, 144 00:07:45,800 --> 00:07:48,120 Speaker 1: actually women need them, but they don't want them to 145 00:07:48,160 --> 00:07:50,320 Speaker 1: be hidden behind account or so they have to ask 146 00:07:50,360 --> 00:07:52,440 Speaker 1: you for them. They want to be able to leave 147 00:07:52,480 --> 00:07:55,800 Speaker 1: their money on accounter and take their box of menstrual 148 00:07:55,840 --> 00:07:58,400 Speaker 1: pads and leave. Yeah. Drug stores was actually put up 149 00:07:58,400 --> 00:08:01,360 Speaker 1: a little blue boxes, coach text boxes that women could 150 00:08:01,440 --> 00:08:04,960 Speaker 1: just drop their coins in and scurry away with their 151 00:08:05,000 --> 00:08:08,840 Speaker 1: with their co Tex pads without having to face down 152 00:08:09,360 --> 00:08:12,960 Speaker 1: a clerk and ask for such a for such an 153 00:08:13,040 --> 00:08:16,680 Speaker 1: unladylike product. It was one of the first self service products. 154 00:08:16,680 --> 00:08:18,160 Speaker 1: I mean, we take for granted the fact they can 155 00:08:18,160 --> 00:08:19,640 Speaker 1: go into a grocery store and just do all our 156 00:08:19,680 --> 00:08:22,560 Speaker 1: shopping on our own, besides without giving someone a list 157 00:08:22,600 --> 00:08:25,520 Speaker 1: of what we wanted. Um, but co Tex led the 158 00:08:25,560 --> 00:08:27,240 Speaker 1: way with that, apparently. Yeah, and this is in the 159 00:08:27,320 --> 00:08:31,880 Speaker 1: nineteen twenties, and women, obviously because we have these collection 160 00:08:31,960 --> 00:08:35,199 Speaker 1: boxes for them, UM, are very still very squeamish about 161 00:08:35,200 --> 00:08:40,720 Speaker 1: the whole idea of sanitary napkins and products and really 162 00:08:40,760 --> 00:08:45,040 Speaker 1: anything having to do with uh. The region south of 163 00:08:45,040 --> 00:08:47,200 Speaker 1: the border, although they are trying to advertise at this 164 00:08:47,240 --> 00:08:49,839 Speaker 1: point these products is very hygienic. You know, people back 165 00:08:49,840 --> 00:08:52,040 Speaker 1: they're obsessed with hygiene. They don't want to catch any 166 00:08:52,120 --> 00:08:56,000 Speaker 1: disease and so um, that's how they were advertised. And 167 00:08:56,040 --> 00:08:59,280 Speaker 1: like I like we said, the marketing by doctors saying 168 00:08:59,280 --> 00:09:03,320 Speaker 1: this is okay made it acceptable. But at the same time, 169 00:09:03,320 --> 00:09:05,679 Speaker 1: in the nineteen twenties, you've got this guy named doctor 170 00:09:05,760 --> 00:09:09,600 Speaker 1: Earl Cleveland hass and he's a doctor obviously, and doctors 171 00:09:09,600 --> 00:09:12,680 Speaker 1: at this point we're sort of making their own tampons 172 00:09:12,720 --> 00:09:15,200 Speaker 1: for women during surgeries. So it was sort of a 173 00:09:15,240 --> 00:09:17,720 Speaker 1: doctor doctor used thing. But he's seeing his wife and 174 00:09:17,760 --> 00:09:20,679 Speaker 1: she's really uncomfortable with a big bulky pad, so he's like, 175 00:09:20,720 --> 00:09:25,200 Speaker 1: I'm gonna do something about this. Yeah, So has basically 176 00:09:25,240 --> 00:09:30,120 Speaker 1: figures out how to make a tampon applicator, the first 177 00:09:30,160 --> 00:09:34,160 Speaker 1: tampon applicator UH, so that women would not have to 178 00:09:35,240 --> 00:09:39,240 Speaker 1: manually insert the tampon into their vagina and could pull 179 00:09:39,280 --> 00:09:43,439 Speaker 1: it out, making the whole process less messy. But they 180 00:09:43,480 --> 00:09:46,040 Speaker 1: didn't catch on at first. Hassa ended up selling the 181 00:09:46,080 --> 00:09:50,040 Speaker 1: patent um for the tampon applicator in three because he 182 00:09:50,040 --> 00:09:52,920 Speaker 1: really couldn't market the product at all because companies were 183 00:09:52,960 --> 00:09:55,360 Speaker 1: saying that they wouldn't catch on. And you know, my 184 00:09:55,360 --> 00:09:58,640 Speaker 1: favorite fun fact about Hoss we were talking about earlier Kristen, 185 00:09:59,080 --> 00:10:02,319 Speaker 1: is that he called his product tam PACs. The thing 186 00:10:02,360 --> 00:10:04,000 Speaker 1: he came up with which looks a lot like the 187 00:10:04,040 --> 00:10:07,560 Speaker 1: tampon today with a removable string. He came up with that, 188 00:10:07,600 --> 00:10:10,120 Speaker 1: and he also came up with this compactor device that 189 