Get Premium
Dark mode theme is available exclusively for premium users. Learn more about the benefits of subscribing.
No fees, cancel anytime.
Dark Mode 
No fees, cancel anytime 
then open in external browser
and click "Open in External Browser" 
If there’s one thing in this life that we should all understand, it’s ourselves. If you have a question about your health, a doctor should be able to clear that up for you. And if you’re struggling with your mental health, a psychologist might be able to help you make sense of everything going on in your mind. But for some reason, the female body continues to confuse many people, even some medical professionals.
Because their bodies are often shrouded in mystery, women have been opening up on Reddit about the information they wish they learned as teenagers. From assurances that certain things are perfectly normal to warnings of when to seek medical attention, this advice might be able to help many young girls. So enjoy scrolling through, whether you’re a woman or just want to understand the women in your life better, and be sure to upvote the info that you wish you had heard sooner!
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Pain is not normal.
SignalAssistant2965:
OMG that's a big one! I so much wish women's pain wouldn't be so often dismissed as "normal" and just a "part of what it means to be a woman".
Andrew Keir 1 day ago
Pain is your body telling you that something is wrong. Pain deserves your attention.
RedandVine 4 hours ago
And the offer of effective pain management for dreadful cramps. Midol doesn't cut it.
whiterabbit 1 day ago
Look into all the toxins they put into tampons... It's no wonder we have pain during periods. Ian Carroll did an excellent deep dive into it if you're interested.
Glenn Milliken 21 hours ago
Why do women Corner the market on pain for medical reasons this is just b******t the should just be something that all teens regardless of s*x gender or crazy trans people pain is the body's way of letting you know something's wrong it should never be ignored or just dismissed as something normal especially when it comes to areas of the body that you wouldn't let anyone see let alone Touch without your consent
RELATED:
#2
Not about bodies specifically, more so about periods. Teens; it is okay if your pad or tampon wrapper makes a noise in the bathroom! Don’t feel ashamed about your period, you don’t need to hide them or feel dirty.
Huddo's sister 2 days ago
I remember my mum providing paper bags for us to put pads in before binning, which my sister appreciated, but I couldn't help thinking it was sad having to cover them more than just with toilet paper in case other people saw them. Like, it's a bin, of course there will be 'gross' stuff in there. I was the last of my friends (actually I think my whole year level) to get my period and had heard a lot from them, read a lot and talked openly to my mum about everything for years before I needed to use the knowledge, so I always felt well informed and unashamed of it. This was very different to most of my peers. I was the one who informed my best friend and her older sister, who weren't allowed to use tampons, that it doesn't 'take' your virginity and also you can pee with one in because it's a separate orifice.
Trillian 1 day ago
I always wrap mine up in toilet paper. Not to hide but because it IS sorta gross to look at. I don't put poopy toilet paper out for display either.
Load More Replies...
Bananaramamama 1 day ago
I was married relatively young (20) and my husband once asked if I could "cover my tampon applicators" that I had disposed of in the trash can becaue it was "gross". It wasn't even a soiled tampons or pad...just the applicator. It was a hellish day for him. I told him if he couldn't handle me being a woman in private then he had no business expecting me to be a woman in the bedroom. Never discussed again and he still picks up feminine items when I'm in a pinch. Some people just need to stand up for their right to be normal humans.
Marlowe Fitzpatrik 1 day ago
Also, teens - think about a menstrual cub. So much better than the uncomfortable pads! It does get you a bit closer to yourself, though, so I get if teenagers are reluctant
Roxy222uk 5 hours ago
People can cope with seeing you holding a tampon or pad on your way to the bathroom (even if they think they can’t, they’re 100% wrong, they will). It’s not ‘rude’ to not hide it, you don’t have to slide it up your sleeve. Sanitary protection is just a product you buy in ordinary shops.
Glenn Milliken 21 hours ago
Ladies it's not like you're taking a s**t we're the next all over is literally puking from the stench of your rotted fish and fermented tofu from last night. If you're worried about the rapper making noise fart or take an actual s**t in undo the wrapper. Once you've done that you'll realize how stupid you were for not wanting anyone to hear the sound of you opening a piece of plastic wrap
#3
Pretty much everyone has stretch marks and cellulite.
coddswaddle:
Even very skinny people.
Auntriarch 1 day ago
One of my boyfriends had stretch marks. He just grew faster than his skin, 6'4" at 12 years old
Glenn Milliken 21 hours ago
Once again this is not something that women have cornered the market on men suffer from this just as God d**n much but we don't cry about it. But then again you think that's just more toxic masculinity
Min 17 hours ago
You have remarkably strong feelings about stretch marks. Is everything okay?
Load More Replies...
LakotaWolf (she/her) 1 day ago
I've never been pregnant/given birth, but I still have all the stretchmarks that people seem to mistakenly associate with "having been pregnant and given birth". Nope, I was just fat, then I lost weight, now I'm fat-ish again XD
#4
That the women playing high schoolers in movies are in their 20s and that you shouldn’t compare yourselves to them when you’re a teen.
Apatheist 1 day ago
Olivia Newton-John was 30 when she was in Grease. Stockard Channing was 34. At least the kids in Harry Potter were the right age.
ToGo 1 day ago
I've only seen them apply acne makeup when the character is the "geek", "ugly duckling" or the bully. It's sad.
Load More Replies... Glenn Milliken 21 hours ago
If this one's really bothering you you're probably got pregnant before you were 20
#5
How long perimenopause lasts. I assumed your periods just stopped like a car running out of gas.
Commonfckingsense:
I genuinely still thought this until your comment, so thank you for educating me today.
Fantastic_Fig_8559:
Mine has changed me. I don’t feel like me anymore. All I thought was I might have some hot flashes and my periods would stop. It’s literally been eight years of hell so far. Every day a new ailment.
Asri 2 days ago
Perimenopause is basically puberty in reverse turned up to 11. Crazy hormones, emotional swings, physical issues.
Catmom 1 day ago
Seriously thought I was dy1ng. Postmenopause is so much calmer. I now wonder whether what I thought of as my personality was younger-adult hormones. My ADHD, though, speaking of 11 plus . . .
Load More Replies...
Lavender Myst 2 days ago (edited)
I've had a significant reduction in Vitamin D, (but B12 is fine), and i am unsure if its related just to PeriM as i have disabling health issues, but you should consider insisting on having it checked, just in case. New deficiencies can come with PeriM's hormonal changes. Both are symptoms, and some Vitimin D may help offset. I know you didnt ask, but its a small thing and I just wanna help.
Load More Replies...
WubiDubi 2 days ago
All menopause journeys are different. Doctors are clueless. Start with seriously reviewing and improving nutrition. Try pausing alcohol and spicy food for a while.
Little Bit 1 day ago
Female doctors are the worst. If you are experiencing menopausal/perimenopausal symptoms that they themselves have never experienced then as far as they're concerned it's irrelevant or a figment of your imagination.
Load More Replies... K Barnes 1 day ago
I miss sleeping through the night and would pay to go back to being able to do it...
