TikTok Trend Shows Men Reacting To How A Tampon Works And Their Genuine Surprise Illustrates The Need For Better Sex Ed Interview
The sad reality is, not everyone paid attention in biology and sex ed class. So some people are ignorant about even some basic biological things like how tampons work (and they might be too shy or embarrassed to ask anyone to explain everything to them properly now). Not to worry!
An educational TikTok video challenge is going viral where women are showing their partners how tampons work. Their reactions? Full of astonishment and shrieks. Priceless. You can see how shocked they are when they finally realize this is something that women have to do for a week every month. Keep in mind that the videos aren’t 100 percent accurate, but they’re dramatic and educational.
Check out some of the best challenge videos below and let us know what you think of them in the comment section. If you want to, share your own experience when you learned how tampons worked and let us know if there’s anything related to human biology that you’d want to know more about but never got the chance to ask women or men about.
TikTok users are taking part in a challenge where they show men how tampons actually work
Image credits: thedemeryfamily22
The video by the Demery Family got over 31.6 million views and is the most widely known entry into the challenge. You can watch the full clip right here
@thedemeryfamily22His reaction is priceless😂 #cutecouple #pregnant #prego #viral #InLove #couplegoals #trend #tampon♬ original sound – Kolby&Jas❤️
One of the most viral tampon demonstration videos belongs to the Demery Family who have a TikTok account with over 320.8k followers. Their video got a whopping 7.8 million likes, was reshared nearly 274k times, and was viewed more than 31.6 million times.
The fact that the video got so much attention proves that there’s more guys out there who didn’t know how tampons work in the first place.
And this just goes to show that TikTok really can be an educational force to be reckoned with (even though it might choose not to most of the time) if used right.
The couple, Kolby and Jas, told Bored Panda that they heard about the challenge through other influencers and Jas thought it would be a funny video, seeing as the couple’s having a girl in May.
“For this video, Kolby knew how tampons worked but a lot of guys lack knowledge due to the school system lacking teaching of the opposite sex teaching they only learn of their own sex,” the couple shared.
“We feel the health classes should teach both women’s and men’s reproductive system as well as how each can experience different things such as women with menstruation and males with something,” they said what they expect from the education system going forward. Kolby, unlike some guys, had an advantage when it came to topics like this one.
“Kolby has had the opportunity to learn from growing in an all-female home about such topics and teaching him in-depth to teach his daughter if I weren’t home will benefit him in the long run.”
Other TikTok users pitched in with their own videos and, like you could have expected, a lot of men were stunned to see how tampons absorb menstrual blood. The challenge also made a lot of guys feel more empathy toward their partners because they saw how much the tampon expands inside of them. The more you know.
While we’re pretty sure a lot of these reactions are genuine, others seem to be at least partly staged. But anything to make the topic more approachable and educational though, right?
Most men are completely shocked by the ‘revelation.’ Another TikTok user shared a video of how her husband reacted to seeing how tampons work
Image credits: mrshillery829
@mrshillery829Of course I had to make my husband do this! I will forever call tampons “vagina parachutes”! LMAO!! #tamponchallenge #husbandpranks #funny #fyp♬ original sound – Rachel Hillery
While another one wanted to see how her boyfriend would react to something we should have all learned in sex ed class
Image credits: paulinat
@paulinatshowing him how a tampôn works😭 @fabioguerrrraa♬ original sound – Pau Torres :)
Meanwhile, Amani absolutely shocked her boyfriend, who even let out a small scream
Image credits: amanialzubi
@amanialzubishowing my boyfriend how a tampon works 🤣😳❤️ ( @originalisrael ) #comedy #couple #couplegoals #foryou #trend #tiktok♬ original sound – amani & israel
Another TikTok user enlightened her best friend about tampons and the reaction was priceless
Image credits: ryleymick
@ryleymicki just got don’t going through a breakdown so i asked veedz if he could cheer me up by reacting to how a tampon works luv u @nolan.veeder♬ Stuck In The Middle – Tai Verdes