00:10:10,160 --> 00:10:12,960 Speaker 1: would basically mold the cotton he was using into the 190 00:10:13,000 --> 00:10:16,320 Speaker 1: tampon shape. But when he filed for all his patents 191 00:10:16,360 --> 00:10:18,720 Speaker 1: and trademarks whatever, he came up with tam PACs because 192 00:10:18,760 --> 00:10:22,360 Speaker 1: it was a combination of the word tampon and vaginal pack. 193 00:10:23,600 --> 00:10:26,199 Speaker 1: Oh so just think about that the next time he 194 00:10:26,280 --> 00:10:29,360 Speaker 1: used tampacs. Yeah. But but Hoss wasn't the first one 195 00:10:29,559 --> 00:10:33,000 Speaker 1: to try to manage our market tampons. There were plenty 196 00:10:33,080 --> 00:10:36,680 Speaker 1: of uh, non applicator tampons that were on the market, 197 00:10:36,720 --> 00:10:39,560 Speaker 1: and some people disagree as to which one was the 198 00:10:39,600 --> 00:10:41,960 Speaker 1: first one to U to end up in the stores. 199 00:10:42,440 --> 00:10:47,559 Speaker 1: And UH the Museum Administruation and Straight Dope say that 200 00:10:47,640 --> 00:10:50,720 Speaker 1: it was facts f a X tampons, but there were 201 00:10:50,760 --> 00:10:55,280 Speaker 1: also other lovely brand names such as FIBs, Holly Packs, 202 00:10:55,600 --> 00:11:01,120 Speaker 1: Modern Women, New Nap Slim Packs, and I don't I 203 00:11:01,160 --> 00:11:04,800 Speaker 1: don't really understand this one, Wicks wis w I X 204 00:11:05,000 --> 00:11:08,640 Speaker 1: a candle Wick? I don't. I don't know. So anyway, 205 00:11:08,760 --> 00:11:10,720 Speaker 1: the reason that hass is kind of set apart as 206 00:11:10,760 --> 00:11:13,280 Speaker 1: the modern tampons because he comes up with the string 207 00:11:13,360 --> 00:11:14,640 Speaker 1: to get it back out and it comes up with 208 00:11:14,679 --> 00:11:18,120 Speaker 1: an applicator, which is key. But like Kristen said, he 209 00:11:18,240 --> 00:11:21,040 Speaker 1: sells the business because he just is not having any luck. 210 00:11:21,120 --> 00:11:23,800 Speaker 1: He sells it to a woman named Gertrude tender Rick, 211 00:11:24,200 --> 00:11:27,320 Speaker 1: who is the one who actually charters the Tampon Corporation 212 00:11:27,400 --> 00:11:30,079 Speaker 1: in nineteen thirty four, and in the early days she 213 00:11:30,080 --> 00:11:33,000 Speaker 1: would make the tampons herself using a sewing machine and 214 00:11:33,080 --> 00:11:36,240 Speaker 1: the hand operated compressor that has came up with, but 215 00:11:36,280 --> 00:11:38,200 Speaker 1: she liked the co tex. People had a lot of 216 00:11:38,240 --> 00:11:41,520 Speaker 1: problems getting these things into stores, yeah, because they were 217 00:11:41,640 --> 00:11:45,480 Speaker 1: very controversial when they first came out, because people were 218 00:11:45,520 --> 00:11:50,160 Speaker 1: concerned that women would put these tampons in their vaginas 219 00:11:50,240 --> 00:11:54,520 Speaker 1: and hence no longer be virgins. And that's the problem 220 00:11:54,600 --> 00:11:58,560 Speaker 1: that exists today in some developing countries. Yeah, there's still 221 00:11:58,600 --> 00:12:00,280 Speaker 1: the concern that if you put a tam upon it 222 00:12:00,280 --> 00:12:02,400 Speaker 1: and it's going to break your hymen, and in some 223 00:12:02,440 --> 00:12:05,440 Speaker 1: countries and cultures that's very important for a young girl 224 00:12:05,520 --> 00:12:08,360 Speaker 1: who is supposed to be getting married. If her hymen 225 00:12:08,480 --> 00:12:10,800 Speaker 1: is not intact, then she's going to have a lot 226 00:12:10,840 --> 00:12:13,640 Speaker 1: of problems. And you know, we I can't imagine personally 227 00:12:13,679 --> 00:12:16,360 Speaker 1: a life without tampons, and I hope that one day 228 00:12:16,400 --> 00:12:20,960 Speaker 1: all gas stations are equipped with the machines. But tampons 229 00:12:21,000 --> 00:12:24,800 Speaker 1: are pretty American phenomenon. According to You Straight Dope, seventy 230 00:12:24,800 --> 00:12:27,720 Speaker 1: percent American women use them, but only one million of 231 00:12:27,760 --> 00:12:31,600 Speaker 1: the world one point seven billion menstruating women do. And 232 00:12:31,640 --> 00:12:35,160 Speaker 1: there are also differences between the types of tampons that 233 00:12:35,280 --> 00:12:39,439 Speaker 1: American and European women like. Molly um. According to Elizabeth 234 00:12:39,520 --> 00:12:43,360 