Daisydaisy 2 days ago
Perimenopause - six years of being barking mad (for me), with lots of little side health issues that have now settled. What a dreadful time! Nobody warned me
T'Mar of Vulcan 1 day ago
I don't mind most of the side-effects, because hallelujah my period has stopped (39 years of pain and enough blood to make the bathroom look like a crime scene when I changed my pads). Even a mastectomy didn't bother me. BUT I HATE THE HOT FLASHES. I've always gotten physically sick from being overheated (vomiting and nausea, wanting to claw my skin off) and so hot flashes are extremely unpleasant.
Ejteh 1 day ago
And very very important: what both doctors nd women don't always know, is that you can seriously relieve both physical and mental symptoms with hormonal medicine (birth control). You do not have to go trough hell and back, and accept all horrors because 'it's perimenopause, nothing we can do, deal with it' I've seen it do wonders for my sister, and a co-worker, both batteling with mental issues wich were caused by perimenopause. They both have gotten their life back.
Jennifer Gray 1 hour ago
It was the best thing I ever did. I seriously thought i was loosing my mind!!
Load More Replies... Auntriarch 1 day ago
My mother thought she was going mad with the mood swings, but her periods just stopped like flicking a switch, she was 40 and assumed she was pregnant. I on the other hand started system shutdown at 36 spent 15 years on hrt, until it was finally all over at 60.
Jennifer Gray 1 day ago
I had a hysterectomy at 21, and started perimenapause at 33. I'm 48 now and still on hrt.
Load More Replies...
AlithenewMC 2 days ago
I'm only 35 but have already told my Dr that I'm doing hrt when it starts. He just laughed because he's 83 so he probably won't be my dr by that point, but I know if he's miraculously still practicing, he'll have no problem prescribing it. He's always been super up-to-date on all medical news, and surprisingly very much so with women's health issues.
Huddo's sister 2 days ago
My mum went onto hrt as soon as she could and has found it pretty easy compared to a friend who doesn't even want to think about trying it.
Load More Replies...
Janelle Collard 1 day ago
20+ years of menopause, and HRT only for the first 5 years. 🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬 Luckily, medicine has advanced for women since then.
Betsy S 1 day ago
I was always told that menopause takes about 5 yrs. and then you just settle into being old. I'm at 26 yrs now and still getting hot flashes and night sweats and all the rest of it. I'd RATHER feel "old".
Load More Replies... #6
It’s okay to have body hair. Having body hair, anywhere on the body, doesn’t make you any less of a woman.
No_Foundation7308:
It's also okay to pluck or not if you choose to. Don’t let anyone make you feel bad about it one way or the other.
Nathaniel He/Him Cis-Het 2 days ago
It is amazing how many men say they like "natural" women but are then disgusted by body hair.
Lavender Myst 2 days ago (edited)
There was a point in the summer of my 3rd to 4th grade, that at camp like half the girls where shamed by the boys and other girls older then them for not shaving yet... barely there almost invisible peach fuzz, and told they were the gross ones for not shaving and putting on shorts or a swimsuit. It starts early.
Load More Replies... emorinelli49 2 days ago
my daughter has very heavy eyebrows, which as you know is fashionable now. But when she was in middle school, some of the boys got together and left a razor in her locker. She’s 32 now and to this day, she only feels clean after she’s had her eyebrows done. I hate those boys.
Roxy222uk 5 hours ago
Wow. Did anyone ever tell their parents what they’d done?? Every mother I know what definitely want to know.
Load More Replies...
Serena Myers 1 day ago
It's one of these ageing things in women. If you have fine hair, like me, once the hormones pack their bags and wave goodbye, then armpit hair, eyebrow hair, púbic hair. arm and leg hair virtually disappear over time and you are left with the annoying testosterone hormones with hairs on chin and in nostrils. Sigh. Don't mind me, I'm off to rant to Cradle Of Empires because their latest update is veering on aggressive.
Amy S 1 day ago
Staggering how many people think armpit hair is dirty on a woman but not a man, like men's hair is naturally cleaner than women's.
Lazy Panda 2 15 hours ago
THIS. I was told that it helped stopping my pits smell. And it was years before I thought, "no one tells boys this." Regular washing is what stops the smell, not the presence of hair.
Load More Replies...
Kim Karlotta 1 day ago
A lot of men do, as well as their private parts. Then again, there are so many men who claim having armpit hair is "unhygienic", but only on women.
Load More Replies... Glenn Milliken 21 hours ago
Next time you see a man's hairy back while you're eating a salad in a restaurant remember you said this you stupid whores
Roxy222uk 5 hours ago
Why is he in a restaurant without his shirt on? Also, why specifically salad? You’re obviously angry about something but I’m not sure what point you’re making.
Load More Replies...
LilliVB 2 days ago (edited)
Then shave yourself. But just because they aren't of your liking, it doesn't mean that other people have to bend backwards for you. I don't get to judge you for wanting to shave, you don't get to judge others for not wanting to. EDIT: typo
Load More Replies...
#7
That many men think it exists solely for their use at their whim, and will start preying on you when you're an eleven year old child.
Lavender Myst 2 days ago (edited)
I'm not Republican for may reasons but i feel it would be unfair to not 'cough cough' about Clinton as well, some others and politics that dont belong here... SA, R@pe, and p**o does not stop solely on a party line..don't care who downvotes me for saying it. Pointing fingers at one side alone doesn't truely help, address, or solve the issue. It just makes it easier for the others to hide. I know people that affilate with both parties that would be disgusted by any child used in such a way.
Load More Replies... 
#8
That it’s not normal if you’re in severe pain every time you have your period. That it isn’t “normal” to barely function when you have your period.
That if you’re dealing with such pain and heavy bleeding, there’s a decent likelihood you have endometriosis (or a similar condition like PCOS)
That one in ten have endometriosis. That one in three miscarry.
That none of these things make you weird or less valuable or less of a woman. That you’re not alone.
Lavender Myst 2 days ago (edited)
Not only is it hard enough for women to be seen and taken seriously about this, but it can take years if not decades to get diagnosed, and worse when they are misdiagnosed. Even worse is thst after a women gives birth, if they are even able to conceve with these issues the uterus can heal itself as it shrinks back down but create new problems. Even worse, it may not fix itself and at the same time create another issue. Some you may not have even heard of, like Adenomyosis.(sp)
Upstaged75 1 day ago
It took me 10 years. By that point the endo had destroyed my tubes.
Load More Replies...
Huddo's sister 2 days ago
Even my mum, who was a registered nurse by this point, didn't understand how bad my sister's period pain was, because she had never experienced any like that (neither had I). I don't think I heard the word endometriosis until my cousin was diagnosed about 7 years ago. It was only after that it started being talked about in mainstream media here.
amy lee 14 hours ago
They're trialing antibiotics for endometriosis. See if she can get signed up!
Load More Replies... 
Lazy Panda 2 15 hours ago
And you can have horrible painful periods without endometriosis or PCOS but you still shouldn't suffer. Over 20 years of physical and mental pain before I realised that the simplest solution was just to stop having periods. Hello combined pill for non-contraceptive purposes.