This husband’s face says it all, but it proves that sex ed classes need to be far more educational than they are now
Image credits: thekelleyfamily
@thekelleyfamilylmaoooo why 😂😭 #tamponchallenge #trend #hilariouscomedy #couple #married #foryoupage #fyp #xyzbca♬ Quirky – Oleg Kirilkov
This woman also took the time to educate her boyfriend about basic sex ed and tampons
Image credits: iyanna.and.shacorey
@iyanna.and.shacoreyHis reaction 😂 #fyp #funny #viral #couples #foryou #followme #youtube #tampon #tamponchallenge @iyannaaa.rose♬ original sound – I & Shac 💙💙
As did another woman with her husband
Image credits: rainneyandneen
@rainneyandneen“Ooohh that’s so crazzzyyy” 😂 #tampon #tamponchallenge #couple #marriedcouple #couplegoals #relationship #couples #reaction #couplecomedy♬ Cooking – Oleg Kirilkov
This woman’s boyfriend couldn’t believe what he was seeing
Image credits: gabiandarnold
@gabiandarnoldHIS REACTION 😂🤣 #learnontiktok #tamponchallenge #hisreaction #boyfriend #girlfriend♬ drivers license – Olivia Rodrigo
This is what some internet users said about the tampon challenge and how it could be improved, as well as what this says about the quality of sex ed classes in school
Image credits: www.facebook.com
I watched a montage of videos like this and besides the men’s reactions, ignorance and disbelief, I was actually concerned when I heard one of the women says she leaves the applicator inside and it just dissolves. I can’t tell if she is s**t stirring the guy or being serious. You don’t leave the applicators inside, geez.
If it dissolves then she might have bit of a problem with acidity ;)
@Requiem umm, no. Vaginal Ph is moderately acidic and if something dissolves there it has to be acid. It is called a joke, thought ;) might make it clear. I will try better next time.
Toxic shock syndrome was the word i was looking for
not acidity, its blood poisoning
I think these videos demonstrate "merely" why elaborative sexual education should be mandatory in school. And it should be taught before puberty typically starts. Knowing about basic human anatomy, sexual functions, personal hygiene, pregnancy, and childbirth ought to be common knowledge.
@Foxxy: for me it was mandatory in 5th and 6th grade, which seemed about right. Of course there was much giggling and blushing, but that faded off rather quickly. The labor room videos we saw also fostered contraception usage, I guess...
I agree. In some schools they seperate the boys and girls and only teach them about their own genders sexual functions, anatomy etc. Or they don’t do it at all. I first learnt about puberty and periods when I was about 8. Our class watched a couple of videos together called “What is happening to me” and “Where did I come from”. And then as I got older sex ed and health classes got a bit more in depth.
That is one thing I was never shown and that was child birth videos, but I may have been away during that class coz I wagged a lot in high school and left in early year 10.
Another interesting aspect of this topic is that applicator tampons seem to be a primarily American subject. Tampons with applicators hardly exist in the rest of the world. Of course, I can't speak for others, but here in Europe you see them rather rarely or not at all. In fact, I only got to know them after I moved to the USA. My wife is US-American and she told me that she had to adjust accordingly after moving to Europe.
I'm in Ireland and majority are with applicators, some plastic, some cardboard. I don't think I have seen ones without applicators recently to be honest.
I only use ones with applicators but they don’t seem to be common in Aus. They are usually on the bottom shelf and only one or two brands so not very popular. I found them one day and now I won’t buy the regular tampons again. But I buy the ones with a cardboard applicator so it is a bit more environmentally friendly.
Where do you live Marc ? Because here in France you can find tampons with applicators anywhere, and they also are the most commonly used tampons
We have tampons with applicators in the Netherlands, but the ones without are more common. I used applicators in my teenage years, but they are more expensive and sometimes the placement of the tampon is not even right. So I rather bring it in myself, to really get it in place. And just wash my hands after.
i use applicator-free ones just to cut down on trash! also because OB brand is one of only two in the US that make ultra ones lmao
I remember about 10 years ago non-applicator OB tampons virtually disappeared in the US. Not sure what happened then but a lot of my friends and myself panicked because we did not want to switch to applicator ones.
In Indonesia it’s common as well, or at least it was in the shop near the hotel where I was staying.
Sanne H. Good response!