Speaker 1: Kissling's book Capitalizing on the Curse The Business of Menstruation, 235 00:12:43,800 --> 00:12:48,480 Speaker 1: around percent of European women prefer digital tampons, which are 236 00:12:48,480 --> 00:12:51,000 Speaker 1: the ones like Obie tampons that don't have an applicator 237 00:12:51,080 --> 00:12:54,280 Speaker 1: that you have to put in yourself, while only three 238 00:12:54,320 --> 00:12:57,640 Speaker 1: to four percent of American women do, and it seems 239 00:12:57,679 --> 00:13:00,559 Speaker 1: like there is more of a cultural since activity in 240 00:13:00,600 --> 00:13:05,079 Speaker 1: the United States to not having to um deal as 241 00:13:05,120 --> 00:13:08,960 Speaker 1: closely has been as close to contact with your vagina 242 00:13:09,040 --> 00:13:13,200 Speaker 1: when it comes to magistruation, which is probably why it 243 00:13:13,240 --> 00:13:16,000 Speaker 1: took a little while for Tampax to get the message 244 00:13:16,000 --> 00:13:21,200 Speaker 1: out about tampons being safe and clean for women to use, 245 00:13:21,360 --> 00:13:24,760 Speaker 1: because one of the big things that they did to 246 00:13:25,440 --> 00:13:29,400 Speaker 1: spread the word was to actually have Tampax ladies go 247 00:13:29,559 --> 00:13:32,920 Speaker 1: out to colleges and educate college girls about how to 248 00:13:33,000 --> 00:13:35,160 Speaker 1: use tampons, right, Yeah, And so that was how they 249 00:13:35,280 --> 00:13:37,640 Speaker 1: appealed to consumers. At the same time they tried to 250 00:13:37,640 --> 00:13:40,520 Speaker 1: appeal to doctor saying, hey, you've used these, you know 251 00:13:40,600 --> 00:13:44,760 Speaker 1: they're good. And actually in there was article in the 252 00:13:44,840 --> 00:13:49,199 Speaker 1: Journal of the American Medical Association by Robert Dickinson UM. 253 00:13:49,280 --> 00:13:51,800 Speaker 1: He went through all the previous studies that have been 254 00:13:51,800 --> 00:13:55,679 Speaker 1: done about tampons, most of which tampons passed with flying colors, 255 00:13:55,760 --> 00:13:59,720 Speaker 1: and in his report he essentially endorsed tampons over menstrul 256 00:13:59,720 --> 00:14:03,280 Speaker 1: pads because they controlled odor, they didn't cause disease, they 257 00:14:03,280 --> 00:14:06,199 Speaker 1: were safe, etcetera, etcetera. And so the doctors and the 258 00:14:06,240 --> 00:14:08,439 Speaker 1: consumers at the same time, are getting this message that 259 00:14:08,640 --> 00:14:13,040 Speaker 1: tampons are awesome. In World War Two actually helped popularize 260 00:14:13,240 --> 00:14:16,680 Speaker 1: tampons as well, because there was a shortage on cotton, 261 00:14:17,160 --> 00:14:21,560 Speaker 1: so uh, tampons used obviously less cotton textiles than sanitary 262 00:14:21,600 --> 00:14:24,640 Speaker 1: pads did, and women who were returning to the workforce 263 00:14:25,120 --> 00:14:28,880 Speaker 1: liked the tampons, using tampons better than pads because they 264 00:14:28,880 --> 00:14:32,200 Speaker 1: didn't feel as bulky and awkward during that time of 265 00:14:32,240 --> 00:14:35,760 Speaker 1: the months. Exactly now, Kristen, whenever we talk about tampons 266 00:14:35,840 --> 00:14:38,680 Speaker 1: too much, we hear a lot from our listeners who 267 00:14:38,720 --> 00:14:41,680 Speaker 1: are in love, as we have mentioned before, with their 268 00:14:41,840 --> 00:14:45,400 Speaker 1: menstrul cups. And I did not realize that menstrel cups 269 00:14:45,400 --> 00:14:48,120 Speaker 1: had such a long history. They came about sort of 270 00:14:48,160 --> 00:14:51,520 Speaker 1: at the same time that tampons did in the nineteen thirties. Yeah. 271 00:14:51,560 --> 00:14:53,880 Speaker 1: They were first patented in nineteen thirty seven by a 272 00:14:53,880 --> 00:14:58,160 Speaker 1: woman named Leona W. Chalmers. She was an actress. And 273 00:14:58,200 --> 00:15:01,360 Speaker 1: it's worth mentioning that earlier adopters of all these products 274 00:15:01,400 --> 00:15:05,640 Speaker 1: were usually actresses and dancers, people who needed to hide 275 00:15:05,680 --> 00:15:08,680 Speaker 1: the fact that they were menstruating. Yeah, and she developed 276 00:15:08,720 --> 00:15:11,560 Speaker 1: this thing called the test set um and it was 277 00:15:11,600 --> 00:15:16,520 Speaker 1: a disposable menstrual cup basically, and um TESTA didn't stick 278 00:15:16,560 --> 00:15:20,560 Speaker 1: around too long. But twenty years later, uh, this woman 279 00:15:20,600 --> 00:15:22,720 Speaker 1: who had used the test that back in the day 280 00:15:22,800 --> 00:15:26,040 Speaker 1: developed something that many moms of listeners know and love 281 00:15:26,400 --> 00:15:29,960 Speaker 1: called the Keeper. From there, we have all sorts of options. 