#9
That it's not studied properly, so don't trust doctors much. They have professional blindness here.
Grizzlyfrontignac:
The book "invisible women" by Caroline Criado-Perez HUGELY opened my eyes to this. I wish it was just doctors, but much pain and suffering by women has been ignored by professionals of all kinds simply because our issues aren't exactly like those of men. And we're just left there to accept it! It's crazy.
LilliVB 2 days ago (edited)
Not just this. All medical procedures and medicaments that are for both sexes (so nothing related to your reproductive system) were/are mainly tested on men and therefore developed for men. Doses, collateral effects and so on. But due to the hormonal differences they actually don't work exactly in the same way for men and women. Therefore women are subjected to higher risks due to lack of proper testing for their own séx. EDIT: typo
Blue Bunny of Happiness 1 day ago
Yep, women have been excluded from many medical trials because their hormones make it difficult to clearly understand the impact of medication.
Load More Replies...
Fellfromthemoon 1 day ago
Since the nineties, the requirement to test medicines on women as well emerged, and more or less becoming the norm.
Alex Fountain 1 day ago
I was so frustrated recently when I suddenly got several months of extremely painful period cramps out of nowhere—so bad that I was dry heaving. I went to an OBGYN and she told me that her diagnosis (without asking me any further questions or doing any tests) was “painful periods.” I was given stronger ibuprofen (which didn’t even work, by the way). That was it. This is *insane* and should NOT be the norm for someone coming in to the doctor with bad pain.
#10
That not having a completely flat tummy is 100% normal and that exercise (weight lifting specifically) is much more important for us than we think (beyond esthetics).
Andrew Keir 1 day ago
Everyone has their own 'comfortable' weight , which does not necessarily have anything to do with BMI. Most people are fine as they are, with no need to fuss. If you can do what you want to do, you needn't panic about the occasional kg; just as long as there isn't a steady change in your weight.
Robyn Hill 22 hours ago
Yes, but having had a flat tummy for most of my life, the menopausal weight gain has been awful. I absolutely hate my body now. I hate the way it feels and how in the way it is.
#11
The slime your [lady bits] produce is normal. The bleaching of dark underwear is normal. I had to learn this from Mama Doctor Jones.
WindySwede 1 day ago (edited)
An post about female bodies, and you censor V****A? 😶 V a g i n a. (You didn't censor that before!)
Glenn Milliken 21 hours ago
The people that are doing the censoring now are just f****s and homos that were beating his children while their mommies stuck things up their b**t. It'll all change in 5 to 10 years when they get fired or retired
Load More Replies... Andrew Keir 1 day ago
There's so much that kids (both genders) don't get told. It's criminal. They need help and they so often get fairy tales. System fault here.
Magda Kocickova 1 day ago
Wow, thanks. I always thought I must be ill for bleaching my underwear
#12
That bodies come in all sizes and with lots of different anatomy options for all body parts. And that you can't be blamed for how your body looks.
patricia patricia 1 day ago
Even if you can be "blamed" fir how your body looks (if you could exercise more, or eat less for example) it's nobody else's business. The person could have an illness, or they may just feel ok, or for whatever reason they can't solve it. Keep your judgement and opinions to yourself. Just shut up.
Andrew Keir 1 day ago
Even now, there's far too much "Beautiful Princess" vs "Ugly witch" propaganda lurking in fairy tales and folk mythology. And "Beauty Pageants" gross me out ... imho it's obscene.
Glenn Milliken 21 hours ago
You can completely be blamed on how your body looks if you're eating 12 pints of ice cream every morning for breakfast yeah it's completely 100% your fault
#13
All the damage pregnancy can do to your body. And that there are things you can do to prevent or minimize it.
WubiDubi 2 days ago (edited)
Things being amazingly good nutrition? The baby messes with your immune system and messes up all organ positions. I don't think we yet we know how the organs know where to go back to!
Bookworm 1 day ago
Also whoever said it's 9 months lied. Pregnancy is 40 weeks which is 10 months. You might give birth sooner, but plan for 10 months. You don't want to give birth prematurely.
Amy S 1 day ago
40 weeks is not 10 months because there are not exactly 4 weeks in a month. If there were 4 weeks in a month there would be 13 months in a year (52/4). For example, 9 months from now is 10 October 2026, 40 weeks from now is 17th October (so 9 months and 7 days) but 10 months from now is 10 November. That's before we consider that the start date of a pregnancy is likely to be before conception (first day of last period).
Load More Replies... Stephanie Did It 1 day ago
I had eclampsia two times before age 25. No one ever told me that the damage to my body would come back to plague me for the rest of my life.
Littlemiss 1 day ago
Count in if you aren't a teenager or early 20s and having a baby, you get treated like you don't exist or must be overreacting to everything. My child and I almost died because doctors and midwife didn't listen. Fobbed off, ignored, and told oh well should have done it sooner. I was told I couldn't have children, so it was a shock I fell pregnant at all.
#14
That the strength, vitality and health I was enjoying then would fade and I should have appreciated it as the gift it was.
That my concerns over being too flat chested, having too pointy a nose, or being too “much” were someone else’s insecurities being projected onto me.
That every photo in every magazine depicting perfect hair, flawless skin, and long legs was retouched…a lie being told to convince me I was “less than” just to sell me something.
Auntriarch 1 day ago
I was shocked to see how much they change the photo of a model for a magazine. I mean I was expecting a bit of primping, but it was a proper eye opener
Andrew Keir 1 day ago
IMHO there is something rotten at the heart of skin-deep 'perfection in beauty'.
Load More Replies... #15
That you’ll still sometimes have period accidents and bleed through your pants even as an adult.
Stardust she/her 2 days ago
I got shamed a lot for starting my period in the middle of the night. The bedsheets looked like a m****r had taken place, so much blood.
Cathleen Cummings 1 day ago
If someone is blaming or shaming you for the time of day or night when your period starts, you might want to seriously rethink whether they belong in your life.
Load More Replies...
Detroit Citizen 1 day ago
My step daughter, at around 12 got her first period while in school (middle school). Her mom had the talks, put her on b/c , had pads and tampons at home. So she started her first actual period (had spotting before, but not a full period) in class. She didn' have her products with her. A friend of hers told her about the accident (my daughter was sitting in class) after noticing. My daughter asked teacher (F) to be excused to the restroom. Teacher said no and started to idk, make fun, humiliate her. Daughter secretly texted me . Told me what teacher was saying and refusing her to use the facilities. I rush to the school (was home, less than 1 mile). Got to her classroom after checking in at the office. Walked over to my daughter, whispered "Cmon, stand up, i got you, its gonna be ok". While she was standing up, i wrapped my suit coat around her waist in one swift motion. I walked up to teach and told her shes a vile woman for making another girl ashamed and embarrassed. I reported her
Andrew Keir 1 day ago
Teacher needed educating ... at the least! I hope the school gave her a hard time for that.
Load More Replies...
