It’s rare to hear guys talk about periods and pads. We’ve come a long way as a society, but talking about periods is still taboo. I notice this when I mention that I write for a website called “Period View.” Many women and girls are embarrassed to talk about periods and many guys would prefer that this topic stay out of sight and out of earshot. They know that half of the world has a period, but many of them don’t want to hear about it. However, not every guy feels this way.
#realmensupportwomen
Maybe you’ve already heard of Jose Garcia. He’s a high school student from Miami, Florida who has made waves across the internet over the last few weeks. It started with a simple Instagram post, which consisted of a picture of Garcia holding two pads and a message, “#realmensupportwomen.” Garcia, who considers himself a feminist, took to Instagram to encourage men to view periods as a normal bodily function and to carry pads and tampons for women.
Garcia says his goal is to help eliminate the stigma associated with periods and to help the women in his life. He isn’t suggesting that women can’t take care of themselves, he just believes that people have a duty to help each other.
The Results: Internet Fame and Some Teasing
Garcia’s post has brought him internet fame. He now has over 30,000 Instagram followers and he has been featured in articles and blogs all over the web. Several guys on social media have told him that they have also started carrying pads and tampons to help their female friends.
While most of the attention has been positive, Garcia said that some of the guys in his school have started calling him names behind his back. Still, he doesn’t regret his Instagram post. In fact, his only regret is not proofreading his post.
Lasting Impact?
It’s obvious that Garcia’s Instagram post has changed his life, but will it change society? Will most guys start carrying tampons? Probably not. Are more people talking about periods? At least for now they are. Will this open dialogue continue? I hope so because it needs to. The stigma surrounding periods is still strong and the only way to destroy it is to talk. A lot. We need more people, like Garcia, to talk about periods, until men no longer look away in disgust when they see a woman buy a box of tampons, girls no longer feel ashamed when they experience this normal bodily function, and people no longer cringe when I tell them that I write about periods.
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