282 00:15:30,000 --> 00:15:32,400 Speaker 1: There's diva cup, there's instead. We won't be able to 283 00:15:32,440 --> 00:15:35,680 Speaker 1: listen them all, but basically they all work the same way, 284 00:15:35,680 --> 00:15:38,440 Speaker 1: and that they're a soft, flexible cup made out of 285 00:15:38,560 --> 00:15:40,840 Speaker 1: you know, rubber, some sort of material like that that 286 00:15:40,960 --> 00:15:43,600 Speaker 1: you fold and put up into the vagina. And like 287 00:15:43,720 --> 00:15:47,920 Speaker 1: you mentioned with the differences between applicator tampons and digital tampons, 288 00:15:47,960 --> 00:15:50,640 Speaker 1: Christ and I think this is why these don't catch 289 00:15:50,680 --> 00:15:53,880 Speaker 1: on immensely. It's for the same reason women don't want 290 00:15:53,880 --> 00:15:57,120 Speaker 1: to be all up close and personal with the body, 291 00:15:57,520 --> 00:16:00,360 Speaker 1: especially when it's menstruating. And you know, given how these 292 00:16:00,360 --> 00:16:02,960 Speaker 1: things have been marketed over the age, with tampons being 293 00:16:03,040 --> 00:16:05,720 Speaker 1: something that we're going to be the epitome of hygiene, 294 00:16:06,080 --> 00:16:07,840 Speaker 1: you can see why people think that having to deal 295 00:16:07,880 --> 00:16:12,760 Speaker 1: with it is unhygienic. Yeah, because the disposable or the 296 00:16:12,880 --> 00:16:16,880 Speaker 1: reusable i should say, menstrual cups actually fit up just 297 00:16:17,040 --> 00:16:19,280 Speaker 1: underneath the cervic so it does take a little bit 298 00:16:19,280 --> 00:16:21,800 Speaker 1: of work to get it up there, and it holds 299 00:16:22,080 --> 00:16:25,640 Speaker 1: um the menstrual blood for up to twelve hours, I think, 300 00:16:25,760 --> 00:16:28,640 Speaker 1: and with some you can even uh sleep in them, 301 00:16:29,040 --> 00:16:31,040 Speaker 1: which is different from a lot of tampons, which you 302 00:16:31,040 --> 00:16:34,600 Speaker 1: have to change out every few hours or so. Yeah, 303 00:16:34,640 --> 00:16:36,640 Speaker 1: it looks like lifestyle is a big reason why women 304 00:16:36,680 --> 00:16:38,880 Speaker 1: go for these. You can go swimming, you can sleep 305 00:16:38,880 --> 00:16:40,440 Speaker 1: in them, some of them, you can have sex with 306 00:16:40,480 --> 00:16:43,200 Speaker 1: them in um. Other reasons the women go for menstrual 307 00:16:43,240 --> 00:16:46,920 Speaker 1: cups are savings if you buy a keeper apparently it's 308 00:16:46,920 --> 00:16:49,760 Speaker 1: thirty five dollars in last for ten years, while the 309 00:16:49,760 --> 00:16:51,640 Speaker 1: New York Times claims that the ten years supply of 310 00:16:51,680 --> 00:16:55,520 Speaker 1: tampons costs about six d fifty dollars and Molly no 311 00:16:55,560 --> 00:16:58,240 Speaker 1: pun intended. But I think that some women also feel 312 00:16:58,280 --> 00:17:01,240 Speaker 1: more in touch with their bodies when they use these 313 00:17:01,240 --> 00:17:04,639 Speaker 1: reusable cups. Because sure, there is like a cultural squeamishness 314 00:17:04,640 --> 00:17:07,720 Speaker 1: about menstruation and about women having to deal with the 315 00:17:07,800 --> 00:17:11,000 Speaker 1: issues going on in their vagina, as we talked about 316 00:17:11,080 --> 00:17:14,439 Speaker 1: in our is Menstruation the Least Taboo podcasts? But I 317 00:17:14,480 --> 00:17:18,000 Speaker 1: think UM. Women who are big fans of the disposable 318 00:17:18,000 --> 00:17:21,760 Speaker 1: cups UM feel like it's something that we should embrace 319 00:17:21,880 --> 00:17:24,640 Speaker 1: more and we should be comfortable with our bodies. And 320 00:17:24,800 --> 00:17:27,680 Speaker 1: as a Salon article on menstrual cups points out, being 321 00:17:27,680 --> 00:17:29,800 Speaker 1: in touch with our body via a menstrual cup can 322 00:17:29,800 --> 00:17:31,640 Speaker 1: help you know if there's a problem. If you are 323 00:17:31,720 --> 00:17:34,360 Speaker 1: changing a menstrual cup four times a day and they're 324 00:17:34,400 --> 00:17:37,199 Speaker 1: completely full, then you might have a problem with your 325 00:17:37,200 --> 00:17:39,560 Speaker 1: menstrual cycles. Time to know the doctor. And in addition 326 00:17:39,640 --> 00:17:43,640 Speaker 1: to reasonable menstrual cups, we also have reusable pads. Now 327 00:17:43,720 --> 00:17:48,000 Speaker 1: for the more environmentally minded among us UM and glad Rags. 328 00:17:48,000 --> 00:17:50,600 Speaker 1: We've got some glad Rags listeners out there, Hey ladies. 