T'Mar of Vulcan 1 day ago
I had to go change my pad in the bathroom at work (my periods were so heavy I'd bleed through the thickest pads within an hour) and it looked like a crime scene. Seriously, I don't even know how, there was blood on the WALLS (I cleaned it, of course.) When menopause came I did the dance of joy.
M M 1 day ago
I was using tampons and pads on my first days of period for this exact reason. Changing both every hour as well. At least it wasn't painful, I just felt severe weakness.
Load More Replies... Blue Bunny of Happiness 1 day ago
And often made worse by perimenopause… that was a fun day at work….
L.V 1 day ago
I went from 5 days to 7-8... But interestingly enough, hardly any spotting now, before it used to be several days on both sides
Load More Replies...
Gingersnap In Iowa 1 day ago
I started my period when I was 11. My mom didn't explain to me about changing my pad. I was sick to my stomach and laid down on the cot. When it was time to leave school I had a huge blood spot on my pants but I didn't know it. A bunch of boys and girls made fun of me.
M M 1 day ago
That's so not cool. I'm lucky that girl from class told me so I could cover myself.
Load More Replies... #16
Aim for looking like/feeling like the best version of yourself, rather than trying to attain the looks of someone else.
Blue Bunny of Happiness 1 day ago
And you can guarantee that 30 years later you’ll look at old photos of yourself and wonder why you thought you were too fat/too thin etc when you actually looked great!
#17
That being skinny isn’t always safe. I don’t mean being obese is what we should aim for, but starving myself and doing more to maintain a small size was more harmful than healthy.
That no matter how skinny you are, your body has very specific markers of change that generally come around approximately each decade due to hormonal changes, and that’s okay.
That stretch marks are okay and sometimes come because of growth spurts.
So much… so, SO much.
I was raised in the 80s and 90s, when women were judged very harshly. I wish we were kinder to girls and women back then.
Eleven Seventy Seven 2 days ago
I have hated and been ashamed of my body since I was a child. I was always about 20 pounds heavier than the average weight a girl should be until I hit puberty, and then I gained about 40 pounds in a year. My mum watched my food intake, I exercised, but I just kept gaining weight. She never made me feel bad about my weight (she was 110 lbs), but everywhere I turned, I was bombarded with images of what I should look like. I am 48 and still hate my body and feel shame every single day. How I wish we lived in a society that focused on who you are and not what you look like.
Andrew Keir 1 day ago
Some progress is being made here but there's so far to go ...
Load More Replies... Huddo's sister 2 days ago
I would have liked to know that the reason so many of my first cousins once removed were overweight was the side effects of antidepressants. Might have prepared me for the dramatic change I went through in my 20s. After so many years of being complimented for 'being able to eat whatever I wanted' it was really hard trying to plan what I ate (hampered by the meds making me crave more unhealthy things).
L.V 1 day ago
You need some fat, particularly as you get older. Not taking about being obese, but a healthy amount.
#18
Women bodies are not suppose to look like the super models.
Zig Zag Wanderer 2 days ago (edited)
🔼🔼This 🔼🔼 I used to have a 'body type' that I was attracted to. I had the amazing fortune to fall in love with a, shall we say, more generously proportioned woman than I was normally physically attracted to. I now understand that physical attraction is almost completely irrelevant, and I'm amazed at how important I used to believe it was. We're all different. The 'right' one won't look like you expect them too, anyway!
Andrew Keir 1 day ago
The 'super models' are not a representation of humanity, they are a false idealisation. Plato would be appalled.
#19
You will look like 7 different people in the span of one month because of your hormones and it’s okay if you don’t always love what you see. It is temporary.
#20
That your downstairs looks perfectly normal. It's organic and supposed to be what it is. Love yourself.
Andrew Keir 1 day ago
Your junk is functional. It was never intended to be pretty, it's not for seeing. Nobody else is entitled to even have an opinion about it. So relax and just ...be you.
Ejteh 1 day ago
Yes! The difference in v a g i n a anatomy is staggering! I've rarely seen a textbook v a g i n a. They come in all shapes and sizes. Some hang a bit down, like sticking out, some barely have labia, some look like they have way more labia than 4, and don't get me started about the placement of the 'openings'. They are not always neat in line, where they should belong (in theory). And childbirth also has its effects, sometimes barely, sometimes a lot. And all v a g i n a s are just fine! Source: I'm a nurse.
#21
That having a little belly pooch is totally normal because of the reproductive organs being in the way.
I just thought I was always fat, even when I weighed 110lbs.
Alewa 1 day ago
The pooch is not there because reproductive organs are in the way. Unless you are breastfeeding or postpartum, the uterus is behind the symphysis (the bony front part of your pelvis). The pooch is subcutaneous fat.
Roberta Surprenant 1 day ago
When I saw statue of Little Mermaid in Copenhagen and saw she had a little belly roll too.
#22
That sometimes “mental health symptoms” are actually hormonal disorders. I was almost convinced I was bipolar until my OBGYN diagnosed me with PMDD and I got on a birth control that regulated my progesterone. It was like an instant fix.
KC Lancaster 2 days ago
PCOS (Polycystic ovary syndrome) is considered a common hormonal disorder that can affect any woman of reproductive age. It can not only play havoc with your mentality, but your body in many ways. It's one of the reasons I was in so much pain each time I had my period from when I was 11 until I was diagnosed with that and endometriosis in my 40's.
LilliVB 2 days ago
Oh, d**n, that's awful. You went through 3 decades of constant symptoms that messed your body and mind. You have all my sympathies.
Load More Replies... Little Bit 1 day ago
I had PMDD from day one of my periods when I was 13 but back in the 1990s it wasn't a recognised condition In the days before my periods I would sit and sob uncontrollably for hours at a time and my mood swings were so extreme that I had to shut myself away because other people couldn't bear to be around me. My periods were very heavy and sometimes I passed out with the pain. My mother told me that it was normal and to stop making such a fuss so I suffered in silence for years. When I was 19 I went to my doctors and begged for hysterectomy because I felt like I'd rather be dead than go through that every month. I was given medication which improved things a fair bit. My mother later admitted that she had never seen or experienced anything like it before and quite simply didn't know how to handle it
Ejteh 1 day ago
Yes! Same here. Ive always had PMDD, but after the birth of my second baby I could barely function in the week before my period. It was like having a crippling depression with ridiculous moodswings in between. Figured it was hormonal, since i had no trouble during the pregnancy, sought help, went on a very specific kind of birth control and also had an instant fix!
#23
That nothing is 'supposed' to look one certain way. Variety is normal and makes us unique.
Andrew Keir 1 day ago
I'll say it again - your junk is for procreating, not for showing, and definitely it's not 'beautiful'. Separate these ideas *now*. And may Cthulhu take all those who encourage (or even enable) 'beauty' contests. They're sick - and not in a good way ...
Bananaramamama 1 day ago (edited)
Omg this. However know what is "normal" FOR YOU. Lumps, bumps, smells and regularity. But it can be drastically different for everyone. And this goes for men too!!
#24
Female pleasure. I had no idea until I was in college.
