Man Probably Thinks He’s Protecting Society’s Purity By Commenting On A Tampon Image, Makes A “Fool” Of Himself Interview With Author
Brits are rejoicing that as of January 1, 2021, there is no longer any value-added tax (VAT) on women’s sanitary products. Her Majesty’s Treasury announced the dissolution of the tax (more commonly known as the ‘tampon tax’) with a simple infographic that featured a drawing of a tampon. Libertarian radio presenter and journalist Adam Garrie created a storm on Twitter after stating that, in his opinion, the image was “obscene.”
Like you could have expected, the internet was ruthless. Twitter blew up with negative comments against Garrie. Meanwhile, the media was having a field day as well. Keep in mind that Garrie fully supports the actual policy—it’s the drawing that he has an issue with.
Bored Panda reached out to Garrie to get his take on the public’s reaction to his tweet and the broader implications this has for people’s freedom of speech due to “conformity through compulsion.” He revealed to us that he’s received “quite a few threats” for sharing his opinion online.
“If someone wants to publish photos of their genitals, bodily fluids, or anything else of that nature, I shall defend their right to do so. If someone seeks to bully me into enjoying it, I shall calmly state my entirely reasonable opposition,” he said. Read on for our full in-depth interview and be sure to let us know what you think in the comment section below, dear Readers.
Adam Garrie, who supports abolishing the ‘tampon tax,’ received a large amount of backlash after sharing his opinion about this drawing
Image credits: adamgarriereal
Here’s how people reacted to Garrie’s tweet and what he answered. Quite a few people were upset with his opinion
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Image credits: adamgarriereal
Image credits: waltonkate
Image credits: adamgarriereal
Image credits: waltonkate
Image credits: adamgarriereal
Image credits: waltonkate
“In an age where most schools are concerned with teaching people what to think rather than how to think, it should surprise no one when a simple and reasonable statement can arouse such a storm in a teacup. Beyond this, the remarks of many on the self-described left make something else abundantly clear. We are living in an age in which conceptions of public and private spheres have become worryingly reversed,” Garrie shared his thoughts with Bored Panda.
“Such people believe that the freedom of artistic expression, free speech, and the freedom to assemble should be contingent on the approval of a numerically small but heavily amplified mob. Simultaneous to this, they offer nothing but a whirlwind of execration for those who wish to lead their private life in a manner that is based on the teaching of traditional religions (whether Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, etc) and on the principle that one’s home is one’s castle. Not only are they comfortable with sharing photos of their bodily fluids and genitals online, but they seek to force those with personally traditional values to revel in the kind of exhibitionism which they enjoy,” he explained his position.
Garrie, who identifies as a libertarian, stated that he has no problem with other people being open about the things that would have been classified as a person’s ‘private life’ in earlier generations. However, he believes that he’s being coerced to follow a single line of thought. “I refuse to genuflect before a movement which seeks to make erstwhile private activities into a kind of public idolatry to which we must all pay tribute,” he said.
Image credits: bellabeachbabe
Image credits: adamgarriereal
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Image credits: AngeMaryClaire
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Image credits: AngeMaryClaire
Image credits: adamgarriereal
“‘To each their own,’ used to be the mantra of the liberal. Today, however, it would seem that those who disingenuously call themselves liberals have adopted the Maoist principles of conformity through compulsion. In other words, it is not just enough to tolerate one’s point of view (which myself and other libertarians certainly do), but one must publicly endorse it or else be treated as some sort of criminal.”
Garrie continued: “In this sense, my opposition to a piece of crude government propaganda has been most educational. I have seen first hand the intolerance, bigotry, and sexism of those who want all men and all women to think alike. I believe in individual liberty and I shall continue to oppose all those who want to enforce a single point of view on others.”
The radio presenter also had a warning that the political situation might shift in the future; he was open that he’ll be on the frontlines fighting against any censorship, whether enforced by the left or the right.
“To those who revel in the fact that the leftist elite are currently in power, I shall say this: one day, the extreme right may take power and become the new elite. If they do, they shall seek to censor you. As a classical liberal, I shall defend you against them when and if they take power. The words of John Donne ought to toll heavily in the ears of those who think that censorship and bullying is a one-way street. It is certainly not.”