329 00:17:51,080 --> 00:17:54,880 Speaker 1: UM is one of the brands that you can pick 330 00:17:55,000 --> 00:17:57,720 Speaker 1: up and it was described in a Salon article as 331 00:17:57,880 --> 00:18:01,120 Speaker 1: menstrul Lingerie because they do come UM in a variety 332 00:18:01,119 --> 00:18:05,080 Speaker 1: of delightful patterns. I mean, the patteries are pretty adorable. Yeah, 333 00:18:05,080 --> 00:18:07,880 Speaker 1: Molly was really into these reasonable paths. And they even 334 00:18:07,920 --> 00:18:11,440 Speaker 1: offer underwear with built in pads too if you don't 335 00:18:11,440 --> 00:18:14,639 Speaker 1: want to fool with of the changing out the pads 336 00:18:14,640 --> 00:18:17,159 Speaker 1: and the liners. So one thing about cloth pads is 337 00:18:17,200 --> 00:18:20,240 Speaker 1: there is UH slightly bigger investment up front might be 338 00:18:20,280 --> 00:18:22,840 Speaker 1: about seven to ten dollars each UM and you should 339 00:18:22,840 --> 00:18:25,760 Speaker 1: probably have about a dozen on hand so that you 340 00:18:25,760 --> 00:18:29,600 Speaker 1: have time to wash and whatnot. UM. Some other alternatives 341 00:18:29,640 --> 00:18:32,440 Speaker 1: we just want to throw out there are UM sea sponges. 342 00:18:33,160 --> 00:18:35,880 Speaker 1: We mentioned that before, but you have to basically where 343 00:18:35,880 --> 00:18:37,720 Speaker 1: you get a sponge. They're usually like at health food 344 00:18:37,720 --> 00:18:40,440 Speaker 1: stores and whatnot. UM squeeze it and CERT into the 345 00:18:40,520 --> 00:18:42,880 Speaker 1: vagina and then rinse it every three hours and then 346 00:18:42,880 --> 00:18:46,120 Speaker 1: to a complete wash dry after the after your periods over. 347 00:18:46,880 --> 00:18:49,360 Speaker 1: And then the other thing that people look for our 348 00:18:49,520 --> 00:18:53,159 Speaker 1: non chloron bleached all cotton pads and tampons, which I 349 00:18:53,160 --> 00:18:55,880 Speaker 1: think leads us well into the how the health effects 350 00:18:55,960 --> 00:18:59,720 Speaker 1: of these products have been evaluated over the years. Right 351 00:18:59,720 --> 00:19:02,639 Speaker 1: when the main reasons that UM women will turn to 352 00:19:02,880 --> 00:19:07,080 Speaker 1: the reusable menstrual cups and other alternative products is because 353 00:19:07,359 --> 00:19:12,080 Speaker 1: of the bleach that might be in UH tampon cotton 354 00:19:12,600 --> 00:19:15,720 Speaker 1: because obviously you're putting it up those very UM thin tissue. 355 00:19:15,800 --> 00:19:18,640 Speaker 1: Women don't like the idea of UM bleach and other 356 00:19:18,720 --> 00:19:22,680 Speaker 1: chemicals getting into their systems. And according to the FDA, 357 00:19:23,359 --> 00:19:29,320 Speaker 1: UM UH the levels of chemicals are safe in tampons obviously, UM. 358 00:19:29,320 --> 00:19:32,639 Speaker 1: The FDA reviews all tampons that go on the market 359 00:19:32,640 --> 00:19:35,239 Speaker 1: and test any levels. Um. For instance, there was an 360 00:19:35,240 --> 00:19:39,360 Speaker 1: internet rumor going around that tampon makers will put asbestos 361 00:19:39,400 --> 00:19:42,199 Speaker 1: in their tampons in order to make women bleed more 362 00:19:42,240 --> 00:19:45,000 Speaker 1: and hence make them use more tampons, and so the 363 00:19:45,080 --> 00:19:49,040 Speaker 1: FDA went over and reviewed asbestos levels and tampons and 364 00:19:49,080 --> 00:19:53,800 Speaker 1: found that that was um not true at all. And UM. 365 00:19:53,840 --> 00:19:56,200 Speaker 1: There's also the question of whether or not a chemical 366 00:19:56,320 --> 00:20:00,639 Speaker 1: called dioxin is present in tampons as well, and they're 367 00:20:00,680 --> 00:20:05,159 Speaker 1: saying that the bleaching method that involved dioxin is no 368 00:20:05,280 --> 00:20:08,360 Speaker 1: longer used