Guy Feels Emasculated After Seeing Period Products In His Girlfriend’s Bathroom
Mutual respect is fundamental in relationships. If it’s missing, then something’s very wrong. When you’re dating someone new, everyone wants to leave a good first impression. So it might take a while for your date to show some of their off-putting behaviors.
In a post on the ‘Am I Overreacting’ online group, a woman asked for the community’s help after a bizarre interaction with her new boyfriend. She detailed how the man flipped out after seeing that she had period products… in her own bathroom. Check out the full story and the internet’s reactions below.
Dating someone new can be very exciting. But, as time passes, you might get to see some of your partner’s less-than-savory side
A woman asked the internet to weigh in on some relationship drama. Her boyfriend had a bizarre reaction when he went to her bathroom
Image credits: Toa Heftiba / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
Image credits: wayhomestudio / Freepik (not the actual photo)
Image credits: abstract_lemons
Image credits: abstract_lemons
Image credits: Polina Zimmerman / Pexels (not the actual photo)
One of the core features of toxic masculinity is anti-feminine behavior
It is thoroughly ridiculous to judge someone for having something natural and obvious like female hygiene products in their own bathroom.
On top of that, judging someone for how they organize their home feels off. The man’s reaction was really weird, and it might imply that he feels insecure about his masculinity.
The online post got 64k upvotes at the time of writing. Most members of the ‘Am I Overreacting’ community were on the author’s side, and they called out her boyfriend.
From their perspective, someone who isn’t mature enough to be around period products isn’t mature enough for physical intimacy either.
While it’s difficult to tell definitively, such an aggressive, impolite, anti-feminine reaction to female hygiene products might possibly be a sign of toxic masculinity.
In a nutshell, toxic masculinity refers to certain behaviors and ways of thinking that have a negative impact on men, women, and society. As WebMD points out, it’s not that masculinity itself is ‘bad,’ but rather, there are certain stereotypical behaviors associated with it that are dangerous.
Verywell Mind stresses that there are three main ideas lying at the core of toxic masculinity: toughness, anti-femininity, and power.
Image credits: Yan Krukau / Pexels (not the actual photo)
Overly controlling behavior, emotional immaturity, and over-the-top aggression are red flags
In short, toxic men are encouraged to be “physically strong, emotionally callous, and behaviorally aggressive.” They are also pushed to reject traditionally feminine behaviors like showing emotion and accepting help. Moreover, they are told to obtain power and status in order to be respected.
According to WebMD, some common toxic masculinity red flag behaviors include things like a need for control, promiscuity, refusing to help with the housework, excessive risk-taking, aggression when it comes to intimacy, violence, and embracing ‘traditionally’ masculine norms.
For example, toxic men see a need to assert their power and dominance, feel like they should have the final say in their relationship, and believe that they deserve to know where their partners or spouses are at all times.
Meanwhile, WebMD notes that toxic men are encouraged to have multiple intimate partners, while “expressing disgust at women who do the same.”
These men also embrace what they associate with traditional gender roles, and so, they might refuse to help out with the chores at home. They also avoid cooking, cleaning, and childcare.
Furthermore, there’s this social pressure for men to avoid showing emotion because they consider this to be ‘feminine.’ This also leads to men avoiding getting help for mental health-related issues because they don’t want to be perceived as ‘weak.’
What do you think, Pandas? Why do you think the man had such a weird reaction to female hygiene products? How would you react if someone you were dating flipped out like that? What are your biggest relationship red flags? Let us know in the comments below.
Many readers were shocked by what they read. Here’s the advice they gave the author
A handful of internet users shared personal stories about the same topic
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Males (they're not men) who can't see or touch period products don't deserve to have se.x. It's that simple.
I’m astonished she was able to find a male in his 40s who’s a VIRGIN! 😱 I’m trying and failing to imagine their conversation over what a rubber is and what it’s used for. I really hope she dumped this donkey like the sad, incelly loser he is!
Load More Replies...I'm a single male, and I keep "period products" in the bathroom for my female guests (family, friends, whatever). Oh, I don't make my guests bring their own toilet paper either - I'm just that kind of guy!
Dudes. Keep a box of assorted products under your bathroom sink and have a garbage can with a lid. If you don't know what to buy ask a female friend. Started doing this when I got my first place and taught my son to do the same when he got his first place. Also know what your partner uses, and be willing to buy them (be part of the solution, not the problem).
Jimmy Carr: I'm a very modern man. I have no problem buying tampons - but some people say it's not a "proper present". Sorry Mum!
I now guys who wouldn't buy pads for their wives or girlfriends. I'd hold that box up high going to the cashier boasting, "I have a lady in my life"
Zactly! I don’t understand boys and men who are embarrassed about that (or buying rubbers, or anything else connected to s*x) because it means there’s someone in their lives who wants ‘em in between her thighs, and boys being boys, you’d think it’d be a BIG DEAL to broadcast it! I remain shocked that boys don’t happily buy those things even when they have no GF just to impress their friends and make ‘em think they DO!