Garrie also said that he’s gotten “multiple unsolicited photos” of people’s genitals and bodily fluids as part of the backlash on Twitter.
And here’s what some other people on Twitter had to say
Image credits: JimMFelton
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Image credits: SoozUK
Image credits: CogitoErgo15
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Image credits: RachaelHasIdeas
In short, Garrie, like most of his critics, believes that abolishing the tax was a positive thing, but he personally objects to broadcasting ‘an image conjuring thoughts of bodily fluids’ on a government channel. In other words, he has different standards for government social media accounts than for private ones.
Some people started calling Garrie’s face “obscene” while others even suggested sending Garrie tampons. Just remember—even if you don’t agree with Garrie’s position, it’s no reason to threaten him. So keep it classy, Pandas.
According to the UK Government’s website, the decision to abolish the ‘tampon tax’ is part of wider action to End Period Poverty that includes rolling out free sanitary products in schools, colleges, as well as hospitals.
The only obscenity here is that guy's snowflake misogyny.
He finds a slightly curved piece of string 'overly suggestive' - seriously, how does this person cope with everyday life? Must be offended every five seconds. Pathetic prat.
I think he means that the image resembles a spermatozoid lol. The string is its flagellum. Anyway, for a middle aged man to find something barely resembling a male reproductive cell, which he should have learned about in biology class years ago, is hilarious.
I think he didn't know tampons had strings so his brain provided the next best explanation and it went about as well as we all saw... idk, what his mind really made up (if he thought the line was an artistic representation of female shape or a spermatozoid, or whatever ) because he never said. Lol, and we are doing the same thing now... we don't know what he really saw in that image and let our brains provide the best solutions to this conundrum. Such a shame he didn't explain better
My mind didn't even go there. Good call.
I don't see a spermatozoa but so what if I did see a germ cell (as do you)? How could a human germ cell possibly be obscene? I have absolutely no idea. Wanna know what I find obscene? A parent with hungry children and no way to feed them. Middle aged men seem completely ignorant about human reproduction. What's up with that? There are libraries full of books about sex and reproduction. Are they all too embarrassed to look in a book, or even to ask for one? EVERYTHING YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT SEX BUT WERE AFRAID TO ASK started the genre.
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Нико Нико ?
If he sees some naked ankles he'll probably faint. Oh the horror.
A girl was sent home from school here in the US, because she was wearing ankle showing pants. I thought we were back in the 1800s
One hesitates to speculate what this person would upon perceiving a rope. Mind now boggled.
And the fact that he calls all the people calling him out for being a prat "Maoists"
Then just call him a sissy.
Libertarians 🤦♀️
I’m ashamed to have the same chromosomes as this person.
@ Elena Bekić: dafuq does "missone" mean?
*Missing
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You're probably missone one chromosome, so no worries.
Elena Bekić easy
snowflakes are offended ❄️
I am upset by the fact that the tampon tax is a thing in most U.S. states. I am confused why sanitary supplies are not considered essential everywhere. But I have also seen the posts where men ask why we don't "hold it in until we reach the bathroom", so...
That just proves how important teaching everyone the basics of human biology is - either in human biology classes or as sex education. Don't care what you call it (I had both classes in the UK) people need to know about it so that they don't have stupid and impossible expectations.
Agreed. Thankfully my ex had a very vocal mom, and even alerted me to health issues I didn't realize I had. Male and female health should be taught in every school, from the gender differences in a heart attack to sexual/genital health of both genders
I think you can thank poor health classes for some of that. And its mostly the South that considers them a luxury . . .
I think it’s obscene that women who are homeless or struggling financially have to spend money on something that should be free considering every woman deals with it.
Be careful before they start saying these women should do like before disposable products and literally use rags. And I believe there are some companies that make reusable pads at least, but as that they are organic and vegan, they are not cheap. I remember reading a time travel book when I was a tween and the modern girl got her period while in civil war era Illinois or something, and she and I both were like WAIT! WHAT??
Men ask these things? Wow, some people are stupid.