in most tampon products. But now let's talk 369 00:20:08,400 --> 00:20:11,920 Speaker 1: about the big elephant in the room. Kristen. Yes, toxic 370 00:20:12,000 --> 00:20:15,120 Speaker 1: shock synder, toxic shock syndrome. This was something I remember 371 00:20:15,240 --> 00:20:18,560 Speaker 1: when I first started using tampons, picking up the box 372 00:20:18,720 --> 00:20:20,800 Speaker 1: and flipping it around, looking looking at it, you know, 373 00:20:20,960 --> 00:20:22,600 Speaker 1: figuring out how to how to do the whole thing, 374 00:20:22,600 --> 00:20:25,280 Speaker 1: and seeing this thing called toxic shock syndrome, and I 375 00:20:25,359 --> 00:20:28,560 Speaker 1: was terrified. I had no idea what it was. It sounds, 376 00:20:29,080 --> 00:20:33,119 Speaker 1: it sounds scary. So Molly should should women using tampons 377 00:20:33,160 --> 00:20:36,160 Speaker 1: be scared of toxic shock? Well, Kristen, before we get 378 00:20:36,160 --> 00:20:38,639 Speaker 1: into whether women should worry about, as you put it, 379 00:20:38,680 --> 00:20:41,520 Speaker 1: toxic shock, let me just tell you what it is. 380 00:20:42,080 --> 00:20:46,800 Speaker 1: It's dryness or alterations of vaginal tissues. It does sound unpleasant. 381 00:20:46,800 --> 00:20:49,600 Speaker 1: I remember being horrified when I once went seven hours 382 00:20:49,640 --> 00:20:51,840 Speaker 1: without changing a tampon. I was convinced as going to die, 383 00:20:52,280 --> 00:20:56,199 Speaker 1: and toxic shock can be fatal. And the people that 384 00:20:56,240 --> 00:20:59,000 Speaker 1: were dying back in the heyday of this of this happening, 385 00:20:59,119 --> 00:21:01,480 Speaker 1: they were all men's toru ating women using tampons, which 386 00:21:01,520 --> 00:21:06,119 Speaker 1: is why how tampons became so closely associated with this condition. 387 00:21:06,440 --> 00:21:10,280 Speaker 1: But it's worth noting that it's extremely rare. In only 388 00:21:10,320 --> 00:21:15,000 Speaker 1: five confirmed menstruly related menstrually related toxic shock syndrome cases 389 00:21:15,160 --> 00:21:18,000 Speaker 1: were reported, right, and they weren't associated with it's just 390 00:21:18,040 --> 00:21:22,199 Speaker 1: any old kind of tampon. It was super absorbent tampons. 391 00:21:22,240 --> 00:21:25,080 Speaker 1: And they're thinking that, uh, the women might have gotten 392 00:21:25,119 --> 00:21:28,560 Speaker 1: toxic shock because they left the tampons in too long 393 00:21:28,600 --> 00:21:32,399 Speaker 1: and because with so much so much stuff up there, um, 394 00:21:32,480 --> 00:21:36,439 Speaker 1: it just became a breeding ground for bacteria. UM and 395 00:21:36,480 --> 00:21:39,160 Speaker 1: men streaming women aren't the only people who can get 396 00:21:39,200 --> 00:21:43,280 Speaker 1: toxic shock older women, children, and even men can get 397 00:21:43,320 --> 00:21:47,600 Speaker 1: it as well, because it's all based on a bacterial 398 00:21:47,680 --> 00:21:51,159 Speaker 1: toxin that anyone can acquire. UM. Most common types of 399 00:21:51,200 --> 00:21:55,879 Speaker 1: bacteria are strip and staff and so they're not entirely 400 00:21:55,880 --> 00:21:59,280 Speaker 1: sure why it's linked to tampons, but um, and they 401 00:21:59,280 --> 00:22:01,959 Speaker 1: have to I think because of the FDA regulations, they 402 00:22:02,000 --> 00:22:05,000 Speaker 1: have to put the warning on tampon boxes. But it 403 00:22:05,080 --> 00:22:09,879 Speaker 1: is a very very very rare thing that happens. And 404 00:22:10,040 --> 00:22:12,880 Speaker 1: one tip is not to use a tampon ladies between 405 00:22:13,240 --> 00:22:16,399 Speaker 1: menstrual periods. Yeah, if you've got something funky going on 406 00:22:16,520 --> 00:22:21,080 Speaker 1: up there shouldn't be coming out, don't get a tampon, 407 00:22:21,880 --> 00:22:24,880 Speaker 1: go to the doctor. But it's worth noting that menstrual 408 00:22:24,960 --> 00:22:29,280 Speaker 1: cups are not immune to accusations of toxic shock syndrome. Essentially, 409 00:22:29,320 --> 00:22:32,560 Speaker 1: once UM, you know they've they've caught off, they've caught 410 00:22:32,600 --> 00:22:35,680 Speaker 1: on amongst a a fair number of women. And once 411 00:22:35,720 --> 00:22:38,840 Speaker 1: they started to catch on UM, people start to say, well, 412 00:22:38,960 --> 00:22:41,399 Speaker 1: is it safe to be holding so much menstrual