In the UK you can get with or without applicators. With applicators is most common.
Toxic shock syndrome, a potentially fatal infection caused by leaving a tampon in too long. And if a person doesn't die from TSD she will experience a slew of other health issues. I am shocked anybody would consider leaving one in longer than a few hours for so many reasons I don't even know where to begin. And as far as these videos I can honestly say that not one guy I have been in a relationship with would have the same reaction as these guys. If a man is out of touch with how a woman's body works as badly as these guys are they aren't worth being around.
TSS/TSD can also occur with the usage of pads which many people don't realise. Oh and men can get it too, although in that case its propably from a wound and not female hygiene products
Well you do sleep with one in.. so.. But yeah, TSS is something to consider. Best to switch to a cup (honestly best switch I ever made)
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Anne no
TSS is extremely rare, and menstruating women only account for like 50% of cases. additionally, in these cases, it doesn't come only from leaving the tampon in, but from introducing bacteria from your hands to your vagina via the tampon. if you wash your hands before changing, it will drastically cut the risk factor. they still warn about it on menstrual product packaging because they have to, but the chances of you getting it if you manage your hygiene are extremely slim. i have health issues that lead to me sleeping 15+ hours at a time, and i sure as heck am not going to wake up just to change my tampon if i don't have to. i use ultra tampons and have been doing this for years, with excellent hygiene because otherwise i get UTIs.
This comment has been deleted.
Memere follower
I don't think she's being serious, unless she is using digital tampons and doesn't realize it (which I don't think is plausible).
I don't get it. I'll be honest about that! What did these men think how such a tampon works? I mean, tampons are not only used in feminine hygiene, but also, for example, at the dentist, in medicine in general, or in industry. And the purpose is actually always the same. Where does the disbelief come from? Or is it simply a lack of education, disinterest, or even shame? Perhaps I am also shaped differently with 2 sisters and 3 daughters of my own. I do not know. Somewhere that belongs for me, however, to the general education. For me...
Exactly that, lack of interest and education along with embarrassment. It blows my mind too, but I think part of it here, is most of these guys are pretty young, and probably don't have a close female sibling. Girls are still separated in school for menstruation education, and the boys are always immature about it anyway, and just don't want to know and don't think it's important at all to know. I'm with you here buddy
I'm female, and I've never used tampons. In high school they kind of terrified me, so I used pads. I didn't switch off pads until I learned about menstrual cups, and at that point having used the birth control ring it wasn't so scary. But I never used tampons, so I didn't realize they expanded either. In hindsight it's pretty obvious I guess, but I never thought about it. Why is it so surprising that someone who's never used something would not know exactly how it works?
This seems to all depend on your boyfriend being a complete moron.
I watched a montage of videos like this and besides the men’s reactions, ignorance and disbelief, I was actually concerned when I heard one of the women says she leaves the applicator inside and it just dissolves. I can’t tell if she is s**t stirring the guy or being serious. You don’t leave the applicators inside, geez.
If it dissolves then she might have bit of a problem with acidity ;)
@Requiem umm, no. Vaginal Ph is moderately acidic and if something dissolves there it has to be acid. It is called a joke, thought ;) might make it clear. I will try better next time.
Toxic shock syndrome was the word i was looking for
not acidity, its blood poisoning
I think these videos demonstrate "merely" why elaborative sexual education should be mandatory in school. And it should be taught before puberty typically starts. Knowing about basic human anatomy, sexual functions, personal hygiene, pregnancy, and childbirth ought to be common knowledge.
@Foxxy: for me it was mandatory in 5th and 6th grade, which seemed about right. Of course there was much giggling and blushing, but that faded off rather quickly. The labor room videos we saw also fostered contraception usage, I guess...
I agree. In some schools they seperate the boys and girls and only teach them about their own genders sexual functions, anatomy etc. Or they don’t do it at all. I first learnt about puberty and periods when I was about 8. Our class watched a couple of videos together called “What is happening to me” and “Where did I come from”. And then as I got older sex ed and health classes got a bit more in depth.
That is one thing I was never shown and that was child birth videos, but I may have been away during that class coz I wagged a lot in high school and left in early year 10.