There should be something like a poster or whatever to tell them that we can’t, and it should say “BLEEDING, NOT PEEING!”
Hold it in? How stupid are these people. We cant control period blood like we can pee. It's just impossible, and that's what tampons are for. And yeah I totally agree.
What women should do to these men is cut the the man’s arm and while it’s bleeding, tell him to hold in the blood.
men say that?? seroiusly??
Is that what they think? Geez, I just rolled my eyes so hard I saw my brain.
Is there anyone else who can't figure out WHY he finds the string offensive/obscene ? I read the piece twice and although English is not my first language I'm pretty sure I understand it correctly. He keeps rambling on about liberals, choices, freedom, bodily fluids, genitals, etc, from which none has anything to do with the add or the image. Not directly that is. I just can't figure out from the interview what he finds wrong with the string...... Anyone ???
It's often the shape used when drawing a cartoon sperm... Maybe that's where his mind went and the two images together in his head... Oh my! 😮
That's what my guess was. If true it's his mind that's obscene.
You nailed it. Obviously he also doesn’t know what actual sperm look like.
See, that's what I was thinking like "ooh, it makes him think of sperm or something and he can't handle it", but he never said one way or the other. Just string bad. Curvy bad. Fluids bad. Periods scary. Tax man coming. DUDE GET OVER YOURSELF
Probably. But it is also a curve that is often uses to draw the ends of a tied cartoon knot imi. I admit I can see suggestiveness on all kinds of things for a laugh. But this? Something very sexually frustrated must be going on in his mind.
Thanks , I didn't think of that. But it looks nothing like a sperm. The guy is crazy!
I wonder if he freaks out at children's parties, or at funfairs, seaside piers, New Years Eve - all those suggestive balloons with their strings! And plugs with cables hanging from them. And phone cables. Jeez. Says way more about his mind than anything else, seeing a tampon as a sperm.
He must have been delighted when telephones went wireless.
Oh goody, he's actually offending BOTH halves of the population now :-)
If that's true- which it probably is, it's not the image that's obscene, it's the guy himself.
He also complains about blood somewhere in there. I cringed so hard like. This dude is lowkey probably thinkin about period sex. Imagine having a dirty mind but being a fragile baby man
That's even worse. One truly needs a galloping fantasy to reach that far.
I can see how that might melt the mind of an absolute dolt, haha...
Yeah I am also confused about it. I though that he found the tampon itself obscene because he thinks about blood or vaginas (which is absurd as seen with the toilet paper analogy). But I dont understand the 'curvature' thing and why the string its a problem. Does he think that tampons dont have a string? Does he think that it represents fluids falling or movement? Does he think about a sperm tail? I am seriously very confused about that part.
Me too. What bothers me most is that he just doesn't answer the question. He keeps rambling on about very unrelated stuff, after which we still don't know why he finds the string offensive
Welcome to politics 😭😂
Here is my profound analysis of this dolt: his objection was with the tampon shape, like we all surmised after reading his sad post. However, after a (very) short moment of self reflection, he decided he had to hide his dirty/misogynistic mind and went for the string and its obscene, curvy and seductive shape. Gigantic fail.
Curvy things are seem as feminine, because they look like a woman's figure. But you must be next level thirsty to get turned on by a tampon string
Same here. I had to read the thread multiple times to make sure. I also thought he was one of those guys with a menstruation hang up, but nope, for him it's the obscene string that does it. He must have been so happy when he bought his first wireless mouse.
The problem is that certain people (who are often men, for some reason) have been conditioned to believe that certain things are taboo and must never be discussed for any reason. Open discussion of those things would not be 'proper.' Honestly that is some sort of leftover Edwardian bullshit. It's shocking how little some people seem to know about basic anatomy and normal bodily functions, due to such unwarranted stigma.
And that's why I started sex ed at home for my son in 4th grade (when I got my period)as a discussion on bodies and what they do as they change. Then every few months we'd add a bit more age appropriate biology until he was squared away. It's not scary to talk to your kids.
It's so bizarre! Does he get offended by balloons and macrame? What's obscene about string? Why is it not obscene if it's at right angles? Even the obvious misogyny doesn't explain it. I can only assume he's got a kink kink!
