Mal-A-Ket

This post is in partnership with Always and Tampax. Now through July 25th, save $ 4.00 on 2 Tampax products or 2 Always products at Meijer! (Please note that Always Infinity packaging has been updated and is different than above image.)

You guys hear me talk a lot about ending unnecessary stigmas and normalizing topics that, well, should be normalized. For example, I frequently discuss mental health, my own challenges with anxiety disorder, and why talking about these things is important. One topic I haven’t yet covered though that I decided I really should discuss here is menstruation. You know, our periods. Many of us with vaginas (let’s all say the word together: vaginas) get them, but our society has made them a taboo topic to discuss.

Honestly, it’s no surprise that people feel uncomfortable or unknowledgeable talking about periods – we’re simply not educated about them. According to the Guttmacher Institute, only 30 states and DC even teach sex ed here in the U.S. I know I was never taught about how to use tampons in school, and if not for being able to ask my mom questions about my period, would have felt completely unprepared. Many girls (and even grown women) feel ashamed or embarrassed to talk about their periods because they were never given the knowledge to feel confident in discussing them. And that’s just not right.

I have made a promise to myself to teach both my daughter and my son about periods. (They already have a basic idea of what they are, and know that mommy gets them.) And in the same way that my husband and I teach them proper terminology for body parts, we will use proper words for menstruation: period, vagina, tampon, pad, etc. We won’t use code words. Periods are a natural body process, and no one should grow up feeling shame about them. As adults, we should do the same as we’ll be doing for our kids: talk about periods, use proper terminology, and share our stories without feeling embarrassed. I also feel that we should do our part in supporting organizations and brands who are publicly taking action in making sure we end the stigma of discussing periods. (I am in freaking love with Tampax‘s partnership with Amy Schumer, for example. Google it. It is everything.)

I could go on and on about my periods, what I did when I got my first one at age 14, how wacky they are now in my 40s, or times when I didn’t realize they were coming and they, well, did (like at a business lunch with a large group in San Francisco when one of the brand’s employees pointed out the large stain on the back of my dress). Or I could talk about the first time I used a Tampax (foot on the toilet method, anyone?), or an Always pad (thanks for the lesson, mom!). I likely will devote future content to discussing these things, because that’s the point – periods are normal, and there is absolutely no reason they shouldn’t be casually and regularly discussed. But today, I just wanted to touch on the subject and open up the dialogue (feel free to comment or email me to discuss more!), and to share an amazing deal on Tampax and Always products going on at Meijer right now.

And finally, here is the deal I promised! (And yes, I am extremely excited about this. If you guessed that I immediately got in my car and headed directly to Meijer upon learning about it, you are correct.) Right now (July 20-25) at your local Meijer store, save $ 4.00 on two packs of Tampax Tampons or $ 4.00 on two packs of Always Pads. (This awesome promotion can be found in the BrandSaver weekly paper, which is available in store at Meijer.) I choose Tampax for several reasons, but mostly because it is the #1 US Gynecologist recommended tampon brand (based on 2020 survey). And I’ve been using Always Infinity FlexFoam Pads since they first became available, because they legitimately feel like I’m not wearing a pad. Their motto: ‘Zero Feel, Zero Leak Protection is Possible’ is 100% truth, my friends. So head over to Meijer immediately and take advantage of this goodness while you still can (ends July 25th!).

Who else agrees that we need to be normalizing period talk, like yesterday? Tell me all your stories!

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Bubby and Bean ::: Living Creatively