I went to an all-female high school, so if you got your period you could just go running down the hallway yelling “WHO HAS A TAMPON” and someone was likely to come to your rescue. But what if there was an alternative and you didn’t have to waste your time finding someone?
On Reddit’s AITA forum, one teacher explained how his solution to students searching for period products makes students’ lives easier—but also managed to rankle an older female teacher (“Susan”).
After seeing his daughters struggle, he decided to set up a basket in the classroom containing sanitary items so students who suddenly got their period and were bereft of pads and tampons could basically just hop on in and grab one. Even though the students seem grateful, there is one female teacher who thinks it’s inappropriate for a male teacher to offer basic period products.
“I’m 38M. I’m a father of two daughters and I teach high schoolers here in CA. Since we started off the school year recently I’ve been noticing our female students have been having some ‘issues’ and it’s hard for them to have/find tampons/pads etc when they need it.
As a father myself, I understand that those are essentials for women. So same thing what I do with my daughters. I bought a bunch of tampons/pads and placed it in a basket in our class so our female students can grab one at any time and it’s convenient for them. The whole class loves it. Nobody says anything and overall it’s helpful for our students,” the OP says.
“Now my colleague teacher next-door who’s name is Susan she’s like 60F. She thinks it’s inappropriate that I have that for my female students and she told me it’s weird because I’m a male. I don’t find it weird or anything.
Cause there isn’t anything weird about it? What’s wrong with a period…it’s natural and it happens. To make it convenient for my students I made the basket and they love it and I also refill the basket on a constant basis.”
Umm, this guy sounds like a hero?
“NTA. I think it is really sweet. And it gives them the message that it is totally normal and nothing to be hidden and ashamed of. I wish you would have been one of my teachers. Every time I saw that basket, I would have felt love and acceptance pouring out of it,” said nothing2Chere4ks.
“NTA – You are normalizing treating women’s needs as an ordinary part of life. Susan is the one behaving inappropriately – by trying to create a problem where none exists,” said HowardProject.
“NTA. That’s a valuable lesson for boys to understand the importance of sanitary products,” noted WholeAd2742.
“I think this is amazing on so many levels! Firstly there may be girls who have trouble for whatever reason to get these products in their home life. Whether parents travel a lot, money etc. But also, it is great for the guys in your class. You’re a good influence to them, making it a normal thing. They may not have sisters and being so open with it is great! Schools need more teachers like you! This reminds me of the post a while back where a guy had only sisters and he had hair ties, Bobby pins and pads in his glove box for his female friends, some people had said he was weird and wrong for that. These gestures are lovely and show a respect and understanding for the opposite sex. Keep being awesome,” said 0smultronstalle0.
“NTA. Period poverty is real, and menstruation is a natural part of life. Go for it,” said Ok_Smell_8260.
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