That is exactly what I meant !! The more I read the piece and the comments, the more I WANT TO KNOW what is wrong with the string ???? I really really really don't get it. Nothing he says explains why he finds the wriggly string obscene. OMG. This is frustrating.
Sperm shaped string. If you look at cartoon-type drawings of sperm. I suspect that's what his problem is. He doesn't explain because he knows it will get him more criticism and he's hoping that people will leap to the same conclusion because he's actually right to think what he does and can then justify it by going 'see, other people see it too'. I may have seen 'sperm shape' but I am also not offended by it.
A right angle would look like an erect penis, so of course that would be okay with him...
My (completely unsupported) theory is that he originally thought the string was actually depicting blood, and either missed the person correcting him (in the flood of messages) or is too afraid to admit his mistake. Other explanations just seem less likely in my mind.
This crossed my mind also. And I will gladly accept the theory as the only possible explanation. But WTF....
Its curvy and makes him think of bodily fluids. Essentially he has a dirty mind and projects that on other people. Who he then calls "Maoists" when they point out he is being silly. He is a right wing/ libertarian crazy
My read on it was that he believed the drawing represented fluid leaking out of the tampon. When people pointed out it's the string, not a fluid, instead of admitting he doesn't even know what a tampon looks like, he doubled down and tried suggesting the positioning of the string itself is problematic. That's my guess at least - he didn't use the word string at all until it was pointed out, and his argument really doesn't make sense so...
Vanessa Matte yes
English is my first language and I had no idea what he was talking about!
It's not your English my dear. I don't think anyone has an idea what the idiot is rambling about. 🤣🤣🤣🤣
He thinks it looks like a sperm.
I didn't understand either. However at one point he says the utility account doesn't have to run this image, just the text was enough, so I take that as a completely stuck person's reaction 🤷♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️
Hooked, I genuinely don't understand either what's obscene. The 'curve'? But why?
Hooked - some people just get up in the morning ready to be offended. I also think he was doggedly continuing to reply hoping someone would side with him; "Oh, my Lord! You're right! That is sickening and Imma gonna REPORT it!" Your English is awesome, nuff said.
I think he doesn't know that tampons have a string and thought it meant something else
He seemed to say that if the string was drawn at a 90* angle, he'd be OK with it, which doesn't make any sense, but that's what he said.
Because that's probably what his penis looks like...
Apparently, he has a secret string fetish. Japan has tentacle porn, this guy has string porn. Obviously not a guitar player.
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Hooked love
The only obscenity here is that guy's snowflake misogyny.
He finds a slightly curved piece of string 'overly suggestive' - seriously, how does this person cope with everyday life? Must be offended every five seconds. Pathetic prat.
I think he means that the image resembles a spermatozoid lol. The string is its flagellum. Anyway, for a middle aged man to find something barely resembling a male reproductive cell, which he should have learned about in biology class years ago, is hilarious.
I think he didn't know tampons had strings so his brain provided the next best explanation and it went about as well as we all saw... idk, what his mind really made up (if he thought the line was an artistic representation of female shape or a spermatozoid, or whatever ) because he never said. Lol, and we are doing the same thing now... we don't know what he really saw in that image and let our brains provide the best solutions to this conundrum. Such a shame he didn't explain better
My mind didn't even go there. Good call.
I don't see a spermatozoa but so what if I did see a germ cell (as do you)? How could a human germ cell possibly be obscene? I have absolutely no idea. Wanna know what I find obscene? A parent with hungry children and no way to feed them. Middle aged men seem completely ignorant about human reproduction. What's up with that? There are libraries full of books about sex and reproduction. Are they all too embarrassed to look in a book, or even to ask for one? EVERYTHING YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT SEX BUT WERE AFRAID TO ASK started the genre.
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Нико Нико ?
If he sees some naked ankles he'll probably faint. Oh the horror.
A girl was sent home from school here in the US, because she was wearing ankle showing pants. I thought we were back in the 1800s
One hesitates to speculate what this person would upon perceiving a rope. Mind now boggled.
And the fact that he calls all the people calling him out for being a prat "Maoists"
Then just call him a sissy.