Another interesting aspect of this topic is that applicator tampons seem to be a primarily American subject. Tampons with applicators hardly exist in the rest of the world. Of course, I can't speak for others, but here in Europe you see them rather rarely or not at all. In fact, I only got to know them after I moved to the USA. My wife is US-American and she told me that she had to adjust accordingly after moving to Europe.
I'm in Ireland and majority are with applicators, some plastic, some cardboard. I don't think I have seen ones without applicators recently to be honest.
I only use ones with applicators but they don’t seem to be common in Aus. They are usually on the bottom shelf and only one or two brands so not very popular. I found them one day and now I won’t buy the regular tampons again. But I buy the ones with a cardboard applicator so it is a bit more environmentally friendly.
Where do you live Marc ? Because here in France you can find tampons with applicators anywhere, and they also are the most commonly used tampons
We have tampons with applicators in the Netherlands, but the ones without are more common. I used applicators in my teenage years, but they are more expensive and sometimes the placement of the tampon is not even right. So I rather bring it in myself, to really get it in place. And just wash my hands after.
i use applicator-free ones just to cut down on trash! also because OB brand is one of only two in the US that make ultra ones lmao
I remember about 10 years ago non-applicator OB tampons virtually disappeared in the US. Not sure what happened then but a lot of my friends and myself panicked because we did not want to switch to applicator ones.
In Indonesia it’s common as well, or at least it was in the shop near the hotel where I was staying.
Sanne H. Good response!
In the UK you can get with or without applicators. With applicators is most common.
Toxic shock syndrome, a potentially fatal infection caused by leaving a tampon in too long. And if a person doesn't die from TSD she will experience a slew of other health issues. I am shocked anybody would consider leaving one in longer than a few hours for so many reasons I don't even know where to begin. And as far as these videos I can honestly say that not one guy I have been in a relationship with would have the same reaction as these guys. If a man is out of touch with how a woman's body works as badly as these guys are they aren't worth being around.
TSS/TSD can also occur with the usage of pads which many people don't realise. Oh and men can get it too, although in that case its propably from a wound and not female hygiene products
Well you do sleep with one in.. so.. But yeah, TSS is something to consider. Best to switch to a cup (honestly best switch I ever made)
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Anne no
TSS is extremely rare, and menstruating women only account for like 50% of cases. additionally, in these cases, it doesn't come only from leaving the tampon in, but from introducing bacteria from your hands to your vagina via the tampon. if you wash your hands before changing, it will drastically cut the risk factor. they still warn about it on menstrual product packaging because they have to, but the chances of you getting it if you manage your hygiene are extremely slim. i have health issues that lead to me sleeping 15+ hours at a time, and i sure as heck am not going to wake up just to change my tampon if i don't have to. i use ultra tampons and have been doing this for years, with excellent hygiene because otherwise i get UTIs.
This comment has been deleted.
Memere follower
I don't think she's being serious, unless she is using digital tampons and doesn't realize it (which I don't think is plausible).
I don't get it. I'll be honest about that! What did these men think how such a tampon works? I mean, tampons are not only used in feminine hygiene, but also, for example, at the dentist, in medicine in general, or in industry. And the purpose is actually always the same. Where does the disbelief come from? Or is it simply a lack of education, disinterest, or even shame? Perhaps I am also shaped differently with 2 sisters and 3 daughters of my own. I do not know. Somewhere that belongs for me, however, to the general education. For me...
Exactly that, lack of interest and education along with embarrassment. It blows my mind too, but I think part of it here, is most of these guys are pretty young, and probably don't have a close female sibling. Girls are still separated in school for menstruation education, and the boys are always immature about it anyway, and just don't want to know and don't think it's important at all to know. I'm with you here buddy
I'm female, and I've never used tampons. In high school they kind of terrified me, so I used pads. I didn't switch off pads until I learned about menstrual cups, and at that point having used the birth control ring it wasn't so scary. But I never used tampons, so I didn't realize they expanded either. In hindsight it's pretty obvious I guess, but I never thought about it. Why is it so surprising that someone who's never used something would not know exactly how it works?
This seems to all depend on your boyfriend being a complete moron.