Load More Replies...If you are childish enough to make a big deal about period products, you are not mature enough for s*x
He just wanted to not have to feel embarrassed about it, which is reasonable. What's not reasonable is denying his date the same courtesy about something that's an equally normal experience for nearly half the population.
Load More Replies...I'm a single guy that lives alone. There are feminine products in my bathroom in case my sisters or nieces are over and have an emergency. What is the problem?
I would dump an idiot like that faster than the contents of my menstrual cup. Maybe it's time for this period-phobic child to date men.
I hope that you don't date anyone this stupid, but if you have a bad day and do, dump him with the help of your menstrual cup. Make it memorable for him. 😂
Load More Replies...It's not his bathroom, it's her bathroom. They're not his products, they're her product. This is absolutely a far bigger problem and a tremendous red flag showing what a control freak this jerk is.
Why is he comfortable enough saying he's going for a no. 2 and she's comfortable enough to say, oh yeah, if it's a zinger there's stuff to get rid of the foul odour emanating from your ar$e but wrapped period products are disturbing?
Break the boys in very early. My mother was sending me to the nearby drugstore to pick up Kotex when I was 5. As she explained years later she was cramping so badly she could barely stand up straight, much less walk 2 blocks. When I got there the box was already in a bag and ready to go because she had phoned ahead. I had no idea what the pads were for until my curiosity caused me to unwrap a used one that had been rolled up into several layers of toilet paper and placed in the bathroom trash. I saw the used pad, and asked my Mom what was going on. She explained it all to me in detail and I was satisfied. It was never an issue ever again. Mothers should clue their boys in early on.
😳 My mother made me ashamed for unwrapping one; you had a stellar mom, and I’m envious! I thought my mom was dying; I was too young to know about periods and so assumed the worst. (As my mom was sooo uptight about the topic of s*x with her kids, one of my FAVORITE memories was when my ma had people over and my then-three-year-old sister came out of the bathroom playing a trombone … that was a used Tampax applicator! 🤣 I can still visualize the shade of scarlet her face turned 🤬 as my sister grabbed the trombone player up and whisked her out of the room.)
Load More Replies...And this is why we don't have sex with children! If his fee-fees are dented by looking at period products he should go and date people who don't have them, eg: cisgender men. Or not date at all, because he obviously isn't mature enough to do such a thing. (Edit: Clarified what I meant by 'men'.)
Nothing like being an masculine alpha like crying because tampons and pads exist.
This is hilarious. It reminds me of a college roommate I had who got weird around feminine products. I went and bought Always Wings and we wrote on them with a red marker things like “look, I can fly” and stupid stuff like that. He was passed out drink and we stick them to the ceiling. He woke up screaming, haha. But he eventually got over his phobia. He had sister fyi.
I laughed out loud about this. Your roommate was definitely pathetic but "look, I can fly" just sent me.
Load More Replies...Dude's a massive whiny snowflake. If he can't handle a clean wrapped whatsit, how's he going to cope with icky stuff like snotty-puke from being really poorly? I'll tell you how - by phone 'cos the idiot will run.
What the hell did he need access to that required him to root around in the menstrual products? What kind of wild dumps is he taking?
Some stupid spray that you're supposed to spray onto the toilet water before you p*o because apparently the essential oils in it will then "trap" the p*o smells under water, because pooping is so horribly embarrassing that we can't acknowledge it happening.
Load More Replies...If this guy can make you question whether or not it's rude to have periods, take a break from dating and maybe try therapy.
How is OP remotely the one who should "try therapy"? XD I think OP was posting this less in the spirit of "I am actually questioning myself" and more in the spirit of "I am actually questioning whether I woke up in the Bizarro World alternate universe this morning".
Load More Replies...I worked at a drugstore and a couple in their 20s came in. She just needed to go to the pharmacy which is in the back of the store. This guy refused to follow her down the aisle she went down because it had the pads and tampons in it. I wish I had told her to run...
Males (they're not men) who can't see or touch period products don't deserve to have se.x. It's that simple.
I’m astonished she was able to find a male in his 40s who’s a VIRGIN! 😱 I’m trying and failing to imagine their conversation over what a rubber is and what it’s used for. I really hope she dumped this donkey like the sad, incelly loser he is!
Load More Replies...I'm a single male, and I keep "period products" in the bathroom for my female guests (family, friends, whatever). Oh, I don't make my guests bring their own toilet paper either - I'm just that kind of guy!
Dudes. Keep a box of assorted products under your bathroom sink and have a garbage can with a lid. If you don't know what to buy ask a female friend. Started doing this when I got my first place and taught my son to do the same when he got his first place. Also know what your partner uses, and be willing to buy them (be part of the solution, not the problem).