Libertarians 🤦♀️
I’m ashamed to have the same chromosomes as this person.
@ Elena Bekić: dafuq does "missone" mean?
*Missing
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
You're probably missone one chromosome, so no worries.
Elena Bekić easy
snowflakes are offended ❄️
I am upset by the fact that the tampon tax is a thing in most U.S. states. I am confused why sanitary supplies are not considered essential everywhere. But I have also seen the posts where men ask why we don't "hold it in until we reach the bathroom", so...
That just proves how important teaching everyone the basics of human biology is - either in human biology classes or as sex education. Don't care what you call it (I had both classes in the UK) people need to know about it so that they don't have stupid and impossible expectations.
Agreed. Thankfully my ex had a very vocal mom, and even alerted me to health issues I didn't realize I had. Male and female health should be taught in every school, from the gender differences in a heart attack to sexual/genital health of both genders
I think you can thank poor health classes for some of that. And its mostly the South that considers them a luxury . . .
I think it’s obscene that women who are homeless or struggling financially have to spend money on something that should be free considering every woman deals with it.
Be careful before they start saying these women should do like before disposable products and literally use rags. And I believe there are some companies that make reusable pads at least, but as that they are organic and vegan, they are not cheap. I remember reading a time travel book when I was a tween and the modern girl got her period while in civil war era Illinois or something, and she and I both were like WAIT! WHAT??
Men ask these things? Wow, some people are stupid.
There should be something like a poster or whatever to tell them that we can’t, and it should say “BLEEDING, NOT PEEING!”
Hold it in? How stupid are these people. We cant control period blood like we can pee. It's just impossible, and that's what tampons are for. And yeah I totally agree.
What women should do to these men is cut the the man’s arm and while it’s bleeding, tell him to hold in the blood.
men say that?? seroiusly??
Is that what they think? Geez, I just rolled my eyes so hard I saw my brain.
Is there anyone else who can't figure out WHY he finds the string offensive/obscene ? I read the piece twice and although English is not my first language I'm pretty sure I understand it correctly. He keeps rambling on about liberals, choices, freedom, bodily fluids, genitals, etc, from which none has anything to do with the add or the image. Not directly that is. I just can't figure out from the interview what he finds wrong with the string...... Anyone ???
It's often the shape used when drawing a cartoon sperm... Maybe that's where his mind went and the two images together in his head... Oh my! 😮
That's what my guess was. If true it's his mind that's obscene.
You nailed it. Obviously he also doesn’t know what actual sperm look like.
See, that's what I was thinking like "ooh, it makes him think of sperm or something and he can't handle it", but he never said one way or the other. Just string bad. Curvy bad. Fluids bad. Periods scary. Tax man coming. DUDE GET OVER YOURSELF
Probably. But it is also a curve that is often uses to draw the ends of a tied cartoon knot imi. I admit I can see suggestiveness on all kinds of things for a laugh. But this? Something very sexually frustrated must be going on in his mind.
Thanks , I didn't think of that. But it looks nothing like a sperm. The guy is crazy!
I wonder if he freaks out at children's parties, or at funfairs, seaside piers, New Years Eve - all those suggestive balloons with their strings! And plugs with cables hanging from them. And phone cables. Jeez. Says way more about his mind than anything else, seeing a tampon as a sperm.
He must have been delighted when telephones went wireless.
Oh goody, he's actually offending BOTH halves of the population now :-)
If that's true- which it probably is, it's not the image that's obscene, it's the guy himself.
He also complains about blood somewhere in there. I cringed so hard like. This dude is lowkey probably thinkin about period sex. Imagine having a dirty mind but being a fragile baby man
That's even worse. One truly needs a galloping fantasy to reach that far.
I can see how that might melt the mind of an absolute dolt, haha...
Yeah I am also confused about it. I though that he found the tampon itself obscene because he thinks about blood or vaginas (which is absurd as seen with the toilet paper analogy). But I dont understand the 'curvature' thing and why the string its a problem. Does he think that tampons dont have a string? Does he think that it represents fluids falling or movement? Does he think about a sperm tail? I am seriously very confused about that part.