AverageCommenter (she/they) 1 day ago
I’m confused, do they mean how females get pleasure? (Sorry im autistic and I sometimes need better examples)
Andrew Keir 1 day ago
That's part of what college / University is *for*. This can't be taught, it's different for each individual, we have to find out for ourselves, by trying things. In that way it's like learning which foods we like..
L.V 1 day ago
Nah, it can be taught to a certain degree. Sure it's different from one person to the next, and you need to figure out what's enjoyable or not. But there are certain basics that are common to most women
Load More Replies... #25
I wish someone would have told me how drastically having a baby would change my whole body, shape, size, all of it. My feet even grew a whole half size. And I have not been back there since.
Huddo's sister 2 days ago (edited)
My feet got wider even before I got pregnant. Currently wearing shoes with a hole in them to work because I can't find any others that fit. Lengthwise I'm a size 5, width wise I was a 7, now 7.5-8 and I'm only first trimester. Considering learning to make my own, but that's one craft I don't think I'd do well with.
Tazzer Panda 1 day ago
Have a look online for wide fit shoes, hope this helps
Load More Replies... Betsy S 1 day ago
My feet got a half-size larger with each full term pregnancy. Now it's next to impossible to find shoes because my feet are apparently a size that's illegal for women. (11)
ManuelQue 1 day ago
I'm a size 10, men's size 8. Figure out which men's size is yours. It may open some new possibilities.
Load More Replies... #26
If your doctor tells you it’s “just anxiety” or “normal pain” get a second opinion. i ended up with chronic back pain from not pushing back on this conclusion.
#27
Queefing is totally normal, if air goes in, air will come out. My first boyfriend told me to “never do that again”, that stuck with me for a looooong time and I was always so embarrassed when it’d happen.
Zig Zag Wanderer 2 days ago
“never do that again” what an absolute jerk. The irony is that he probably caused it!
cerinamroth 13 hours ago
Your d**k gave my fabulous f a n n y indigestion. No time for a man like that!
Load More Replies...
#28
That your body shape will change drastically in perimenopause, regardless of dietary habits.
wowbagger 1 day ago
It's been a weird feeling for me -- like my body is just doing what it's going to do, and I have no say in it. My weight has stayed the same, but the distribution is completely different. My clothing size has changed, and my old reliable clothing brands no longer fit. I've had to look at other brands that are cut for the middle aged body.
#29
That your [chest] will change shape, size, consistancy/texture, and sag several times throughout your life.
Right before I turned 30, they just completely changed and I had no idea what was happening.
Child of the Stars 2 days ago
That's why it's so so important to do the self breast exam. Every breast is different (even on the same woman; your left can vary significantly from your right). You need to know which lumps and bumps your normal breast tissue has so you know when it abnormal. And teach your daughters as soon as the tissue starts growing. The earlier the habit forms, the better.
#30
HORMONE 👏 CHANGES 👏 HAPPEN 👏 IN 👏 YOUR 👏 THIRTIES 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏.
Ace 1 day ago
And your teens, your twenties, your forties, your fifties. Not quite sure what this one is trying to say.
Sian E 1 day ago
Some doctors will insist you are too young to be going through perimenopause/menopause in your thirties. Primary Ovarian Insufficiency is a thing. In the future it will hopefully be recognised that the age for menopause starting is closer to 40 than 50. And that early menopause has been underdiagnosed for years.
Load More Replies...
#31
You need to eat. You are gonna have people equate your worth with your weight.
You need to give your body nutrients, and you need to eat protein and fruit. It doesn't matter if it's fashionable to be super thin, or be on ozempic, or take stackers and phenphen, or barf up lunch, or cut calories to nothing, or be a smol girl or mpdg.
Men-- boyfriends, alpha males, fathers, husbands, pastors, influencers, fashion designers are trying to make you starve yourself so you are not nourishing your brain enough to detect their manipulation of you.
Companies are trying to instill in you a dissatisfaction with your body that makes you consume, consume, consume.
You are okay. Your human body deserves nourishment. You are dulling your sharpness, your vitality, your mind.
If your mind is screaming to Get Away, whatever your Get Away is, start working on your plan to Get Away. You got this.
KC Lancaster 2 days ago
Your brain can be your best friend! Teach it critical thinking and make sure it's fed well!
LakotaWolf (she/her) 1 day ago
My sister took fen-phen for YEARS in the 90s when it was the hot thing to take for weight loss. Spoilers: it didn't work and now I worry about her developing valvular heart disease or pulmonary hypertension... or both. It can take decades for damage from taking fen-phen to show up in the body, and my sister took it pretty hardcore for years :(
#32
Sounds obvious but… your body is going to go through a lot of changes. Try to love yourself through every part of it, care for yourself as best as you can, and allow grace. It’s ok if you’re not the size you were a decade ago.
#33
Rather the opposite: I wish they **hadn't** called all those actresses and singers 'fat' (90s-00s).
Norfolk and good 2 days ago
Renee Zellweger in Bridget Jones's Diary and Martine McCutcheon in Love Actually. 🙄
Lily bloom 1 day ago
I remember a tabloid cover with a red circle around some celebrity's lower belly with the caption "pregnant?!?!" She had the tiniest pudge that protuded slightly beyond her hip bones.
#34
Labia comes in different sizes. I seriously thought something was wrong with me because mine were/are large.
Ace 1 day ago
Has the trend for cosmetic surgery down there been and gone, or does it still continue? I haven't seen much about it recently but always found it quite disturbing that women were somehow being persuaded that they needed to look like babies.
Andrew Keir 1 day ago
Disturbing in many ways. Séxual organs are for using, not for show to the general population. And babies are effectively sexless - for many reasons. Let's accept that, and move on.
Load More Replies... LakotaWolf (she/her) 1 day ago
I have a large flappy extra bit on one side too! They're asymmetrical! That's totally normal and okay! Unless extra flappy bits are getting in the way or getting caught on your underwear/clothing/etc., don't worry about them! XD
#35
You’re only supposed to lose about 5-80 ml of blood during your period! Having to dump out your menstrual cup multiple times a day is WAY too much! (I turned out to have endometriosis and bleed triple the usual amount.).
Rali Meyer 1 day ago
perhaps place a tampon into colored liquid of a know amount and get a sense of how much it absorbs. 40 ml is a double shot of whisky - but better use tea ;-)
Blue Bunny of Happiness 1 day ago
Keep track of what absorbency of tampon you use and how many times a day you need to change it.
Load More Replies... Huddo's sister 2 days ago (edited)
Define mutiple? I would take that to mean more than once, but by the second day I can (usually) forget I have it because I only have empty it morning and night.
#36
I wish someone just had the talk with me. I come from a traditional South Asian family and had NO IDEA WHAT A PERIOD WAS. It's called bamari which translates into the sickness.
I was handed the biggest pad by my grandma and was told to wear them and stay away from boys. Puberty was the worst time of my life and I wish someone just had a conversation with me 😆.