blood 413 00:22:41,480 --> 00:22:44,240 Speaker 1: up there in your regina for hours and hours? Is 414 00:22:44,280 --> 00:22:46,359 Speaker 1: that safe? Are you gonna get toxic shock syndrome? Are 415 00:22:46,400 --> 00:22:50,320 Speaker 1: you gonna get endometriosis? What did they find, Kristen, Well, 416 00:22:50,359 --> 00:22:52,760 Speaker 1: they found that with toxic shock there is a very 417 00:22:52,760 --> 00:22:54,800 Speaker 1: slight chance, but it's probably the same amount of risk 418 00:22:54,880 --> 00:22:58,600 Speaker 1: as with with tampons. But as far as endometriosis goes um, 419 00:22:58,600 --> 00:23:00,920 Speaker 1: there doesn't seem to be any kind of elevated risk 420 00:23:01,000 --> 00:23:05,160 Speaker 1: with having the menstrual blood um so close to your cervix, right, 421 00:23:05,320 --> 00:23:07,119 Speaker 1: And so what they did to test that was they 422 00:23:07,160 --> 00:23:10,480 Speaker 1: essentially dipped menstrul cups into all sorts of bacteria and 423 00:23:10,520 --> 00:23:13,439 Speaker 1: saw how many stuck and then evaluate the ones that 424 00:23:13,480 --> 00:23:15,119 Speaker 1: are coming out of women and found that it was 425 00:23:15,160 --> 00:23:17,520 Speaker 1: a very minimal risk. So that's another reason why women 426 00:23:18,000 --> 00:23:20,919 Speaker 1: turned to the menstrul cup. Yeah, so, Molly, we have 427 00:23:21,000 --> 00:23:26,200 Speaker 1: gone from ancient Egypt papyrus papyrus to two thousand nine 428 00:23:26,359 --> 00:23:31,040 Speaker 1: with tampons, all sorts of sanitary napkins, no more belts 429 00:23:31,280 --> 00:23:34,040 Speaker 1: and more belts, thank goodness. Oh, then maybe they'll come back. 430 00:23:34,040 --> 00:23:37,359 Speaker 1: Would be the new retro thing, the new new girdle 431 00:23:37,480 --> 00:23:40,280 Speaker 1: for two thousand and ten will be the menstrul belt 432 00:23:40,920 --> 00:23:45,000 Speaker 1: and uh, reusable options. I mean, we've we've really we 433 00:23:45,040 --> 00:23:48,760 Speaker 1: can really control our period blood any old way we 434 00:23:48,800 --> 00:23:51,399 Speaker 1: want to these days, and it's been a delightful journey, 435 00:23:51,440 --> 00:23:53,320 Speaker 1: I have to say. So we hope that you have 436 00:23:53,600 --> 00:23:57,439 Speaker 1: enjoyed our fun filled wrong through the history of menstrual products. 437 00:23:57,480 --> 00:24:00,080 Speaker 1: We've gotten a lot of emails from you guys requesting 438 00:24:00,440 --> 00:24:05,160 Speaker 1: the history of tampons and also shoutouts to reusable menstrual cups. So, ladies, 439 00:24:05,800 --> 00:24:08,880 Speaker 1: this podcast is for you, and if you ever want 440 00:24:08,880 --> 00:24:10,760 Speaker 1: to email us, please feel free to to shoot us 441 00:24:11,000 --> 00:24:14,800 Speaker 1: a note at mom Stuff at hell stuff works dot com. 442 00:24:14,840 --> 00:24:16,560 Speaker 1: And speaking of which, Molly, we've got a couple of 443 00:24:16,600 --> 00:24:19,920 Speaker 1: emails about our episode on women's magazines. Why don't she 444 00:24:20,040 --> 00:24:25,399 Speaker 1: kick it off? Okay, I've got an email here from Amber, 445 00:24:25,400 --> 00:24:28,639 Speaker 1: who was thirteen, and she writes, I'm not interested in 446 00:24:28,680 --> 00:24:31,280 Speaker 1: the topics and magazines like seventeen and Cosmo Girls, so 447 00:24:31,320 --> 00:24:35,159 Speaker 1: I read science magazines like Wired, Scientific, American, and Actual Geographic. 448 00:24:35,480 --> 00:24:37,600 Speaker 1: They still have topics about health, but it's about future 449 00:24:37,600 --> 00:24:40,480 Speaker 1: medications and cures for diseases, and sometimes they have things 450 00:24:40,480 --> 00:24:43,960 Speaker 1: about futuristic clothes. Some people at school think it's weird. 451 00:24:44,000 --> 00:24:46,159 Speaker 1: I don't read magazines like Bob or Tiger Beet, but 452 00:24:46,200 --> 00:24:48,879 Speaker 1: those are the people who get bad grades. So basically, 453 00:24:48,920 --> 00:24:50,159 Speaker 1: what I'm trying to say is that there are other 454 00:24:50,200 --> 00:24:52,920 Speaker 1: alternams for people who don't want to read women's magazines. 455 00:24:53,760 --> 00:24:57,200 Speaker 1: Right on um and I've got an email from Sabrina. 