Growing up, our bodies can feel very mysterious.
Coupled with bad or misleading information, it can be shocking to learn the truth about how bodies actually work.
On Reddit, women share the lies they’ve had to unlearn about their bodies — some are rooted in misogyny while others are just flat-out wrong.
Like, body hair is normal. Periods should not debilitate you. And dieting is not always the answer. Knowledge is power, and it’s never too late to learn!
1. Zits
“That zits disappear after puberty…” — Myrania
2. Body Hair
“I remember telling my friend that I had butt hair when I was 12. It was so hard for me to tell her and I was so ashamed. Then she just replied with ‘oh, I do too,’ like it wasn’t a big deal and that made me feel better.” — MjauDuuude
3. Stretch Marks
“There are oils and creams that prevent/heal stretch marks and cellulite. If it’s gonna happen it’s gonna happen. ‘Special’ creams/oils are not going to do any more than your standard moisturiser. Bodies have different textures, different markings. It’s all beautiful!” — the_littlest_ella
4. Biological Clock
“The biological clock. The myth – when a women turns a certain age, a biological flip switches and she will suddenly become rabid for babies. The reality – the term was coined by a journalist in the 70s for a newspaper article. It has no science to support it, and is, in fact, simply a reflection of the rampant sexism and misogyny of the era in which the article was written.” — mistypee
5. Underwear Stains
“That something was wrong with me because the gussets of my underwear were all bleached. Some vaginas just run a little acidic and it’s okay!” — CatrionaShadowleaf
6. Fat Shaming
“That I was a fat child/teenager. I looked back at old photos and I was not fat. Didn’t need to be on 1200 calorie /day diets since I was 12.” — AnthropomorphicSeer
7. Pregnancy
“That pregnancy is beautiful lol. I mean it is, but it is really f*cking hard. I’m lucky to not be nauseous and throwing up, but I am so over the fatigue!!!’ — galaxycherries
8. Hymen
“That the Hymen determined virginity (or that every girl has one).” — El_B_bopp
9. Breast Size
“A friend’s mom told me my boobs were so big because I drank a lot of milk. I was in 5th grade at the time so it was weird all around.” — km8907
10. Abnormal Periods
“Then I had a perfectly normal period. Nope, I have an abnormal period. Normal periods don’t cause excessive vomiting and leave you in bed all day. Periods shouldn’t be so painful where you can’t do basic tasks throughout the day, and growing up I was always told ‘suck it up buttercup’ WHILE BEING SENT HOME FROM SCHOOL FROM PUKING. It wasn’t until I was an adult and more educated about periods when I brought it up to my OBGYN, and she confirmed that it was not normal. Now I take birth control to help regulate it.” — LizzieLove1357
11. Orgasm
“Women can’t orgasm and the clit isn’t real.” — brownhair52
12. Eyesight
“That I wouldn’t need glasses if I ate a lot of carrots. Once I ate so many that the bottom of my feet turned orange. But I still ended up needing glasses.” — flickhuck20
13. Sex Drive
“That men have a higher sex drive and want sex all the time and women have a lower one and don’t want it as much. My sex drive is sky high, and it caused me so much pain and anguish when my spouse didn’t want it as much as me, because ‘men want it more than women. Their hormones are higher,’ so I assumed there must be something wrong or unattractive about me if he didn’t want it as much. The idea that Women’s hormones don’t make us need it as much and men’s hormones make them need it more is destructive.” — forestfaerieok
14. Peeing
“That we can’t pee standing up. It’s not impossible, but not as tidy of a situation as men.” — zzzSleepyBeauty
15. Dieting
“That all women can get a flat stomach with diet and enough exercise. No, my stomach naturally pooches out thanks to genetics.” — kitnic94
16. Not Being Pushy
“It’s just allergies Even if it is allergies it isn’t JUST. Don’t ignore things because someone says it’s JUST. It’s not just a headache, it’s a headache period. It’s not just allergies, it’s allergies period. It’s not just cramps, it’s cramps period. It’s not just fatigue, it’s fatigue period. Don’t let someone diminish your health because you are a woman, you are not being pushy when it comes to your health!” — Nancy2421
17. Feminine Products
“That using feminine products (douches, sprays, cleansers, et cetera) were good for you! Even products labeled as ‘safe” for intimate areas, could upset the delicate intimate balance of the vagina and give rise to infections. Lies!! If anything it messes up your ph, ‘the vagina is a self-cleaning oven.’ Unregulated toxic chemicals in feminine care products may result in serious health problems, like increased risk of breast cancer, reproductive problems, asthma, infections and allergic reactions.” — craftygalcreates.
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