Stardust she/her 2 days ago
Oof, I come from the same country or region as OP and attitudes regarding periods are still so backwards that a lot of girls especially in rural areas start skipping school once they start their periods due to shame. Guys are also very uneducated, a few years back there was a case where a married guy k****d his sister because he thought she did something with someone as her bedsheets were stained and didn’t know that she’d had her period
Andrew Keir 1 day ago
'Shame' should be restricted to the results of wrong, chosen acts. So many religions see women as 'impure' on their period, and often after childbirth as well. The one is natural (and god-given?) and the other is how each of us was born. Maybe people should be less judgemental ?
Load More Replies...
Nea 1 day ago
We work in public health amd we ysed human centered design to indetify problems and design solutions. In one district in Southen state, we aaae addressing these problems only. I am very proud of pushing adolescent health as the forst issue to develop solutions for. FaMilies dont prepare gorls for periods, so we are preparing them in classes and through teachers, counsellors and peers.
#37
The 4 phases of the menstrual cycle and how it affects your mood, appetite, and even appearance. Being in tune with the phases of my cycles has helped me live a better life.
Andrew Keir 1 day ago
The more you can learn about your body, the better it will be to live there.
#38
To start strengthening your pelvic floors - not wait to be pregnant to be told that.
pineapple87 1 day ago
I always thought incontinence was something only women who had given birth dealt with. Until at 37 (and child free) sneezing and puking among other things started causing it
Blue Bunny of Happiness 1 day ago
Perimenopause can affect continence. You can guess how I know….
Load More Replies... LakotaWolf (she/her) 1 day ago
I remember when my mom's pelvic floor basically was disintegrating in her late 60s and she had bladder/uterine prolapse. One of the things the doc told her to do was do kegels. My mother had NO IDEA what a kegel was or how to do one. So there was my 30-year-old self trying to teach my 68-year-old mother what a kegel is and how to do one XD It was... not a fun experience. Very embarrassing XD And no, my mother never DID learn how to do a kegel.
Rick Murray 9 hours ago
[Googles kegel] Oh, I'm doing stuff like that because I hurt my lower back at work.
Load More Replies...
#39
It is normal to have:
Hip dips.
A "trail" of slightly darker hair on your lower abdomen
Issues with lifting/moving heavy things.
A softer frame than men. This "my thigh is bigger than my boyfriend's" thing is absolutely normal and common.
Ugh, this caused me so much stress in my teens.
wowbagger 1 day ago
Well, everybody has trouble moving "heavy" things -- heavy is relative to the person. What's important is not to buy into the idea that women are naturally "weak" or have soft muscles. Strength training is very important for all humans, and we need to challenge our muscles regularly. When I was a kid, I was told that sweating and any kind of muscle definition was unfeminine. What a load of c**p.
#40
I went to a Catholic school and leaned about women’s anatomy there. It wasn’t until I was in my early 20’s that I realized that there are two separate openings in the vulva.
I’m a woman.
#41
That guys love the wobbly bits so stop stressing about it.
Detroit Citizen 1 day ago
Yes we do. I personally like the little tummy. It looks natural. I also like when women dont stand on idk, ceremony and not eat. Like for real? Eat. Please eat. A healthy appetites is s**y. If you accidentally burp, its cute. If you do it on purpose, well, we are gonna have a burp war lol. And yes, i know women fart, ohhh big shock, theyre bodies are doing body things lol.
#42
That our hormones are constantly changing. I was taught that we all go through puberty and then that’s it until we hit menopause. My acne was horrific as a teen and everyone promised me it would stop and here I am at 35 with acne still and new hormonal changes.
Huddo's sister 1 day ago (edited)
Sometimes they can do more harm than good though. There is one (acutane, iirc) that has had conditions placed on the prescription of it in Australia last year because of the lasting negative side effects.
Load More Replies... Shadow 3 hours ago
TL;DR Drink less cows milk!! Now this worked for me but I'd noticed that some months I'd have really bad acne and other months I'd have none. I started keeping a food diary. Turns out the months a drank large amounts of milk were months I had a lot of acne if I drank only a glass or 2 then I'd have little to no acne during my period that month.
Little Bit 1 day ago
I'm 47 and have not had one single day without zits since I was 11. Not one single day.
#43
Understand the effects of birth control do research find what’s right for you and do general check ups.
#44
It's OK to struggle with weight loss and gain. All women's bodies are different yet beautiful.
Bookworm 1 day ago
If you need to lose weight for a surgery and you're not losing enough struggle is absolutely the correct word. Especially when not getting said surgery is a danger to your life. Don't gatekeep how women choose to view their relationship with their weight.
Load More Replies... #45
Weight fluctuation is NORMAL. I’m 30 and I’ve had an ebb and flow of 15-20 pounds throughout the year, even with a healthy lifestyle and active lifestyle. My mom still to this day comments on my weight loss (if that’s the phase I’m in) when I go home, and I’m working through it in therapy. I feel the need to be the most slim when I see my mom, so I restrict and become obsessive weeks before a planned trip home.
Sara Frazer 8 hours ago
Sounds like my mom! She's been giving me shít about my body since I was 9! 🫠 Glad she lives 2000 miles away now lol
Andrew Keir 1 day ago
I'm sorry for the effect this must be having on your relationship with your mother. I'm also sorry that she's putting you through this ...
#46
How many changes your body will go through and how most of them are entirely unacceptable to society at large.
Andrew Keir 1 day ago
And 'society at large' can just do one ... Your body, your choices. Your doctor has the training to comment and advise on your living habits, but pretty well everyone else doesn't know a d**n thing about what is good for you.
#47
Sometime in your 30's you will have a *much* harder time losing weight.
Rick Murray 9 hours ago
Does this go for guys too? I started my 40s being about 52kg (I was always a thin child). I started my 50s being 70kg. Ummmm... If this is linear then I'll be in trouble when I hit my 60s, and if it's logarithmic then the whole town will be in trouble. 😉
#48
Somewhat related but if you go on the Hormonal Pill Progestrone your period could be horrendous and you give birth/pass something called a Dicidual Cast (Google it at your own risk) when it happened to me I was in the worst pain and on the toilet passed something I thought I was dying and had cancer. What else was I to think!!! Then you go to the Drs and they say oh yeah thats a very rare side affect. Why is it not on the flipping leaflet!!!!!!!
Thanks school and thank you Drs.
pineapple87 1 day ago
It's interesting how progesterone pills have such vast differences in how they impact you. I know some women who have experiences like this or they were just constantly on their period whereas for me, my period stopped completely with them and I'm loving it.
#49
I wish someone had told me how beneficial cycle tracking was.
T'Mar of Vulcan 1 day ago
As a teen I read about how your cycle should be about 28 days. I misunderstood and thought that the amount of days between the last day of your period and the first day of the next one should be 28 days. Mine were 21/22 days and I was convinced I was not normal. When I discovered that mine were actually pretty much textbook (7 days plus 21 = 28 days) I was already in my thirties!
#50
It's normal and healthy to be "soft", women need to have some body fat to be healthy, our bodies aren't supposed to be shredded and "firm" like the magazines used to sell when I was a teen. I have been dieting since I was 9, developed eating disorders and hated my soft belly even when I was underweight, I always thought I should lose weight untill it was "firm". Knowing it's normal and healthy to have body fat helps me to accept my softness as a part of being a woman and even more feminine because of that (I am still mortified by the idea of putting on weight but things are getting better).