456 00:24:57,760 --> 00:25:00,520 Speaker 1: She says, I've had an interesting journey with Susmo over 457 00:25:00,520 --> 00:25:03,040 Speaker 1: the past few years. After picking up a Cosmo in 458 00:25:03,040 --> 00:25:06,159 Speaker 1: two thousand seven and an airport during a three hour layover, 459 00:25:06,440 --> 00:25:09,719 Speaker 1: I started subscribing solely to enjoy the fluffy, guilty pleasure 460 00:25:09,760 --> 00:25:12,040 Speaker 1: after a long day at work. I'm twenty and I've 461 00:25:12,040 --> 00:25:14,040 Speaker 1: been married for five years my college boyfriend, and I 462 00:25:14,080 --> 00:25:16,439 Speaker 1: have a daughter, so I know enough to roll my 463 00:25:16,480 --> 00:25:18,439 Speaker 1: eyes and laugh out loud when I read the use 464 00:25:18,520 --> 00:25:22,000 Speaker 1: a thong as a hair tie tip. Um. But I 465 00:25:22,080 --> 00:25:25,320 Speaker 1: both love and hate Cosmo. I love laughing the stupidity 466 00:25:25,600 --> 00:25:28,080 Speaker 1: and the confessions, and the occasional tip on a good 467 00:25:28,080 --> 00:25:31,439 Speaker 1: moisturizer or the anti hair anti for his hair product. 468 00:25:31,600 --> 00:25:33,720 Speaker 1: But I hate how they boil being a woman down 469 00:25:33,760 --> 00:25:36,760 Speaker 1: to the superficialities and sex. I hate the idea of 470 00:25:36,800 --> 00:25:38,720 Speaker 1: my daughter picking up a magazine like this in ten 471 00:25:38,800 --> 00:25:41,160 Speaker 1: years and thinking that this is what being a modern 472 00:25:41,200 --> 00:25:44,480 Speaker 1: woman is all about. Copying the latest celebrity hairstyles, wearing 473 00:25:44,520 --> 00:25:47,280 Speaker 1: expensive clothes, and I'm pressing a guy with things like 474 00:25:47,800 --> 00:25:50,800 Speaker 1: the one sex move that every guy loves. While I 475 00:25:50,800 --> 00:25:54,240 Speaker 1: was pregnant, I ended up with a subscription to Parents magazine. Occasionally, 476 00:25:54,240 --> 00:25:56,400 Speaker 1: my issues of Cosmo and Parents arrive in the mail 477 00:25:56,440 --> 00:25:58,600 Speaker 1: on the same day, which always strikes me as funny. 478 00:25:58,760 --> 00:26:03,000 Speaker 1: After becoming a mother, Osmo um seemed to sink to 479 00:26:03,119 --> 00:26:05,959 Speaker 1: an even more shallow level. How to score knockoff designer 480 00:26:06,000 --> 00:26:08,400 Speaker 1: clothes seems pretty silly when you're dealing with a colloquing 481 00:26:08,400 --> 00:26:10,960 Speaker 1: newborn and have it showered in almost a week. When 482 00:26:11,000 --> 00:26:14,040 Speaker 1: my subscriptions to each were close to ending earlier this year, 483 00:26:14,080 --> 00:26:16,680 Speaker 1: I decided to renew both of them. Fundamentally, I still 484 00:26:16,680 --> 00:26:19,399 Speaker 1: disagree with Cosmo and would never defend them, but choosing 485 00:26:19,480 --> 00:26:21,679 Speaker 1: to subscribe only to Parents felt like I was choosing 486 00:26:21,720 --> 00:26:24,800 Speaker 1: to be completely consumed by motherhood and giving up on 487 00:26:24,800 --> 00:26:26,480 Speaker 1: the non mother side of me. It still wants to 488 00:26:26,520 --> 00:26:30,240 Speaker 1: have some moisturizers and frizz tamers, and yes, sometimes even 489 00:26:30,320 --> 00:26:34,320 Speaker 1: learning ridiculous sex moves, or at least laughing about them 490 00:26:34,359 --> 00:26:39,280 Speaker 1: with my husband. Thanks Sabrina, Thanks Sabrina, and like Christy said, 491 00:26:39,320 --> 00:26:41,160 Speaker 1: you can always email us at mom stuff at house 492 00:26:41,160 --> 00:26:43,520 Speaker 1: stuffworks dot com. If you don't have anything to say, 493 00:26:43,520 --> 00:26:45,160 Speaker 1: but you want to see what we're saying, then head 494 00:26:45,200 --> 00:26:47,200 Speaker 1: of our trib blog how to Stuff, or one of 495 00:26:47,280 --> 00:26:49,840 Speaker 1: us posts every weekday. And if you want to learn 496 00:26:49,920 --> 00:26:52,720 Speaker 1: more about women's health, head on over to house stuff 497 00:26:52,720 --> 00:26:57,760 Speaker 1: works dot com for more on this and thousands of 498 00:26:57,760 --> 00:27:01,840 Speaker 1: other topics. Because at house stuff works dot com. Want 499 00:27:01,880 --> 00:27:04,520 Speaker 1: more house stuff works, check out our blogs on the 500 00:27:04,560 --> 00:27:11,439 Speaker 1: house stuff works dot com home page. Brought to you 501 00:27:11,480 --> 00:27:14,840 Speaker 1: by the reinvented two thousand twelve camera. It's ready, are 502 00:27:14,920 --> 00:27:15,080 Speaker 1: you