Jimmy Carr: I'm a very modern man. I have no problem buying tampons - but some people say it's not a "proper present". Sorry Mum!
I now guys who wouldn't buy pads for their wives or girlfriends. I'd hold that box up high going to the cashier boasting, "I have a lady in my life"
Zactly! I don’t understand boys and men who are embarrassed about that (or buying rubbers, or anything else connected to s*x) because it means there’s someone in their lives who wants ‘em in between her thighs, and boys being boys, you’d think it’d be a BIG DEAL to broadcast it! I remain shocked that boys don’t happily buy those things even when they have no GF just to impress their friends and make ‘em think they DO!
Load More Replies...If you are childish enough to make a big deal about period products, you are not mature enough for s*x
He just wanted to not have to feel embarrassed about it, which is reasonable. What's not reasonable is denying his date the same courtesy about something that's an equally normal experience for nearly half the population.
Load More Replies...I'm a single guy that lives alone. There are feminine products in my bathroom in case my sisters or nieces are over and have an emergency. What is the problem?
I would dump an idiot like that faster than the contents of my menstrual cup. Maybe it's time for this period-phobic child to date men.
I hope that you don't date anyone this stupid, but if you have a bad day and do, dump him with the help of your menstrual cup. Make it memorable for him. 😂
Load More Replies...It's not his bathroom, it's her bathroom. They're not his products, they're her product. This is absolutely a far bigger problem and a tremendous red flag showing what a control freak this jerk is.
Why is he comfortable enough saying he's going for a no. 2 and she's comfortable enough to say, oh yeah, if it's a zinger there's stuff to get rid of the foul odour emanating from your ar$e but wrapped period products are disturbing?
Break the boys in very early. My mother was sending me to the nearby drugstore to pick up Kotex when I was 5. As she explained years later she was cramping so badly she could barely stand up straight, much less walk 2 blocks. When I got there the box was already in a bag and ready to go because she had phoned ahead. I had no idea what the pads were for until my curiosity caused me to unwrap a used one that had been rolled up into several layers of toilet paper and placed in the bathroom trash. I saw the used pad, and asked my Mom what was going on. She explained it all to me in detail and I was satisfied. It was never an issue ever again. Mothers should clue their boys in early on.
😳 My mother made me ashamed for unwrapping one; you had a stellar mom, and I’m envious! I thought my mom was dying; I was too young to know about periods and so assumed the worst. (As my mom was sooo uptight about the topic of s*x with her kids, one of my FAVORITE memories was when my ma had people over and my then-three-year-old sister came out of the bathroom playing a trombone … that was a used Tampax applicator! 🤣 I can still visualize the shade of scarlet her face turned 🤬 as my sister grabbed the trombone player up and whisked her out of the room.)
Load More Replies...And this is why we don't have sex with children! If his fee-fees are dented by looking at period products he should go and date people who don't have them, eg: cisgender men. Or not date at all, because he obviously isn't mature enough to do such a thing. (Edit: Clarified what I meant by 'men'.)
Nothing like being an masculine alpha like crying because tampons and pads exist.
This is hilarious. It reminds me of a college roommate I had who got weird around feminine products. I went and bought Always Wings and we wrote on them with a red marker things like “look, I can fly” and stupid stuff like that. He was passed out drink and we stick them to the ceiling. He woke up screaming, haha. But he eventually got over his phobia. He had sister fyi.
I laughed out loud about this. Your roommate was definitely pathetic but "look, I can fly" just sent me.
Load More Replies...Dude's a massive whiny snowflake. If he can't handle a clean wrapped whatsit, how's he going to cope with icky stuff like snotty-puke from being really poorly? I'll tell you how - by phone 'cos the idiot will run.
What the hell did he need access to that required him to root around in the menstrual products? What kind of wild dumps is he taking?
Some stupid spray that you're supposed to spray onto the toilet water before you p*o because apparently the essential oils in it will then "trap" the p*o smells under water, because pooping is so horribly embarrassing that we can't acknowledge it happening.
Load More Replies...If this guy can make you question whether or not it's rude to have periods, take a break from dating and maybe try therapy.
How is OP remotely the one who should "try therapy"? XD I think OP was posting this less in the spirit of "I am actually questioning myself" and more in the spirit of "I am actually questioning whether I woke up in the Bizarro World alternate universe this morning".
Load More Replies...I worked at a drugstore and a couple in their 20s came in. She just needed to go to the pharmacy which is in the back of the store. This guy refused to follow her down the aisle she went down because it had the pads and tampons in it. I wish I had told her to run...














































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