Blue Bunny of Happiness 1 day ago
I love a bloke with a bit of squishiness. I always feel if I threw myself at a bodybuilder type bloke, I’d impure myself bouncing off his muscles.
Andrew Keir 1 day ago (edited)
or even, injure yourself ... ;-) , but, yes, cuddling works better if there's a little 'give'
Load More Replies... #51
That body changes can/do continue into your 20s/30s. I was really disappointed with my body as a teen but I’ve filled out better now. I thought puberty was the only time that would happen.
#52
I have to pick ONE?? 😂 Lord, help me.
Top: Your hormonal changes do NOT make you irrational -- maybe more sensitive (to ACTUAL problems) and in need of SERIOUS rest, decreased stimulation, and certain nutrients...but NOT irrational. I've made the most insightful, life-changing observations about my life when I truly LISTENED to myself during my luteal and menstrual phases. Follicular and ovulation phases are for planning and doing...luteal and menstrual phases are for rest and reflection.
For teens, especially: teen pregnancy is HIGHLY risky...it's safest for you and your future baby to wait until your body has completely finished getting ready! (I say this, because I had wanted children from a very young age, so I know they're out there!)
Unrecognized perimenopause seems to be a HUGE factor in a TON of women's health issues -- everything from anxiety/depression to heart palpitations or joint pain! It can start as early as your 30s, AND you can safely take hormones to treat it! Get treated!
The vast majority of women CAN breastfeed!! Educate yourself DEEPLY about this. It is SO worth it, and you CAN do it!
"Bouncing back" from birth is rarely a thing. Research after-birth recovery, rest for a couple of weeks, then slowly build your body back up with smart exercises.
Ok...Imma stop there, for now, but I know I have a ton more locked away. 😂.
AlithenewMC 2 days ago
But if you don't want to breastfeed, don't let people make you feel bad about that either. I never wanted to, but tried for a couple of weeks with my first and hated it, so I stopped. I was so much happier, my son was less hungry and I was able to get more rest because other people could help more easily. My mom told me she hated it with all 4 of us and thinks it's why she had ppd. Both my kids were formula fed (I did pump for the first week with my second, until I dried up, and he got that with his formula), and both are at the top of their classes, healthy, thriving and we're a closely bonded family. If you want to breastfeed, great- I hope it goes well for you: but if you dont want to, or struggle with it/can't, don't feel guilty. Fed is best.
LakotaWolf (she/her) 1 day ago
Yes! I'm adopted, so there was no chance I was going to be a breastfed baby XD It in no way affected my bond with my mother/both parents (so to speak) that I was not breastfed. There's benefits to the mother's colostrum, but the production of that is short-lived. Fed is best!
Load More Replies... #53
LISTEN TO YOUR BODY. You will want to trust your doc/OBGYN when they tell you they "don't see anything". Do so...to an extent. Women's health and illness are NOT well-researched, so even our docs are ignorant af. If YOU think something is wrong, keep looking!
Andrew Keir 1 day ago
Your health is a fair subject for negotiation between you and your doctor. Both of you should listen.
#54
That women go through four phases.. not just periods then daffodils the rest of the month.
Also that the luteal and follicular phase will have you questioning your choices, sanity, true weight and give you slight body dysmorphia 🙃.
#55
Stop eating so much sugary [stuff] and lift weights! Find ways to love your body, even your least favourite bits & make it a religion! Everyone told me my metabolism wouldn't be the same, everyone told me after having kids the weight would be harder to shift. Sadly its all true. I never had self esteem issues though until I was a size 24 & the realisation that I want to lose weight, but will be left with loose skin and have no time/mental energy to start a weight lifting routine at this phase of life.
#56
What a desidual cast is.
KC Lancaster 2 days ago
"A decidual cast is a large, intact piece of tissue that you pass through your v*gina in one solid piece. It happens when the thick mucus lining of the uterus, called the decidua, sheds in the near exact shape of your uterine cavity, creating a triangular 'cast'.” (WebMD)
#57
A period is nothing to feel embarrassment about! It’s not a dirty secret!
Andrew Keir 1 day ago
True, but it's not something that anyone else needs to know about. Private, but not dirty.
#58
Discharge doesn't mean you're dirty. In fact, it's the opposite.
Everything I learned was from the internet.
KC Lancaster 2 days ago
This sort of information shouldn't be simply taken from anywhere on the internet. The reason being that some discharge is perfectly normal and healthy, while other types are indicators of different infections or other possible issues. The female reproductive areas are very complex. If you're not sure, ask a knowledgeable family member, or if you're not comfortable doing that, the school nurse if you're still in school.
#61
How to insert a tampon properly.
I gotta kinda lift up the bits and angle it right. When I got my first period, my bio mom just threw a tampon at me.
Huddo's sister 1 day ago
I did that and still didn't have it in far enough. It was only because I told my mum it was uncomfortable that I found out.
Load More Replies... #62
Second puberty.
Superb_Anxiety_1464:
You go through a second puberty at like 25ish (give or take) and your body totally transforms again but not necessarily in a fun way.
Val 1 day ago
Same. A-cup until I was about 23. Then over time, bam- DDs. Not complaining.
Load More Replies... #63
That it isn’t in fact “normal” to only get your period every 6 months 🙁 turns out had insulin resistant pcos which messed up my hormones.
#64
It is not normal to not be able to insert a tampon.
Hey teenage me. If you're reading this, you have vaginal nerve compression and pudendal neuralgia.
#65
That the only time it seems to take precedence is when lawmakers legislate it. Outside of that, it’s not prioritized - not in medicine/science, the bedroom or innovation.
Chaos Pandas Unite 1 day ago
The female body I would guess (the title of this whole thread is asking what are things you known you’d know about the female body so this directly follows).
Load More Replies... #66
That pregnancy is basically surviving a 9.5 month long chronic condition + remission recovery time.
Huddo's sister 1 day ago
I am thankful that so far it hasn't felt any different than my other chronic condition!
#67
That everyone grows their parts a little different. I got really confused and it was a bit temporarily uncomfortable when my lower part developed. I tried asking a teacher when she said I could ask her anything about it, and she got confused, so I stopped talking. Recently did more research and i'm glad to know we are all different, and this is normal. For years I thought i was abnormal.
Also are there any ways to stop the excretion from bleaching underwear? Not like I can help it because I have a shorter cycle than probably most, so I ovulate more. (Or maybe I just have to stick to using toilet paper). Its pretty embarrassing since I'm quite acidic. (Occasionally theres a slight burning if I sit, so I lean back a bit).
AlithenewMC 2 days ago
Why use toilet paper? Get liners. There's a company I use that is plastic free, called Joni
Sian E 1 day ago
Period poverty is still a thing in a lot of countries including the UK, US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Tampons pads and liners can be extremely expensive if you're homeless, on a low income or lack regular access to sanitary products. If you come from a culture where menstruation is still a taboo subject, knowing where to get (and how to use) products is a massive barrier.
Load More Replies... #68
Your hips will get wider as you age, even just into early adulthood. would’ve saved a lot of time worrying about why i only had a partial thigh gap.
#69
To leave them alone without consent.
Zig Zag Wanderer 1 day ago
I'm asking what this even means. Obviously this means I get downvotes. No answers, though....
Load More Replies... #70
Fupas are just inevitable for most people.
Explore more of these tags
What do you think ?
PenguinEmp 2 days ago
Can we add a list for men as well? There are things people should have told boys way sooner too.
Asri 2 days ago
One to add; if your gynecological exam is uncomfortable, get a new doctor. They aren't fun, but there's no reason they should hurt.
AlithenewMC 2 days ago
There are conditions that can make it hurt, like vaginismus, regardless of the dr. But a good dr will give you something to help relax the muscles/ease the pain and anxiety. My dr sends me a script for a single dose of ativan a couple days before my exams, so I can take it 20mins beforehand. It does mean I have to have my husband drive me, though.
Load More Replies... Ejteh 1 day ago
I did not read all posts, perhaps it has been said. But I'd really like to add that ADHD and Autism spectrum disorder can look way different in girls/woman than in boys/men If I'd known earlier i had ADHD, it would have saved me half a lifetime of struggles. And yes, I've been tested for disorders a a child. They did not know what to look for in the 90's either.
Betsy S 1 day ago
Same! Except I hit puberty in the 70's, so compared to the 90's it was practically pre-historic. Back then it was still considered to be only a male neurology, so girls and women were never even considered to be autistic. (OR ADHD for that matter). We've come a LONG way, but there is so much further to go.
Load More Replies...
Trillian 1 day ago (edited)
Meh. Not sure all this feeding the 'women are hormonal messes' narrative is very helpful. Yes take symptoms seriously but the way social media has declared (peri)menupause its new thing is doing more harm than good imo. No we are not completely irrational wrecks for most of our lives.
Ellinor she/they/elle 1 day ago (edited)
Women are hormonal messes. Most of us have a full cycle of hormones that happen every day and repeat in about 28 days for decades. It's not a bad thing to point that out, but it's a bad thing when people use that as an arguments against women's emotions.
Load More Replies... Bookworm 1 day ago
Heart attack symptoms are different in women than in men. If you lose weight make sure you're doing it the correct way (diet and exercise) and not an "easy" way. I.e. medications or surgery. Yes this includes medications that are to treat other conditions (like diabetes) and weight loss is often a side effect (like glp-1s like ozempic). Never mind that you have to make lifestyle changes, including changing your diet and exercising, for these to work and keep working.
Alyce 2 days ago
So, being a woman is a lifelong, miserable disability with no hope of any relief....gee thanks. Glad to know Ive even managed to do this wrong my whole life
Jessica Lauren 15 hours ago
After losing funds to a sophisticated crypto investment scheme, I followed the proper cybercrime reporting steps and reviewed FBI guidance. During the process, I was advised to consult an independent recovery expert experienced in financial fraud cases. That’s how I came across Mr. Brown, who was described as skilled in hacking and fund recovery. I was skeptical at first, but his case review, technical explanations, and structured process sounded professional. My situation was resolved after his intervention. If you believe you’ve been scammed, you can reach out to have him check whether your case is eligible for recovery via trustwave.cyberdefense@gmail com
Melissa Green 1 day ago
#16--I struggle with this every month!! I use two pads in my underwear and have a towel handy. When I go to work or even grocery shopping, I keep an extra pair of underwear/pants in the car, you know, just in case. #38--I'm 47 and have raging acne like I did when I was 13 AND gray hair. It s***s!!
PenguinEmp 2 days ago
Can we add a list for men as well? There are things people should have told boys way sooner too.
Asri 2 days ago
One to add; if your gynecological exam is uncomfortable, get a new doctor. They aren't fun, but there's no reason they should hurt.
AlithenewMC 2 days ago
There are conditions that can make it hurt, like vaginismus, regardless of the dr. But a good dr will give you something to help relax the muscles/ease the pain and anxiety. My dr sends me a script for a single dose of ativan a couple days before my exams, so I can take it 20mins beforehand. It does mean I have to have my husband drive me, though.
Load More Replies... Ejteh 1 day ago
I did not read all posts, perhaps it has been said. But I'd really like to add that ADHD and Autism spectrum disorder can look way different in girls/woman than in boys/men If I'd known earlier i had ADHD, it would have saved me half a lifetime of struggles. And yes, I've been tested for disorders a a child. They did not know what to look for in the 90's either.
Betsy S 1 day ago
Same! Except I hit puberty in the 70's, so compared to the 90's it was practically pre-historic. Back then it was still considered to be only a male neurology, so girls and women were never even considered to be autistic. (OR ADHD for that matter). We've come a LONG way, but there is so much further to go.
Load More Replies... Trillian 1 day ago (edited)
Meh. Not sure all this feeding the 'women are hormonal messes' narrative is very helpful. Yes take symptoms seriously but the way social media has declared (peri)menupause its new thing is doing more harm than good imo. No we are not completely irrational wrecks for most of our lives.
Ellinor she/they/elle 1 day ago (edited)
Women are hormonal messes. Most of us have a full cycle of hormones that happen every day and repeat in about 28 days for decades. It's not a bad thing to point that out, but it's a bad thing when people use that as an arguments against women's emotions.
Load More Replies... Bookworm 1 day ago
Heart attack symptoms are different in women than in men. If you lose weight make sure you're doing it the correct way (diet and exercise) and not an "easy" way. I.e. medications or surgery. Yes this includes medications that are to treat other conditions (like diabetes) and weight loss is often a side effect (like glp-1s like ozempic). Never mind that you have to make lifestyle changes, including changing your diet and exercising, for these to work and keep working.
Alyce 2 days ago
So, being a woman is a lifelong, miserable disability with no hope of any relief....gee thanks. Glad to know Ive even managed to do this wrong my whole life
Jessica Lauren 15 hours ago
After losing funds to a sophisticated crypto investment scheme, I followed the proper cybercrime reporting steps and reviewed FBI guidance. During the process, I was advised to consult an independent recovery expert experienced in financial fraud cases. That’s how I came across Mr. Brown, who was described as skilled in hacking and fund recovery. I was skeptical at first, but his case review, technical explanations, and structured process sounded professional. My situation was resolved after his intervention. If you believe you’ve been scammed, you can reach out to have him check whether your case is eligible for recovery via trustwave.cyberdefense@gmail com
Melissa Green 1 day ago
#16--I struggle with this every month!! I use two pads in my underwear and have a towel handy. When I go to work or even grocery shopping, I keep an extra pair of underwear/pants in the car, you know, just in case. #38--I'm 47 and have raging acne like I did when I was 13 AND gray hair. It s***s!!
You May Like 135 Women Empowerment Quotes That Highlight Progress 49 Body Language Tips That People In This Online Thread Swear By 55 Health Tips To Live Life To The Fullest
Aivaras Kaziukonis
Natallia Pisarenka
Justina Čiapaitė
Related on Bored Panda
